Newtown High’s football team had its way with visiting nonconference opponent Cheshire, winning 47-7 at Blue & Gold Stadium, on September 14.

Dan Mason rushed for a trio of touchdowns and Riley Ward had a pair of scores to lead the Nighthawks.

After quarterback Luke Melillo moved the chains with a fourth down rush on the opening series, Riley Ward carried the ball 17 yards for the first touchdown, early in the first quarter.

Following a Jack Zingaro interception, penalties backed the Nighthawks into a third down and 24 yards to go scenario, at their own 33.

Unfazed, Melillo connected with Ward over the middle for a 67-yard score with 4:18 left in the period; the Hawks led by two scores going to the second.

After a Cheshire punt Newtown stretched the lead to 21-0. Melillo connected with Tucker Garrity on a misdirection screen pass. After Melillo’s short toss against the grain, Garrity cut back the opposite way and broke free on an 85-yard scoring play just 1:15 into the second.

The Newtown defense, highlighted by an Easton Ricks tackle in the backfield for a loss of eight, again forced a Cheshire punt.

Joseph Pagett returned the kick 46 yards to the Cheshire 18. Two carried later, and Mason was in the end zone with a four-yard score.

The teams traded punts and Pagett leaped to get a piece of Cheshire’s kick out of the end zone. Newtown took over at the Cheshire 36, and Mason rushed for a score on the next play, as the Hawks extended the lead to 34-0 with 2:56 left in the opening half.

Pagett’s 27-yard punt return set up Mason’s six-yard rush for six, with 1:36 to go before the break.

It was 41-0 Newtown at halftime.

Miles Ricks rushed for a 62-yard TD in the third quarter. Cheshire got on the board late in the fourth.

Newtown’s offense moved the ball seemingly at will behind great work from linemen Kyle Good, Connor Hughes, Mike Loomis, Steven Koren, and Carson Ivey.

On the defensive side, a push by linemen Joe Zeller, Zach Loomis, and James Knox led to repeated tackles in the backfield.

“We won the line of scrimmage. That’s what it came down to,” Newtown Coach Bobby Pattison said.

The lopsided score was surprising to many, especially given Cheshire lost by only a touchdown to perennial state powerhouse and SCC rival Shelton in week one.

But the Nighthawks weren’t surprised.

“We practiced really well all week. We’re pretty much tired of losing to the SCC teams, out of conference teams,” Mason said. “It feels really good.”

“Week one’s always hard to judge your opponent,” Pattison said added. “You’ve got to play your opponent and on any given night anybody can beat anybody. So you can’t take anything for granted,” Pattison said.

Newtown’s next opponent is South-West Conference foe Stratford. The Hawks visit the Red Devils, at Penders Field, on Friday, September 21, for a 7 pm kickoff.