Hut, Hut … Highlights From The Gridiron

Newtown Youth Football game summaries from this past week are as follows:

79ers

Yorktown 13, Newtown 79ers 0: The Nighthawks faced a determined Yorktown squad this past Saturday at Taylor Field. The boys played to win, but couldn’t overcome a crippling series of turnovers which kept the mighty Newtown offense off the field for most of the game. JP Iaropoli, Garrett Norberg, Ryan Straiton, Ethan Parsons, Jordan Fultan, Kyle Cascone, Vincent Pindell, Ethan Parsons, Chris Maturo, Jack Mulligan, and Kyle Sullivan all made key plays.

Grade 4

Newtown 12, Torrington 0: It started out as a tough day in the mud for Newtown this past Saturday afternoon. After coming out with a strong series on defense with big tackles by Doug Carriero and Will Stenz, each for a loss in the backfield, the Nighthawks took over on downs but failed to convert and fumbled the ball deep in Torrington’s territory. A couple of series later Josh Dunn slowed Torrington’s momentum with a strip and fumble recovery to give Newtown solid field position heading into the second quarter. Dunn then advanced the ball with a solid run behind the blocking of Owen Walsh and Alex Street but Newtown failed to put it in the end zone. On the next series on offense CJ Shambelan ran hard, shedding tackles and took a quarterback bootleg behind the solid block of Christopher Faxon, Jack Carello, and Jake Holman 36 yards for the score. Newtown led at the half 6-0. In the second half Newtown marched the ball down the field and dominated the line of scrimmage.  Andrew Deluca came up with a big block, sealing the backside, so Ryan Kost could take it the opposite way for another 6.  Newtown’s defense played well all day long and dominated in the second half. Solid tackles by Street, Simon Preston, Michael Garner, Ryan Kost, and Nicholas Weiland helped Newtown to its second shutout of the year. The Nighthawks will face Ridgefield this Saturday.

Grade 6

Newtown 25, Ansonia 0: Newtown delivered its most complete performance of the season, beating previously undefeated Ansonia. The Nighthawks yielded only 31 total yards (while gaining 240) en route to their fourth shutout. Newtown has outscored opponents 120-7. After Ansonia went three and out to start the game, Jared Pearson scored on a 3-yard run. The score was set up by a 53-yard pass completion from Matt Maturo to Ethan Carpenter. Early in the second, Peyton Manning broke through the right side for an 8-yard touchdown behind the blocking of Matt Meyers and Matt Carino. Steve Faxlanger added the extra point. Midway through the third, Devin Luzietti (4 tackles) foiled a fake punt to give Newtown the ball deep in Ansonia territory. Faxlanger ran around left end for 15 yards for the score and a 19-0 cushion. Key blocks were provided by Carlo Fenaroli and Jeremy Salaris. The defense again forced a turnover on downs, led by Brian Kiley, Kyle Martinez, and Greg Harrison (sack). The Gator offense, led by Austin LeBlanc, then took over and controlled the ball for 12 plays and gaining two first downs behind the running of James Accousti and Shawn McCarthy, and the blocking of Matt Pindell, Michael Roche and John Reardon. John DelRossi and Andrew Svanda (sack) dominated on the next series to get the ball back for the Nighthawks. With time running down, Maturo hit Matt Elias in the end zone for a 6-yard strike. Maturo was untouched all day behind the offensive line of Gordon Walsh, Ryan Shaw, Nick Samuelson, Charlie Fletcher, and Svanda. Pearson and Shaw both recovered onside kicks.

Grade 7

Nighthawks 32, Meriden Raiders 8: In a battle of the seventh grade Mid Connecticut 2008 champions and the 3 time defending CVL champions last Sunday at Treadwell Park, the Nighthawks came out on top to improve to 5-0 in the season and kept their undefeated streak alive for the fourth straight year.

Newtown received the opening kick off with Julian Dunn bursting through the middle of the field with a 39-yard kick off return. Three plays later, Nick Lotrecchiano took a reverse toss and scored from 29 yards out. With his first of four extra point kicks, Dunn put the Hawks up 8-0. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Bug Santella kicked a perfect onside kick known as the “Train Wreck.” Dunn recovered the ball and advanced it 10 yards. The young Hawks were able to take the ball to the Meriden Raiders’ 3 yard line and on fourth and goal, the Raiders’ defense held tight and force a turnover on downs.

With Meriden’s offense taking the field for the first time, the swarming Hawks defense stopped the offense on four straight downs. The Hawks wasted no time and ended up scoring on a pass from Colton Smith to Dunn for a 14-0 lead. Dunn’s extra point kick put Newtown up 16-0.

After the Raiders got to within 16-8, Newtown answered behind the blocking of Harry Duffy, Kevin Ross, Stephen Grasso, Aidan Petershack, Erik Street, Sean McCafferty and Aaron Beckett. James Leuci did the bulk of the work with four carries for 15 yards. The Hawks then decided to open up their offense with pass completions to Tim Krapf, Connor Roche and Dunn allowing them to move the ball to the Raiders’ 10 with Smith finishing off the scoring drive with a 10-yard counter toss to put the Hawks up 24 to 8. The line blocking of Kevin Conte, Griffin Davis, Markus Elken, Eric Cascone and Jake Lambert gave Smith plenty of time to find the open receivers all day.

During the first series of the fourth quarter, the Hawks ran a few plays up the gut with Sugar Shane Quimby pounding the inside and then Dunn taking an option toss from Smith who raced 25 yards for the first down. The series ended with a TD pass from Smith to Dunn for 15 yards in the corner of the end zone.Once again, the defense was not going to be outdone by the offense as Lambert, Cascone, Krapf and Davis all had sacks. The linebackers Bubba Condon and Rat Rubino stuffed any thoughts of running up the middle and cornerbacks Jaret DeVellis, Bug Santella, Forest Speed and Logan Walsh made critical stops. The Hawks limited the Raiders to two total first downs and constantly won the battle of field position.

This Sunday, the young Hawks face a Ridgefield team that came one game away from the CVL championships in 2008.