Newtown High School Gridders’ Comeback Falls Short In Class LL Playoffs

By Andy Hutchison

GLASTONBURY — Down 21-0 after one quarter of play, things looked dim for the fourth-seeded Newtown High School football team in its Class LL State Playoff first round game at No. 1 Glastonbury on Tuesday night.

The Nighthawks never packed it in, clawed back into the game and trailed just 28-21 at halftime … but ultimately came up two touchdowns short in a 42-28 loss.

The season is over.

“Of course I’m disappointed — you want to win the game, especially when it’s that close. At the same time I’m overwhelmingly proud of my kids,” Newtown Coach Steve George said.

The Hawks (9-4, including a 9-2 regular season) just could not climb all the way out of a big early hole created by the Tomahawks’ potent running attack. Glastonbury (12-0) advances to play Cheshire in the title game on Saturday.

“They were running the ball all over us,” Newtown quarterback Jake DeVellis said.

More specifically, a running back named Jordan Brown ran all over the Hawks. The final score of the game, almost without exaggeration, was Jordan Brown 42, Newtown 28. Glastonbury’s senior running back not only led the way but, minus the extra points, accounted for all of his team’s scoring with six touchdowns. Credit the offensive line and blocking too, but it was Brown’s speed that made the biggest difference.

“They just had a tremendous running attack,” George said.

Newtown had a pretty good looking running attack of its own. DeVellis tucked the ball away and picked up significant yardage on several occasions, and Kyle O’Connor burned the Tomahawks’ defense multiple times to help the Hawks make a game of it.

“He’s probably half the size of everyone on Glastonbury’s defense,” said DeVellis, adding that the 5-foot-7, 155-pound O’Connor still found a way to impressively move the ball through an array of 200-plus-pound defenders.

Brown scored on a 35-yard run only 1:11 into the game. Newtown fumbled the ball away on its second offensive play and Brown struck again for a an 11-yard scamper into the end zone and later added 10-yard score.

In the second quarter the Nighthawks came to life. O’Connor spun off a few would-be tacklers and somehow found enough daylight to get Newtown on the scoreboard on a 23-yard run with 10:14 left in the second quarter. But on Glastonbury’s ensuing drive it took Brown just one play (a 61-yard sprint into the end zone) to regain the three-touch down cushion.

The Nighthawks finally forced the home team to punt at the midpoint of the second quarter. DeVellis hooked up with Rory Noonan for a first down and O’Connor picked up 52 yards on the next play to bring the ball to the Glastonbury 15. On third and goal from the three yard line, DeVellis used O’Connor as a decoy. After a fake handoff, he marched untouched into the end zone to cut the deficit back to 14 with just 1:47 to play.

Newtown’s Kyle McNamara came up with a fumble recovery near midfield and brought the ball to the Glastonbury 41 to set up DeVellis’ 34-yard TD strike to always-dangerous Kurt Nacewicz. All of a sudden it was a seven-point game with 25 seconds left in a half that just minutes ago Newtown would have preferred end early. As the temperature cooled off and dropped below freezing, Newtown seemed to heat up.

In the second half, both defenses buckled down. George said his team’s 4-4 defensive format worked the best against the run. Tim Wheeler, John Aminti, Bret LeBlanc, David Bray, Connor McNamara, and Kris Arndt all worked hard to come up with big second-half tackles (some in the backfield) and give Newtown’s offense a chance to stay in the game.

“It definitely felt good to come back,” DeVellis said. “I’m proud of the defense. They stepped up and held them off.”

Neither team scored in the third, but Brown’s one-yard score gave the Tomahawks some breathing room (35-21) with 7:07 remaining in the game.

The Hawks used all three of their timeouts on defense to use the clock to their advantage and, with 3:23 left, DeVellis ran right, cut back through the middle to the left and eventually made it 27 yards for a TD to close the gap back to seven. Glastonbury recovered an onside kick and Brown answered with a 48-yard TD run with 3:12 left to all but seal the win.

“The kids battled their way back. That really is what these seniors are all about,” George said. “They fought to the end.”

“We stuck with it. I can’t be more proud of my team and the coaches,” Wheeler added. “I’ve never seen such a show of heart and poise than the ’09 senior class.”

Wheeler pointed out that the Hawks did accomplish two main objectives they set out to reach back in preseason: Qualifying for the South-West Conference Championship for the first time since 1998 and reaching the state playoffs for the first time since 2000.

Newtown reached the Class L playoffs then. With the increased school population this was the team’s first LL playoff appearance.

Senior Night Defeat

The Nighthawks gobbled up a playoff spot despite a regular season-ending 40-14 defeat to the Masuk Panthers on Thanksgiving Eve.

“It’s a new life. It’s a new season,” O’Connor said after that setback. “We need to forget about this game — forget about the last two games,” O’Connor said after the Panthers spoiled Newtown’s spirited and well-attended Senior Night at Blue and Gold Stadium.

The other forgettable game O’Connor spoke of was the 28-7 SWC Championship defeat to Brookfield.

Newtown’s attempt to bounce back from that November 20 title game defeat started out well enough. Senior safety Jason Kostecki intercepted Masuk quarterback Bobby Baker on Masuk’s first play from scrimmage — the first of four picks by Newtown’s defense. But Masuk shook off the miscues and scored early and often. The Panthers led 13-0 before DeVellis scored on a three-yard run to capitalize on the first of Brian Reszoly’s two interceptions. McNamara also picked a pass but little else went Newtown’s way on this cold, frosty night.

The Panthers built a commanding 27-7 halftime lead and never looked back.

Newtown had a chance to bounce back in the state playoffs and, despite the outcome, George was proud of his team’s efforts.

“They’re the better team. They had the best player tonight,” George said of the Tomahawks.