Newtown High School’s football team has had pretty much everything – offense, defense, special teams – clicking throughout the regular season. So why not continue the winning formula to kick off the postseason?

The Nighthawks, in fact, shut out Brookfield 42-0 in the South-West Conference championship game at Southbury’s Pomperaug High School, on November 20. This was Newtown’s third straight SWC title, and second consecutive triumph over Brookfield in the pinnacle game.

Julian Dunn tied Aaron Hernandez’s Connecticut record for most career touchdown receptions with his 47th receiving TD. The scoring play was the last of the game and was a Dunn-to-Dunn connection. Backup/sophomore QB Justin Dunn found his brother in the end zone for connection from six yards out late in regulation.

Newtown got the scoring started late in the opening quarter thanks to a jumpstart from its defense. Linebacker Ben Mason had a 35-yard interception return to set his team up with a first and goal opportunity at the two yard line. One play later, Nick Rubino’s rushing score and Bryce Mather’s successful point after made it 7-0 with 1:51 left in the first.

Ethan Carpenter’s 85-yard catch and run for a score in the second quarter helped the Nighthawks to a 14-0 lead at the intermission.

Rubino found his way into the end zone two more times in the third quarter, both times from just a yard out. The second of those second-half scores was set up by Troy Frangione’s tremendous punt return. Frangione used his speed and moves, including a spin to avoid would-be tacklers, to take the  ball 74 yards to the one yard line. Many fans and Newtown team members believed he got to the end zone before being taken down, but Rubino made sure to get the six points.

In the fourth quarter, starting QB Jacob Burden hit Dunn with a 28-yard scoring strike.

The teams get back to regular-season action for one week, with annual Thanksgiving rivalry games on the slate, before the start of the state playoffs. Newtown hosts Masuk of Monroe at Blue & Gold Stadium on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 26. Kickoff is at 7 pm.

Read more about the SWC championship game in the November 28 print edition of The Bee.