By Kim J. Harmon

Don’t call it a miracle.

It was not a miracle.

No, Newtown’s 38-20 win over Masuk on the night before Thanksgiving was simply a validation of what the Nighthawks have been about all season and by validating themselves in such a way, the ‘Hawks earned a spot in the CIAC Class L state playoffs.

But don’t forget to give Masuk the credit it deserves. The Thanksgiving Eve battle with Newtown came just five days after the Panthers claimed their third consecutive South-West Conference championship with a 14-6 win over Bunnell.

And with a 9-0 record, a conference championship, and a slot in the CIAC Class L state playoffs already sewn up, the Panthers really had nothing to win.

The ‘Hawks did.

The ‘Hawks had everything to win.

And with a shot at a CIAC Class L state championship hanging in the balance, the ‘Hawks did to the Panthers what they had done to eight other teams this season.

They dominated ‘em.

Oh, it didn’t look that way early on. Masuk scored first, with 5:04 left in the first, on a pass in the flat that turned into a 60-yard touchdown run down the right sidelines. With 42 seconds left in the period, Rich Petretti – who had his finest game as a quarterback (7-of-12 for 197 yards and three touchdowns) – snuck in from one yard out to help give the ‘Hawks an 8-7 lead.

But the Panthers grabbed the lead right back, just two plays into the second quarter, on a seam pass that turned into a 64-yard touchdown. With the extra point kick, the Panthers went ahead, 14-8.

And later in the second, Masuk was threatening again. Starting on their own 42, a sweep run to the left went for 31 yards and put the Panthers on the Nighthawk 27 yard line. But John Pantan, Matt Regan, and Collin Anderson got together on a huge sack that pushed Masuk back 19 yards and eventually ended the threat.

It was the turning point.

After the punt, the Nighthawks took over on their own seven. Adam Hayden started the drive off with a three-yard run and then Kyle Tobin went for three, 17, one, and four yards on four successive carries.

That put the ‘Hawks at their own 35.

Then Petretti reached back and hurled a bomb to Nick Savino – a slightly under thrown bomb that Savino had to double back on before out-jumping the Masuk defender to make the grab. With the defender on the ground, Savino scampered into the end zone to finish up the 65-yard scoring play and, with 2:42 left in the half, help the ‘Hawks tie the Panthers, 14-14.

After Savino – on defense – knocked away a pass to save a touchdown and after Petretti was intercepted at the goal line, that is the way the half ended.

Newtown continued its assault immediately at the start of the second half, too. The ‘Hawks had to kick off, but Tom Ryan’s perfect short looper was mishandled at the 22 and Matt McCarthy was there to recover. Two plays later, Petretti found McCarthy in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown that put the ‘Hawks ahead, 20-14.

Savino then came up huge for the ‘Hawks on defense. After tipping another ball away he intercepted a pass off a faked punt to kill a Masuk drive and give the ‘Hawks the ball on the Panthers’ 13. Three plays later Jon Werbeck pushed his way into the end zone from one yard out to put Newtown ahead, 26-14.

Hayden, who gained just 37 yards on the ground, made his big impact on defense by tipping away a fourth-down pass deep in Nighthawk territory, turning the ball over to Newtown. Three plays later, Tobin – who finished with 215 yards – was off on a 50-yard jaunt after breaking two tackles.

It wasn’t long, then, before Petretti found McCarthy on an 11-yard slant in the end zone for a touchdown that put the ‘Hawks ahead, 32-14. Three minutes later, Hayden hit McCarthy on a 17-yard touchdown pass off the halfback option that gave the ‘Hawks a 38-14 lead and pretty much put the game away.

All that was left was for Masuk to score on a two-yard run with 15 seconds to go.

By then, though, the ‘Hawks were already making plans for their long ride to Groton.

Masuk         7    7     0    6 - 20

Newtown     8    6   12  12 - 38

I.                       

Individual Statistics

I.       

RUSH             ATT  YDS    TD

Kyle Tobin                26     215        0

Adam Hayden           14       37        0

Jon Werbeck               4         7        1

Mike DeLuca               2         5        0

Rich Petretti               4         4        1

Tom Ryan                   2       -6        0

Totals               52   262      2

 

PASS       CMP ATT  YDS    TD

Rich Petretti      7     12     197        3

Adam Hayden    1       1       17        1

Totals          8   13   214      4

 

REC               REC  YDS    TD

Matt McCarthy           5     102        3

Nick Savino                 1       65        1

Adam Hayden             1       34        0

Jon Werbeck               1       13        0

Totals                         8     214        4