“There is something magical, something mystical, something historical about The Boot,” said Dan Winsett. “I talked to Rob Markin about all those great teams he was on and what he remembered the most was the game Newtown lost The Boot.”

 

By Kim J. Harmon

A bronzed cleat mounted atop an wooden tower stands tall as a symbol of one of the South-West Conference’s best rivalries but, truthfully, if not for The Boot then the annual Newtown-New Milford football game might not mean so much.

Over the course of the last 31 years, ever since The Boot was first created by Al Tiebout of the New Milford Booster Club, the Nighthawks have been a state powerhouse while the Green Wave has, at times, struggled just to maintain a program.

The Boot began back in 1969, when Mr Tiebout bronzed a high-top football shoe and attached it to a wooden base in an effort so spark a rivalry between the Newtown and New Milford High School football teams.

Over the course of the next 10 years, Newtown won each meeting between the two schools and often by lopsided scores. As the ‘Hawks (or Indians, as they were known then) continued challenging for conference and state championships and the Green Wave contemplated dropping football altogether, The Boot went unrecognized after the 1978 game.

The story goes, in 1985 the Green Wave defeated Newtown for the first time in 18 years. Then New Milford student manager Mike O’Brien came by one day to pick up The Boot . . . only to be told, “Um, no.”

Newtown ended up letting New Milford hold the trophy for a year.

Then, in 1987, The Newtown Bee picked up the ball and began sponsoring a new Boot game and made a new trophy with a shoe once worn by Newtown lineman John “Bubba” McMahon. And since then, the Nighthawks have won 12 meetings and the Green Wave have won two.

That puts Newtown’s record in official Boot games at 22-2.

The last time the ‘Hawks lost the trophy was in 1993 when the Green Wave won, 20-13, in overtime. Since then, the ‘Hawks have won seven meetings by an average of 26.1 points.

And so it goes.

From the beginning . . .

1987 – In the final game of coach Pete Kohut’s career with the Indians, Newtown defeated New Milford, 23-0, to capture The Boot in the first year of its return to competition.

1988 – It was a disappointing Homecoming Day as New Milford captured The Boot for the first-time ever with a 17-6 win.

1989 – The Boot returned to Newtown after Shane Contos rushed 17 times for 82 yards and a touchdown to lead Newtown past New Milford, 27-14.

1990 – Quarterback David Brookes was 11-of-17 for 188 yards as Newtown defeated New Milford, 28-6

1991 – Newtown blanked New Milford, 27-0, as Joe Lato rushed for 91 yards and one touchdown on just 13 carries. Jeff Chontos also scored two touchdowns.

1992 – Newtown nipped New Milford, 13-12, as Joe Lato scores on a three-yard run with nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Lato rushed 27 times for 148 yards while Greg Smith rushed 18 times for 112 yards.

1993 – New Milford won The Boot for only the second time, 20-13, in the Kansas tiebreaker. In the loss, Jeff Chontos rushed 21 times for 155 yards while Matt Brimmer rushed 15 times for 100 yards.

1994 – Newtown crushed New Milford, 34-6, to start a long succession of one-sided games. John Buonanno was 5-for-96 and Eric Chontos was 9-for-75 on the ground. Jeremy Hayden, Chontos, Pat Reilly, Buonanno and Chris Hayward all scored touchdowns.

1995 – Newtown shut out New Milford, 34-0, and quarterback Chris Petitti was 12-for-16 for 155 yards and one touchdown. John Buonanno rushed 12 times for 96 yards and one touchdown.

1996 – As Joey Saputo scored three touchdowns (two receiving and one interception), Newtown crushed New Milford, 46-7.

1997 – In torrential rains at Taylor Field (the season before the new stadium field was opened at the high school), Newtown scored 34 second-quarter points enroute to a 41-6 win. Jey Saputo rushed 14 times for 144 yards and three touchdowns.

1998 – Grant Werbeck rushed 11 times for 110 yards and a touchdown as Newtown defeated New Milford, 20-6.

1999 – Newtown hammered New Milford, 28-7, as Sean Raby rushed 24 times for 151 yards.

2000 – With Kyle Tobin and Matt Saunders each rushing for more than 100 yards, Newtown smashed New Milford, 30-14, to move to 9-1 on the season and solidify the Nighthawks’ chances of qualifying for a CIAC Class L state tournament berth.