Starting Off On A Hot Streak ...Newtown High Boys’ Booters Continue To Roll

By Andy Hutchison

Halfway through the season, the Newtown High School boys’ soccer team continues to be unbeatable.

The Nighthawks, heading into Wednesday’s game at Notre Dame-Fairfield (after The Bee sports section went to press) had a record of 6-0-1. Even more impressive, the Hawks have not allowed a goal during game play since the first half of the first game. Bethel ended a four-plus-game no goals-against streak with a penalty shot tally following a trip in the box on October 2. Newtown won that game handily, pulling away for a 5-1 triumph at Treadwell Park.

The Nighthawks are getting strong defensive play, solid goalkeeping from Zach Dloughy when needed, to hold the opponents off the score sheets. Just as important as the stingy defense has been a ball-possessing midfield and offense.

“I think we’re knocking the ball really well around midfield. As long as we can keep doing that and keep playing hard and winning tackles, we can keep going with this win streak,” senior Evan Kennedy said after the win over Bethel.

“As always, when you have shutouts it’s a group effort,” Coach Brian Neumeyer said. “I’m very happy with the way the team’s been playing.”

In the win over Bethel, Kennedy scored a goal and added an assist. He crossed the ball on the ground to Josh Engler, who out-raced Bethel’s Andriy Paparo to the ball to one-touch a shot into the lower corner of the goal as he sprinted across the 18-yard line. Adam Buccino scored twice and Eric Thornberg also found the net in that win.

Newtown’s October 3 game against Holy Cross was rained out and rescheduled for October 17 (noon at Blue & Gold Stadium). The Nighthawks returned to game action on Monday with a 4-0 shutout at Stratford.

Buccino points out that the Nighthawks still have a lot to prove as they look to get back to the postseason and shake off last year’s South-West Conference Tournament semifinal and state tourney first round defeats. Even so, the Nighthawks are enjoying their winning ways thus far this campaign.

“It’s been awesome. It’s disappointing we had the penalty kick end the scoreless streak,” Buccino said. “At least we can hang our hats on the fact that nobody’s scored in the run of play.”

Dloughy credits the players in front of him for making it possible to earn so many shutouts.

“The defense, and everyone in front of me, is the main part of what keeps a scoreless streak going. I’m just the last line. So, so far my job hasn’t been that difficult.”

The Nighthawks are not getting caught up in this success. They know there is still a long way to go even before the postseason commences. Newtown’s next test stands to be a tough one — at Masuk in Monroe on Saturday at 7 pm.

“We just need to stay focused and continue to improve,” Neumeyer said.

The coach added that the Nighthawks have to worry about their game and not let circumstances, including the score, impact how the team plays.

“Whatever the score is, whatever time of the game … we can’t have a letdown. Even if we’re up goals late in the game we have to continue just to play,” Neumeyer said.