By Kim J. Harmon

Let’s call it – for want of a better phrase – the whiplash effect.

Two times last Friday night, New Milford was in sight of the end zone, close to scoring a touchdown and altering the course of events that saw the Nighthawks build up an early 14-0 lead in the annual Boot Game.

But both times the Nighthawk defense – which has been maligned at times this season – turned things around so fast that the Green Wave players no doubt needed some chiropractic assistance come Monday morning.

Both times Newtown scored a touchdown and both touchdowns helped the Nighthawks hold on to the Boot by virtue of the 28-7 score.

Early on, however, if appeared as if the Nighthawks were going to let the Green Wave take the Boot for only the second time in its 13 year existence. A fumble, a roughing the punter call, and another fumble were the kinds of gifts the ‘Hawks doled out in the first period – but gifts the Green Wave were unable to take advantage of.

Then, in the second period, Sean Raby went over the left side on a fourth-and-one at the four yard line to give Newtown the lead, 7-0.

“I was a little nervous before the game,” said Raby, who rushed for a game-high 151 yards on 24 carries, “because we hadn’t lost the Boot in, like, five years. But I knew we had better skill players than they did.”

One of those skill players was Matt McCarthy, who made his big impact on defense. After the Newtown defense charged NMHS quarterback Chris Dzurka on a blitz, forcing an intentional grounding, the Green Wave were faced with a second-and-long situation from their own three yard line. On the very next play, Dzurka dropped back into the end zone to pass but threw one right into the hands of McCarthy, who was already standing in the end zone, for the touchdown and a 14-0 Newtown lead.

The Green Wave did get that touchdown back late in the second half on a 19-yard run by Tim Rourke that trimmed the Newtown lead to 14-7.

But then, in the second half, came the so-called whiplash effect.

In the third quarter, a 36-yard QB scamper on a third-and-17 situation gave New Milford the ball on the Newtown two yard line. But the Green Wave could gain no further ground and, on fourth-and-goal from the seven, turned the ball over on an incomplete pass.

From there, Newtown charged up the field on a big run by Adam Hayden, another by Raby to midfield, and an option pass from Hayden to Nick Savino which put the ‘Hawks on the New Milford 15. Then, Les Russell – four plays into the drive – threw a 15-yard fade pass to Nick Savino for the touchdown.

Just moments before, New Milford was on the verge of tying the score, 14-14, but all too quickly the ‘Hawks found themselves ahead, 21-7.

And it happened again.

The Green Wave mounted a long drive that crossed over from the third quarter to the fourth quarter and put them into nice field position, threatening to score. But Dzurka tossed a floater into the end zone, which was picked off by Raby. Raby took off up field, had nothing but open field staring at him, but the wear and tear of the game slowed him down a little and New Milford was able to bring him down at midfield.

On the next play, however, after catching a breather, Raby burst through the line for 28 yards down to the 22. Moments later, on a fourth-and-two situation at the 11 yard line, Raby took the ball right down to the one and, on the next play, scored his second touchdown of the game.

Just a couple minutes before, New Milford was on the verge of trimming the Newtown lead to just seven, 21-14, but all too quickly the ‘Hawks found themselves sitting on a 28-7 lead.

The whiplash effect.

“You guys defended them better than anyone else all year,” coach Ken Roberts said in the post-game huddle. “A lot has gone wrong this year, but this was nice.”

For Raby, who has just one game left in his football career – that being on Thanksgiving Day at Masuk – the win helped soothe, if only a little bit, the ache of some of that wrong stuff coach Roberts talked about.

“This put some closure on the season,” he said. “It’s nice to get a win in our last home game.”

NEW MILFORD  0   7  0   0 - 7

NEWTOWN       0 14  0 14 - 28

I.                      

Second Quarter

I.        NEWTOWN – Raby 1 run (Hamilton kick)

II.       NEWTOWN – McCarthy 0 interception return (Hamilton kick)

III.      NEW MILFORD – Rourke 19 run (Loya kick)

IV.        

Fourth Quarter

I.        NEWTOWN – Savino 15 pass from Russell (Hamilton kick)

II.       NEWTOWN- Raby 1 run (Hamilton kick)

III.        

Individual Statistics

Rushing

I.        NEW MILFORD – Dzurka 13-109, Rourke 7-27, Rutherford 5-15, Pullicino 5-13, Leohard 1-5, Fitzsimmons 2-2, Hall 3-2. TOTALS: 36-173.

II.       NEWTOWN – Raby 24-151, Hayden 9-59, Tobin 5-18, Russell 2-8, Hunzeker 3-5. TOTALS: 43-241.

Passing

I.        NEW MILFORD – Dzurka 7-24-3, 84 yards

NEWTOWN – Russell 2-10-0, 37 yards; Hayden 1-1-0, 30 yards; Whipkey 1-1-0, 0 yards.

Receiving

NEW MILFORD – Leohard 2-40, Ginty 1-17, Loya 1-10, Pullicino 1-10, Flaherty 1-8, Rourke 1-0.

NEWTOWN – Savino 2-50, Raby 2-17.