Banged Up Nighthawks Football Team Topples Notre Dame

By Andy Hutchison

FAIRFIELD — Newtown High School’s football team established a first-quarter lead, took some early-game gambles that paid off, and rolled to an easy 41-12 win over host Notre Dame-Fairfield under the lights at Sacred Heart University on October 16.

The good news was that the Nighthawks won. The bad news was that it was another injury-plagued day for a team that has been hit with various ailments throughout the campaign. With junior running back/linebacker Louis Fenaroli nicked up and sidelined for the game, senior quarterback Will Arndt departed at halftime following an apparent arm injury. Already, the team was without some key components, including Rory Noonan and Ryan Korth, injured earlier this season.

Despite all of this, the Nighthawks put 41 points on the scoreboard for the second consecutive week in a game Coach Steve George said was well-played from start to finish by the team in blue and gold. Newtown improved to 4-1 and the young Lancers fell to 0-5. George was particularly pleased with his team’s solid play being consistent throughout the game. In the 41-27 win over Oxford the week before, George liked his team’s play in three of the four quarters and emphasized the importance of not taking quarters off.

Against the Lancers, Newtown scored two touchdowns in the first, two more in the second, maintained a shutout through halftime, and played well enough that the outcome was never in doubt.

“They played four quarters today. They did a good job — I’m proud of the kids. They played good offense, good defense,” said George, adding “special teams … we’ll get better.”

George was referring to the Lancers’ first touchdown, which came on the second-half kickoff when Nigel Beckford returned the kick 75 yards for a score. Of course, special teams were also a strong point for the Hawks at times. Dan Hebert, in fact, returned the favor when he returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards for six points.

The Hawks also recovered consecutive first-quarter onside kicks to set the tone for a dominating performance.

Arndt had himself a game’s worth of highlights in the first half alone before leaving the game shortly after scoring on a short touchdown run. The QB connected with Hebert and Max Nacewicz on 77- and 13-yard scoring plays, respectively, in the opening quarter. In the second he hooked up with Brendan McNamara for a 14-yard scoring strike. The third TD was set up by a key first-down run by junior Andrew Cebry, who has gotten more playing time as a result of the injuries. Arndt scored on a QB keeper from a yard out in the final minute of the opening half for a 28-0 cushion. The key play on that scoring drive was a 43-yard run by senior Colby Summerlin.

“Will had a great game,” George said. “He threw those three touchdown passes and scored one.”

After Arndt left the game, junior Greg Frattaroli took over at the quarterback position and routinely handed off to Summerlin, Nacewicz and Cebry as the Hawks played chew up the clock in this lopsided affair.

“Luckily, we’ve got a lot of kids and the kids that ended up on the field made some adjustments and we still played well — so that’s the bottom line,” George said of dealing with the injury bug.

After the back-to-back kick returns for scores, Nacewicz ran the ball into the end zone for a 41-6 cushion early in the fourth.

The Nighthawks were scheduled to finally have their home opener at the renovated Blue and Gold Stadium this week but delays in the project (see related story) leave the team headed to Pomperaug in Southbury to battle Bunnell of Stratford this Friday, October 22, at 7 pm.