The quest for a Candlewood Valley League championship has come to an end – a heartbreaking end some would say, especially in the case of one team – for two of Newtown’s finest Pop Warner football teams ever.

The Junior Pee Wees and Pee Wees were both were defeated in the semi-finals last weekend. The Pee Wees dropped a 19-6 decision to the Danbury Trojans while the Junior Pee Wees fell 14-13 to Ridgefield when an extra point attempt that would have tied the game early was nullified on a holding call.

Four of Newtown’s five Pop Warner teams qualified for the 2000 playoffs (not the 89ers, for which there were no post-season opportunities), but the Junior Midgets and Midgets were both defeated in the league quarter-finals two weeks ago.

For the Junior Pee Wees and Pee Wees, the journey towards a championship would go on for one more week.

In the case of the Junior Pee Wees, it came to an end in a tightly-contested game.

Newtown started the game off on defense, thanks to an onside kick by Ridgefield, but Tyler Tarantino, Mark Scheunemann, Dan DeLaVega, Sean Ryan and Justin McGrath all put pressure on the Ridgefield offense. The ‘Hawks were unable to score on their turn with the ball and then Ridgefield came up with a touchdown despite fine plays from Dan Curtis, Zach Conger, Chris Elias and Matt Mascolo.

Ridgefield led 7-0.

Once again, Ridgefield went with an onside kick and the Newtown defense had to get back on the field. But Mascolo broke up a fourth-down pass to deny Ridgefield another crack at the end zone. Scheunemann made a nice run around the right side and broke loose, but he fumbled the ball into the end zone and Ridgefield recovered.

Tom Jackman, Elias and Conger were tough on defense and McGrath and DeLaVega came up with strong plays to force Ridgefield to punt. With excellent field position at the Ridgefield 21, Newtown soon scored on a Tarantino run. Kris Kling added the extra point, but a costly holding penalty brought the play back and Newtown was unable to do it again.

Ridgefield led, 7-6. But Ridgefield stormed out at the start of the second half and soon scored, adding the extra point for a 14-6 lead. McGrath later had to make a beautiful tackle to keep Ridgefield out of the end zone again.

Starting deep in their own end, the Newtown offense went to work with time winding down. Tarantino made a great run to the 40-yard-line behind a nice block from McGrath. Schuenemann followed with a nice run of his own for the touchdown. Kling added the extra point and Newtown trimmed the Ridgefield lead to 14-13.

With one last shot, the ‘Hawks attempted a pass that fell incomplete.

Newtown ends the season at 4-2-1.

For the Pee Wees, it came to an end despite taking an early 6-0 on the Danbury Trojans.

Joey DeVellis started the Nighthawk attack with a nifty 15-yard kickoff return and then stood back as Tucker Kass and Thomas Hutchison worked hard to establish the running game against a tough Danbury defense.

Kass caught a five-yard pass from DeVellis to initiate the passing attack. Although a fumble stopped the drive, the Newtown defense – led by Speer, Hutchison, Brian Poeltl and David Modzelewski – stymied the Danbury offense.

Joe Collins and Kass came up with behind-the-line tackles.

The Nighthawks took over on their 33. Speer (who left the game in the second quarter because of illness) legged out a spectacular 50-yard run, breaking through a hole created by the offensive line work of Ryan McGrath, Cody Shpunt, Steve Orrico, Ryan Martin, Joe Bowen, Collins, and Mario Roehrs. Kass took the ball a couple of times before powering his way into the end zone for the touchdown.

The extra point was denied and Newtown held a 6-0 lead.

The ‘Hawk defense once again held the Trojans back as Erik Dreher, Brian Stickles, Ken Cardelle and Drew Adamek made fine plays and a fumble recovery by Tommy Gaboriault put the offense back on the field.

Newtown failed to gain a first down, but Ryan McGrath’s quick kick pinned Danbury deep in its territory. The defense made a valiant effort to keep Danbury out of the end zone, but a 30-yard run tied the score at 6-6.

The last offensive attack of the first half was led by Stickles, who powered his way downfield with a series of carries. Stickles moved the football behind the efforts of linemen Matt Kuruc, Tom Selleck, Cardelle, Skyler Gajdosik, Scott Perry and lead blockers Scott Suhoza and Travis Speer.

One play can turn the momentum and one play might have done it for the Trojans. At the start of the second half, a 69-yard return led to another touchdown and Danbury held a 12-6 lead. Stickles came up with a big tackle to stop the extra point.

The ‘Hawks started their drive on their own 14. Although the running game could not come up with a first down, McGrath once again executed a fine quick kick to catch Danbury off guard. Ryan Martin charged downfield and recovered the kick.

Back on offense, Kass broke through the line for a solid 14-yard gain, and Hutchison had a five-yard reception, but that was all the offense could manage. Danbury took over the ball and soon scored on a 55-yard touchdown run.

With the extra point, the Trojans led 19-6.

The ‘Hawks did not give up, though. A series of halfback option plays from Kass to DeVellis, and then DeVellis to Kass, kept the offense moving down the field. Kass also pulled in a nice catch in heavy traffic for nine yards, but the offensive attack was stopped short of the goal line.

The Pee Wees finished up with a 7-2 record. Coaches for the team are Dave Benore (head coach), Tom Bowen, Gerry Kass, Matt McGrath, Bill Shpunt, and Keith Suhoza.

In non-playoff action, the 89ers finished their season at 8-1 with a 12-0 win over the Danbury Trojans. Jake DeVellis scored first on a six-yard plunge up the middle and Steve Oberstadt scored second on a quarterback keeper.

Kevin “Mad Dog” McCarthy led a punishing defensive attack. At one point in the game, he made three straight tackles and led a fearsome foursome that included Fletcher Travis, Nick Tiand erno, Brendan Blawie that helped limit the Trojans to just 15 yards of total offense.

The best offensive plays of the game included DeVellis and Brian Reszoly combined on a 40-yard reverse; a beautiful play-action pass from DeVellis to Charlie LoBosco for 17 yards; and a 35-yard QB keeper by DeVellis.

Brian Mesko, Jamie Vavrek, Jacob Browning, CJ Portolese, Robbie Norling, Chris Dennis, Mike “Pookie” Poeltl, AJ Ritchie, Kyle McNamara, and Tim Roehrs made fine plays to help the 89ers pull out the win.

The Junior Midgets, meanwhile, fell to New Canaan, 27-13. RJ Marus scored two touchdowns on carries of 50 and 9 yards. Marus added another 50-yard run during the game. Ryan Delrossi and Jonathan Butler made some key blocks, as did Joe Brewer.

John Lewis ran 10 yards for a first down on a fake punt and Jordan Miles added a 10-yard scamper.

On defense, TJ Mueller and Charles Perry played strong games, as did Dylan Borst, who recovered two fumbles.