When the Candlewood Valley League championship games kick off this weekend, Newtown will be well represented.

The seventh-grade team topped Yorktown (8-0), the fifth-grade team blasted Aspetuck (29-0) and the fourth-grade team blanked Bridgeport (13-0) to advance to their respective championships. For the fourth graders, it would be their second CVL title in a row.

Read on –

SEVENTH GRADE

Newtown 8, Yorktown 0

Dan Poeltl intercepted a couple of passes and fueled a defensive effort that lifted the Newtown seventh-grade football team past Yorktown and into the Candlewood Valley League Orange Bowl championship game.

Dan Hebert scored the lone touchdown of the game, a second half sweep that put Newtown ahead, 8-0.

The locals opened the game by running a reverse on the kickoff. Hebert followed the blocking of Pat Thornberg, Tom Bauer, John Meyers and Jack Champagne to get the ball into great field position.

Joe Davis and Poeltl ran the ball well behind the blocking of Chris Devaney, Robbie Hughes and Alec Woznick, but the drive stalled on the 20 and Yorktown took over. Yorktown had little success though, thanks to the hard of players like Jack Kearney, Nick Madden, Davis and Phil Reynolds.

Poeltl intercepted his first Yorktown pass to shut down a scoring threat and close out the first half.

On defense to start the second half, the fired up unit of Josh Villa, Zach Clyne, Christian Barrett and Chris Stanton forced a Yorktown fumble. Soon Newtown was on the move and, led by the drive blocking of Mike Senf, JP Kitzmiller, and Dean Baye, the locals were able to mount a strong drive down to the Yorktown two (a great catch by Chris Devaney on a quick tight-end pass had helped keep the drive alive).

But on first and goal from the one, a bad snap allowed Yorktown to recover the ball and stop the drive.

But from there, the Big Blue defense stiffened and – led by James Marusi – forced Yorktown to fumble the ball right back to Newtown.

With possession again to start the fourth, Newtown wasted little time getting into the end zone. Big John Meyers, at center, was the central point of a strong offensive line push and with the help of Kitzmiller, KC Condon and David Cartisano, Hebert scored on a sweep right.

Villa provided a bone-crushing lead block on the play.

Ivan Hutchison added the extra-point kick to give the locals the eight-point cushion. Both teams had opportunities from there, but both defenses rose to the occasion and stopped drives. Poeltl intercepted his second pass to end the game and to send Newtown to the Orange Bowl championship this weekend.

SIXTH GRADE

Aspetuck 28, Newtown 6

Aspetuck scored its first touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and it was all down hill from there for the Newtown sixth-grade football team in the first round of the Candlewood Valley League playoffs.

After the opening kick and a five-yard running play, Aspetuck took a 6-0 lead on a 40-yard sweep. After a Newtown drive stalled, Aspetuck needed just two plays – the second, a 67-yard run – to take a 12-0 lead.

After returning the kick off to its own 45, Newtown got a drive going in the second quarter with Cooper Gold ripping off runs of six and 13 yards and Dunn converting a third down with a five-yard sweep, but the drive stalled and Newtown was forced to punt.

With about three minutes left in the first half, Newtown was forced to punt but was unable to stop Aspetuck from returning the kick 56 yards for another touchdown to take a 20-0 lead.

Aspetuck tacked on another eight points in the third quarter with nifty QB keeper that went for about 40 yards.

Newtown got on the board in the fourth quarter with a nice 30-yard run from Patrick Afryie.

Though it ended on a sour note, the Nighthawks had a fine season and finished at 7-2 overall, 7-1 in the regular season. Team members included Chase Wurtz, Jack Lago, Drew Tarantino, Jason Savoca, Matt Lindell, Connor Noonan, Andrew Derrickson, Patrick Carello, Ben Payne, Julian Dunn, Cooper Gold, Matt Hoyt, Liam Kilmurray, Greg LaRussa, Austin Babyak, Grant Shaw, Patrick Afryie, Riley Cross, Jimmy Leidlein, Justin Saint, Billy Begg, Jordan Headford, Nick Corozza, Matt White, Patrick Matthei, Nick Landau, Brian Gregory, Michael Davis, Cameron Weibel, Tommy Gleason, Sean Donnelly, Nick Strokis, Alex Romeo, Ty Runkle, Victor Vasquez, and Chris Carroll.

The squad was coached by Mike Lago (head coach), John Strokis, Brian Leidlein, Brian Cascone, Marc Gold, Doug Lindell and Ed Noonan.

FIFTH GRADE

Newtown 29, Aspetuck 0

The word “dominating” could go only so far to describe the Newtown fifth-grade football team and its 29-0 win over Aspetuck in the opening round of the Candlewood Valley League playoffs.

The Hawks amassed more than 240 yards of total offense, allowed only 45 total yards, and rolled to a 29-0 win.

As has been the story all year long, the Hawks struck early with an eight-play touchdown drive culminated by a 15-yard Colton Smith scamper around the right end. Always poised, Troy Frangione finished off the drive with a nice corner pass to Smith for the PAT.

The very next offensive series offered more highlights as Smith reciprocated, hitting Frangione in full stride on a 53-yard post pattern pass over the middle. Frangione sprinted his way to the one foot line, prior to being knocked out of bounds. Nick Lotrecchiano then capped of the drive with a short TD dive off the left side, putting the Hawks ahead 13-0 at the half.

Lotrecchiano kept the party going in the second half by scoring on the opening play, a 55-yard run up the middle. Tim Krapf put a little extra icing on the cake by kicking the PAT, putting the Hawks ahead 21-0.

The Hawk offense sealed the deal late in the third quarter as Jaret DeVellis sliced thru the middle on a nice trap play to score the final touchdown of the game. Krapf dropped the hammer by kicking yet another PAT.

Lotrecchiano topped the stat sheet with 75 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries. Smith rushed four times, scored a touchdown, and threw a 53-yard pass. DeVellis added two carries for 21 yards and a touchdown.

The scoring highlights were complimented by the superb running of Jonathan Sherman, Will Dalton, Shane Quimby, Aaron Beckett and Chris Koch and the key blocking of Bubba Condon, Stephen Grasso, Eric Street, Eric Cascone, Griffin Davis, Jake Lambert and Connor Roche.

The defense limited Aspetuck to just 15 yards through the first three quarters enroute to Newtown’s fifth shutout of the season.

Max Rucinski seemed to be everywhere on defense as he roamed the field from his middle linebacker position and racked up 6.5 tackles and a beautiful third down interception. Krapf continued to dominate at the defensive end position and put six more pelts on his wall while Lotrecchiano demonstrated added six tackles at his OLB position.

Smith bagged four Wildcats as DeVellis and Markus Elkin each delivered three tackles of their own. Ryan Szalay, Kevin Conte, Cascone, Lambert Grasso and Davis played well while Jonathan Rospenda contributed with a nice third down break up of a pass attempt on the Wildcats last possession.

The Hawks – in search of their second straight CVL championship and second undefeated season – will meet a tough Monroe team in the final this weekend.

FOURTH GRADE

Newtown 13, Bridgeport 0

Jared Pearson and Devin Luzietti scored touchdowns as the Newtown fourth-grade football team blanked Bridgeport, 13-0, to remain undefeated and advance to the Candlewood Valley League championship game.

Newtown gathered in 215 yards of total offense on the day while limiting Bridgeport to just 72. The shutout was the third this year for the young Hawks. In fact, no team has scored more than one TD in a game against their vaunted defense.

As has been the script in recent games, the Hawks threatened in the first half but could not break the goal line. One TD was called back due to a clipping penalty while another drive ended on downs at the Bridgeport five.

Highlights for offense in the half included a 23-yard sweep by Michael Doyle (6 carries for 37 yards), which was made possible by the hard blocking of linemen John Delrossi, Michael Roche and Dakota Ashby. The defense was led by Steve Faxlanger (3 tackles), Nick Samuelson (3 tackles), Colin Theis (2 tackles), and James Frazetta (tackle).

After being held scoreless for the first 20 minutes of the game, it only took two minutes of the third quarter for Newtown to get onto the board. Luzietti (a season high 15 carries for 90 yards) started things off with a spinning, zig-zagging kickoff return that covered 30 yards. This was followed by runs of 16 and eight yards by Luzietti, a 14-yard sweep by Joey Santella (8 carries for 47 yards) and an eight-yard blast by Pearson (5 carries for 28 yards).

Pearson powered in from the two on the next play for the score behind the blocking of Andrew Svanda, Jaxon Mills, and Jeremy Salaris.

Luzietti added the extra point.

Bridgeport returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards and on third down broke a run outside for what looked like a sure game tying touchdown. However, Santella (6 tackles) came out of nowhere to make a diving shoe-string tackle.

It was the last first down Bridgeport would get in the game. Adam Robertson (2 tackles), Nick Rohrbacher (2 tackles), Ryan Shaw (2 tackles), Kendel Ashby and Jim Payne led the defense on that series.

The offense took over on its own 19 and produced the longest TD drive of the season. The 12-play, 81-yard march took over 10 minutes spanning the third and fourth quarters. Luzietti, Santella, Doyle and Pearson all took turns carrying the ball, with Luzietti sweeping in from the 10 for the score behind great blocks on the corner by Matt Elias and Matt Maturo.

Newtown will play Norwalk (6-2) for the championship this Saturday at 5pm at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk.