STAMFORD — Swarming defense, lots of early offense, and some strong special teams sprinkled in combined to lead the visiting Newtown High School football team to a 35-13 win over Stamford in the September 14 afternoon kickoff the regular season for these squads.

The Nighthawks jumped out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter of play and led 28-0 at halftime.

First-year starting quarterback Ryan Schoffstall rushed for a pair of touchdowns and threw for two more in the triumph.

Newtown got the scoring started on Jayden Taylor's 11-yard run into the end zone. Schoffstall connected with Will McManus for a 71-yard catch and run for a TD, and Schoffstall rushed for a TD to cap the opening-quarter outburst.

The third touchdown came about following Justyn Gonzalez's recovery of a misplayed ball on a squib kickoff. Newtown Coach Dan Farina said the Nighthawks kicked the ball short in order to keep the ball out of the hands of Stamford's dangerous kick return players who ran back six or seven for scores last year.

Key third-down conversions kept some of Newtown's drives alive. There was also a big third down play that was short of first down yardage but helped set up a first down. On third and 20 yards to go the Hawks moved the ball 17 yards on a Schoffstall to McManus passing play. On the next play, Newtown used the hard count to draw a Stamford offside and move the chains. Another big completion to McManus set up first and goal and led to another Schoffstall rushing touchdown, this one from four yards out with 54 seconds left in the opening half.

In the third quarter, after Stamford broke up the shutout and was looking for more, Henri Quirk came away with an interception. On the first play of the fourth, Schoffstall completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Taylor.

"Our offense did a great job executing," Newtown Coach Farina said.

Newtown had stellar defense across the board with Nick Pavia (quarterback sack), C.J. St. Louis, Cole Stockwell, Quirk, Caden Cuomo, Graham Spencer, and Kieran Garrity all pressuring the opposing QB and Stamford ball carriers throughout the game. Spencer racked up 7.5 tackles and Quirk and Cuomo both had 4.5 tackles.

"We came out with some fire. That's what we wanted to do. We executed the game plan — we swarmed the ball," Farina said.

"It's a great start," Taylor said. "On offense we just gave 100 percent effort every play. On defense our aggression and physicality really showed today."

Schoffstall got some time in the pocket last fall, including one start, He was not at all nervous on opening day.

"I was really ready," said Schoffstall, adding that summer camps and other workout programs had the Hawks ready to go from the first snap.

The NHS QB kept many plays alive with his ability to scramble out of the pocket and run up field or make a pass. He went 10-for-11 passing for 281 yards.

"It cant get much better than this. That's a good football team and we showed them what we're about," the QB added.

Schoffstall and company are hoping things do get a lot better with a run deep into postseason.

"I feel like we have state championship potential," said Newtown's quarterback, noting that key returning players at the receive position, on the lines, and in other areas make Newtown a complete team.

But it is one game at a time and up next is the first home contest, Friday, September 20, when New Fairfield visits Blue & Gold Stadium at 7 pm.