Boys’ Soccer Team Knows Key To Contention Is Success At Home

By Andy Hutchison

Sure, home games generally mark a chance for teams to grab the upper hand, what with the crowd behind their backs and the familiar setting and all. But for Newtown High School’s boys’ soccer team, home games are especially crucial this fall.

After all, the Nighthawks face most of the best of the South-West Conference on their digs this campaign.

Newtown was hoping to set the tone in a game one contest with visiting Pomperaug of Southbury under the lights at Blue & Gold Stadium on September 13, but fell short, 1-0. The Hawks rebounded nicely. They entertained and blanked Bethel 2-0 at Treadwell Park’s Tilson Field on Monday, September 19. Nick Barreto and Connor Quinn both scored goals for the Nighthawks.

“As a group, they played better than they did [against Pomperaug],” Newtown Coach Brian Neumeyer said. The coach added that ball movement, as well as off-ball movement, was stronger and something the players continue to work on.

“We want to send the message throughout the SWC that we’re a tough team to play at home,” said Newtown captain and goalkeeper Austin Puleri, who made five saves in the team’s first win.

“When people come to watch us play we want to be exciting and we want to hold serve — we don’t want to lose games at home, and if we do that we’re going to be really successful this year,” Neumeyer added.

The Nighthawks should expect to easily win some of their home games, including the Friday, September 23 game with Notre Dame-Fairfield (3:45 pm at Treadwell Park’s Tilson Field). After visiting Masuk in Monroe on September 27 and Weston on October 1, the Hawks return home to face always-challenging Joel Barlow of Redding at Blue & Gold, 7 pm on October 4.

Another big game to circle on the schedule is an October 11 clash with Bunnell of Stratford, the team that eliminated Newtown from the conference playoffs in overtime last year. That’s also a 7 pm game at Blue & Gold.

Newtown’s other home games are against New Milford, Brookfield, and Oxford. The Nighthawks lost to Oxford in the season opener last year, played New Milford to a scoreless tie, and nipped a 13-win Brookfield squad 1-0 last fall.