Gridders Have Experience At Skill Positions, Try For Elusive Title

By Andy Hutchison

Could this be the year that Newtown High School’s football team — after coming just four quarters shy in each of the previous two campaigns — hoists the South-West Conference championship trophy?

It stands to reason that the Nighthawks — given the wealth of talent they have on the roster, along with graduation impacting the competition — certainly could be in contention. For now, however, the focus is on a smaller piece of hardware: The Boot Trophy, which Newtown and host New Milford will battle for in the Friday, September 14, season opener (7 pm). The SWC rivals have battled in the Boot Game since the 1960s, and Newtown holds bragging rights following last year’s triumph.

Newtown Coach Steve George never looks past the game at hand, but does say he hopes the Nighthawks can build off of last year’s success.

“I think they’re ready to compete for another championship. It’s obviously a long way from now so I don’t want to start thinking about that,” George said. “We’re worried about New Milford right now.”

And not just because the first game of the year is against Newtown’s Boot Trophy bragging right battlers; New Milford is potentially one of the strongest teams in the SWC this fall, George believes. He adds that Pomperaug of Southbury, which handed Newtown its only regular season loss a year ago, is another formidable foe.

Rival Masuk of Monroe, which defeated Newtown in each of the last two SWC title games, will have to overcome the graduation of standout quarterback Casey Cochran (at the University of Connecticut). The Nighthawks return experienced players at most of the skill positions, but will have to shake off a significant loss to graduation as well. School record-setting running back Lou Fenaroli leaves big shoes (and a big space on the statistics sheet) to fill. Fenaroli broke Newtown High’s two-decade-old single season rushing yards mark in his final campaign, en route to compiling 1,886 yards on the ground. He ran the ball 284 times and racked up 29 touchdowns. Mike Lord, Mike Lengel, Mike Allwein, Mike Greenwood, Hunter Basset, and Jamie Horosko are key players among the 21 who graduated, George said.

Newtown’s returnees do have not only playoff but playoff win experience under their belts. The Nighthawks won their Class LL state playoff quarterfinal round game before falling in the semifinals, capping off a 9-3 overall campaign.

“The experience they’ve had in big games is going to help them down the road and I think that’s going to be a factor in this year and, hopefully, our success,” George said.

This year’s senior captains are defensive back/wide receiver Chris Devany, wide receiver/defensive back Dan Hebert, guard/defensive end Pat Thornberg, and defensive back Jack Kearney.

The Nighthawks return quarterback Drew Tarantino to lead the offense. Other key weapons include wide receiver Julian Dunn, and receiver/safety Justin Devellis. Cooper Gold stands to get a majority of the handoffs at the running back position, George said. Center Dom Scarangella will again anchor the offensive line.

“I think this is one of the more experienced skill groups we have returning,” said George, a six-year NHS coach. “It helps because we can develop some new things or add some new concepts in there. We can give them a few more challenges.”

And hopefully, for Newtown, give opponents a lot more challenges when the Hawks have the ball and look to move the chains in each game.

The offensive line is fairly big, George notes, but also inexperienced. Still, the coach is optimistic and confident that it will do the job to protect Tarantino and open holes for Gold.

The Nighthawks relied heavily on the big and tough Fenaroli to wear down opposing defenses last autumn. “Last year we had that power running attack. This year it’s a different look. It’s going to be more aired out,” Thornberg speculates.

Not that Tarantino and company don’t have plenty of successful passing plays to build from. He connected with Hebert and the rest of the receiving corps for numerous plays last year. Hebert is also a threat in the kick return game.

The season kicks off with a bang — with NHS battling New Milford and Pomperaug in the first two weeks. Blue & Gold Stadium is the site of the home opener, Friday, September 21, when Pomperaug visits for a 7 pm kickoff.

Newtown hosts Bunnell of Stratford in the second-to-last game of the campaign, November 9, in a rematch of last year’s memorable high-scoring battle. Newtown outlasted Bunnell 54-48, in overtime, to qualify for the conference title game, turning the annual Thanksgiving Eve/regular season-ending clash with Monroe into the SWC championship tilt.

If it’s not Newtown and Masuk in the finale yet again, the regular season will end with a November 21 battle with Masuk at Blue & Gold Stadium, and the SWC title game will be held November 15 as scheduled.

For now, however, it’s all about the Boot Trophy and the start to another season of snaps, passes, touchdowns, and interceptions.

“It’s so exciting. Preseason’s long and tiring for these guys and they just want to get out and play,” said George, adding that the Boot Game is a great way to get back onto the gridiron.