NHS Boys Boot Their Way To Three Straight Wins

By Andy Hutchison

BRIDGEPORT — Newtown High School’s boys’ soccer team got off to a solid start by edging Brookfield 2-1 in the season-opener on September 15, blanking Kolbe Cathedral 3-0 at the University of Bridgeport on September 18, and earning another shutout in a 6-0 blanking of Oxford at home on Monday.

As much as Newtown enjoyed shutting out each of its last two opponents, the Hawks hope pulling out a close win over Brookfield is a sign of things to come as the season unfolds.

“Brookfield was key. I think that’s really what’s going to get us rolling this year,” senior Eric Thornberg said.

Newtown lost some close contests and settled for ties in games they were in contention to win a year ago. The solid start came against one of the teams the Nighthawks expect to be among the better rivals in the South-West Conference again this year.

In the season-opening win, Adam Buccino and Josh Barrett scored to back goalkeeper Zach Dlouhy who has emerged as the starting keeper early in the campaign.

Dlouhy is among four keepers who are vying for time between the posts. Although he was not tested often by players on a newly established Oxford program, Dlouhy did come up with an impressive diving save late in the first half to help preserve the shutout. Buccino and Evan Kennedy both scored twice and Josh Engler and Jeff DiNicola also found the back of the net.

Against Central, in a game that got physical at times, Newtown jumped out to an early lead on goals by Evan Kennedy and Buccino. Thornberg put the game out of reach in the second half when he out-sprinted the Central defense and put a low shot into the back of the net.

Central was aggressive, but Newtown did a nice job of playing keep-away and possessing the ball. Solid defensive play led by Jeff DiNicola helped the Hawks thwart Central’s would-be attacks on Dlouhy throughout most of the game.

“We handled the ball — controlled possession. We dominated the game early,” Thornberg said.

Newtown has beaten one of the better SWC teams in Brookfield, knocked off a physical team in Central, and gotten the job done against a weaker Oxford team. To this point the Nighthawks have had as much success as they could have hoped to kick off the new campaign.

NHS Coach Brian Neumeyer said he is “very happy with the group and the way we’ve started.”

The coach says he likes the makeup of this year’s team and has high hopes for the strong play to continue.

“It’s a group with a lot of character and I think that’s going to equate for a successful season for us,” he said.

Neumeyer notes that since it is so early in the season there is room for improvement, but added following the win over Central, “We’re where we need to be right now.”

Newtown was scheduled to visit Immaculate on Thursday (after The Bee went to press). On paper, at least, that looked like a Hawks win.

The schedule gets a little tougher beginning with a Saturday, September 26, match with Pomperaug under the lights at Blue & Gold Stadium. Game time is set for 7 pm with a pregame tailgating event commencing at 5:30 pm.