Homecoming Postponed Until November 16; Hawks Will Try To Bounce Back

By Andy Hutchison

The Newtown High School football team’s Homecoming Game, originally scheduled for Friday, November 13, was postponed the day of the game because of anticipated heavy rain. The game between the Nighthawks and Notre Dame-Fairfield Lancers is slated to be played at Blue & Gold Stadium at 6 pm on Monday, November 16.

Newtown enters the game with a 6-2 record and Notre Dame is 2-6, although the Lancers have hung close in almost every game this season. Notre Dame lost 21-14 to Joel Barlow, 21-13 to Masuk, 20-15 to Stratford, and 9-6 to Brookfield in overtime. One of the Lancers’ two wins was against New Fairfield, the team the Nighthawks lost to in their most recent game.

Newtown was doubled up 42-21 at New Fairfield on November 6.

Leading 14-0 with less than two minutes to play in the first half it looked all but certain that the Nighthawks would carry a lead, if not a shutout, into the intermission.

But host New Fairfield struck for two late second quarter scores to tie the game and carried over the momentum into the second half en route to the win.

The loss likely crushed Newtown’s hopes of qualifying for a postseason game. The Nighthawks came into the game ranked seventh in the state’s Class LL division.

The host Rebels improved to 4-4 behind the efforts of quarterback Bobby Wood who scored on 15- and 30-yard runs in the waning minutes of the first half and almost single-handedly dominated the second half both with his legs and his throwing arm.

“We had one player run all over the field on us and he made us look stupid,” Newtown Coach Steve George said.

Wood’s performance overshadowed a good one by Newtown’s Sean Devaney who caught touchdown passes from quarterback John Fracker of 23 and 63 yards and also played well on defense.

“It’s hard because we had them at halftime,” Devaney said of the loss.

Newtown’s Kyle O’Connor returned a punt 60 yards for a score in the first quarter as Newtown appeared to seize control. Connor McNamara was able to catch Wood a few times and came up with three quarterback sacks.

The game was even at 14 apiece to start the third quarter before the Rebels built a 35-21 lead and grabbed control heading into the fourth.

Newtown will try to bounce back in the Homecoming Game and a little extra time off between games thanks to Mother Nature.

“We’ve got to regroup. Our team is much better than we played tonight,” George said after the New Fairfield game.