Experienced, Hungry Nighthawk Gridders Set To Kick Off Season, Hope To Stay Healthy

By Andy Hutchison

Not that Steve George would want anyone on his team — or any team for that matter — to get hurt, but there is at least a little bit of a bright side to the bumps, bruises, and breaks the Nighthawks experienced last fall.

George, Newtown High School’s head coach, points out that his younger and less-experience players getting called upon to fill voids left by injured teammates in 2010 could prove beneficial this season. After all, the combination of expected and step-in starters led Newtown to an 8-2 season, including a loss in the South-West Conference title game to rival Masuk of Monroe.

“With all of the injuries last year, a lot of these kids were on the field and they tasted the success,” George said.

Newtown lost six offensive players and five defensive players to graduation. Among the players who leave shoes to fill are linebacker Max Nacewicz (now playing at Springfield College), quarterback Will Arndt (Western Connecticut State University), offensive tackle Matt Datin (Southern Connecticut State University), kicker/receiver/safety Rory Noonan and defensive end/guard Eric McCabe (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), cornerback/ split end Sean Devaney, and safety Colby Summerlin.

Arndt was one of four quarterbacks to man the pocket last year. He started the season and, after getting injured in the early-to-mid stages of the season, was succeeded by backups Dan Hebert, Cody Fischer, and Greg Frattaroli (all of whom also got injured and sidelined at least once during the course of the MASH unit campaign). Noonan and Ryan Korth were among the non-QB players who ended up injured and out of action for much of last season.

More good news for the Nighthawks, in addition to the fact many players are coming in with more game experience than they may have been counting on, is that the program has bounced back from key graduation losses year after year to continue to win year after year. Newtown lost 11 starters the season before, including its quarterback, and went on to reach the conference championship game and miss out on a state playoff berth by mere tiebreaker points.

The returnees from a year ago will be happy just to have a true home field advantage this fall. The Nighthawks played most of the season on the road while Blue & Gold Stadium’s grass field was converted to turf. It opened for its first game, ironically enough, just in time for the last game of the season when the annual Thanksgiving Eve contest with Masuk doubled as the championship game since the teams both locked up the SWC’s best records heading into the finale.

George said the taste of success and coming so close to a title last year were a driving force behind the summertime workout efforts his players put in during the annual strength program hosted by George and strength training coach Cody Foss.

Back in the fold are captains: Running back/linebacker Lou Fenaroli, receiver Kyler Harmeling, running back/linebacker Andrew Cebry, and offensive and defensive tackle Mac Morlock.

Hebert returns to his regular positions as safety and receiver. Other key players in the mix are cornerback/receiver Chris Devaney, receiver Michael Allwein, linebacker Mike Lord, safety Justin Devellis, and offensive guard/defensive end Jamie Horosko.

“Most of these kids played last year because of all of the injuries we had,” George said.

Asked who will be the starting quarterback this year, George’s response — given that it’s still the preseason and players are battling for their spots, and perhaps not wanting to jinx anything and end up digging down the roster for backups to backups again — was: “My lips are sealed.” George has the job of picking a starter from a group of four candidates: Frattaroli, Drew Tarantino, Mike Davis, and Colton Smith. If last year’s injury bug is a sign of things to come, having so many options at QB might be a necessity more than a luxury.

The Newtown coach considers the strength of this team to be experience in the skill positions, and he wants to see the team develop and improve from position to position throughout the year. There are no set goals in terms of wins and losses. “I am looking week by week; I don’t want to look too far ahead. It’s a long season,” George said.

Tough teams will be, as always, Masuk, along with Brookfield, Pomperaug of Southbury, and Bunnell of Stratford, George anticipates.

Newtown missed several days of preseason practice due to the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, which resulted in lost power, downed trees, and a week delay to the start of school. George said he missed being around the players during the layoff. “I love this group of kids and they have put forth great effort in the offseason. I have been very excited about this year,” George said.

The regular campaign kicks off on the road when Newtown visits Joel Barlow in Redding on Friday, September 16, at 7 pm. Newtown has its home opener on Friday, September 23, when Immaculate of Danbury visits Blue & Gold for a 7 pm start.