The fall sports season was chock-full of thrilling highlights at Newtown High School’s Blue & Gold Stadium, and a new LED video scoreboard made the atmosphere all the more exciting for the Nighthawks and their fans.

Scoreboards are helpful for all in attendance to be aware of the score and time remaining. Time-outs are also tracked, and with football, the down, yards to go, and other pertinent information is on display. Newtown added some bells and whistles this year.

With students assisting Newtown High School Athletic Director Matt Memoli and other NHS staff in operating cameras and computer equipment connected to the video board, fans — along with the team members themselves — got to see the games live on the screen. Player profiles created by their peers were posted on the board and graphics put together by students added to the fun.

“I’m pumped. I’m really excited. I think it’s just built-up excitement around athletics,” Memoli said from the Hawks Nest press box as students pushed the buttons to make magic happen on the board during a game this fall.

“It’s the perfect compliment to the new turf field that will enhance the experience for the athletes and it just keeps the excitement in athletics,” said Ryan Eberts, an NHS athletics department utility team member who helps out on game days in a variety of areas, including backup public address announcing to Jason “J” Edwards, in addition to with the scoreboard.

Aashni Shetty and Andrew Michlovitz were hard at work during many games, putting their after- school training to the forefront.

“Making graphics, the creative part of it, I really enjoy,” Michlovitz said.

“It’s fun being involved with sports and watching all of the games. And I like doing the graphics,” added Shetty, who was among a group of NHS students to participate throughout the soccer, field hockey, and football campaigns.

Madison Benson, Amy Genovese, Lillian Verdi, Catherine Murray, Gabby Jimenez, and Amelia Daly are other students who worked on the scoreboard this past fall.

With football season winding down and winter sports held indoors, the scoreboard will wait to be lit up again in the spring when lacrosse takes center stage at Blue & Gold Stadium.

Students used gipper.com to work from templates to make custom graphics, and Memoli said what was great about the system is that multiple users were able to be online at once creating images for game day use. The scoreboard also served the cheerleaders, dance team, band, and color guard during performances, and Memoli envisions it going to good use for graduations and outside-of-school functions in the future.

The equipment was made possible by Power Ad Company. Sponsors who helped get this scoreboard paid for and were honored at a game this fall include Pat Caruso of Associated Refuse Haulers; Baum Braces; John Marcucilli of Bouvier Insurance; Tyler, Dave, and Tracy Tarantino of Cover Two Sports Cafe; Jen Gilbertie and family of Ingersoll Auto of Danbury; Dr Deidre Condon and Dr Garrett Golisano of Newtown Family Dentistry; Pam Czapor and the OrthoConnecticut team; the staff team at PhysicianOne Urgent Care; Thomas Miskelly and family of Quality Dry Basements; Rob Rossomando of Rob Rozz Well and Pump Service; and Eric Ventura and family.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.