By Kim J. Harmon

MILFORD – Two drives.

Two offensive plays.

Three touchdowns.

It can get no simpler than that for someone trying to communicate how utterly Newtown dominated Jonathan Law last Friday night. Oh, it was close when it was 0-0 and Law completed a 15-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage.

But from that moment on, though, it was a train wreck.

On the Nighthawks’ first opportunity with the ball, they went on a 15-play, 84-yard drive that ended when Adam Hayden vaulted the line from the one-yard line for the first touchdown of the game.

Rich Petretti took the two-point conversion in himself and the ‘Hawks led 8-0.

Then events sort of sped up a bit . . . when the TWO drives, TWO offensive plays, THREE touchdowns sequence pretty much put the game away in the middle of the second quarter.

It went like this:

+Law has the ball for three plays and on the third the Lawmen fumble the ball away on their own 43.

+On the first play following the fumble, Petretti tosses a beautiful flag pattern pass to Nick Savino, who – despite being very well covered – gathers it in over his head on about the 15 and then strides into the end zone for the touchdown.

+Law has the ball for four plays and on the fourth, a punt, Pete Engel breaks through the line to block the kick. It bounces twice and right into the hands of sophomore Kyle Nowak, who scoots 17 yards for another touchdown.

+Law mounts its best drive of the game, a 7-play, 47-yard effort that takes advantage of a 13-yard pass play, a 20-yard run, and a pass interference penalty. But with a sack by Collin Anderson and two incomplete passes, the ‘Hawks – already ahead 22-0 – take over on their own 37.

+On the first play, Petretti tosses right to Hayden, who takes a couple of steps and fires a bomb to Savino in the vicinity of the Law 35. Savino leaps for the grab while the Law defender stumbles and then Savino races untouched into the end zone for the touchdown and a 28-0 lead.

Two drives.

Two offensive plays.

Three touchdowns.

Later in the quarter, the ‘Hawks put together a longer drive – three plays – to score their fifth touchdown of the half. Taking over on the 32, Petretti hit Matt Saunders in the flat for eight yards, tossed an incomplete pass, and then handed off to Hayden who cut up the middle, slid to the left, and rambled 60 yards for his third touchdown of the game (it was only his fourth carry of the game and first that went for more than one yard).

With 55 seconds left in the second quarter, the ‘Hawks had a 35-0 lead.

Things got a little less wild and woolly in the second half. While the Newtown defense continued to berate the quarterback (10 sacks for the game), the offense only reached the end zone twice. The first time, starting from their 10, the ‘Hawks moved 35 yards on seven plays before Petretti hit tight end Matt McCarthy on a short little slant – which turned into a 55-yard touchdown and 41-0 lead.

Later, in the fourth, Savino returned a punt 48 yards for a touchdown (his third of the game and sixth of the year) that gave the ‘Hawks their 48-0 margin of victory.

A train wreck – plain and simple.

The win put the ‘Hawks at 4-1 and still in reasonable shape for both a South-West Conference playoff berth (provided, of course, that Masuk and Bunnell each suffer at least one loss) and a CIAC state tournament berth.

Newtown will look to keep its winning streak alive this Friday night when it travels to Southbury to take on Pomperaug.

The Panthers are 4-1 and, for all intents and purposes, tied with the ‘Hawks for second in the SWC Colonial Division.

Newtown     16     19     6       7       - 48

Law   0       0       0       0       - 0

I.     

First Quarter

I.      N - Hayden, 1-yard run (Petretti run)

II.     N - Savino, 43-yard pass from Petretti (Hayden pass from Petretti)

III.     

Second Quarter

I.      N - Nowak, 17-yard blocked punt return (pass failed)

II.     N - Savino, 63-yard pass from Hayden (pass failed)

III.    N - Hayden, 60-yard run (Coates kick)

IV.    

Third Quarter

I.      N - McCarthy, 55-yard pass from Petretti (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

N - Savino, 48-yard punt return (Coates kick)

Individual Statistics

 

RUSH ATT  YDS   TD

Kyle Tobin    14      128     0

Adam Hayden 10      90      2

Jon Werbeck  5        22      0

Kevin Whipkey        3        6        0

Kyle Nowak   2        4        0

Tom Ryan      1        1        0

Sean Speer    1        0        0

Totals        35     250    2

PASS CMP  ATT  YDS   TD

Rich Petretti  4        6        108     2

Adam Hayden 1        1        63      1

Tom Ryan      0        3        0        0

Totals        5       10     171    3

RECEIVE    REC  YDS   TD

Nick Savino    2        106     2

Matt McCarthy        2        57      1

Matt Saunders         1        8        0

Totals        5       171    3