The Newtown Salty Dogs – an over-30 men’s soccer team that has been a town fixture since the early 1970s – beat Club Napoli of Branford, 1-0, last Sunday to clinch their first division title in several years in the CT Shoreline Adult Soccer League.

Having already clinched first place in the Third Division West with a league best 13-2-3 record (which guaranteed their promotion to the second division next year), they faced a tough opponent in Club Napoli, who won the Third Division East.

On a brisk and sun-drenched morning in Branford, the game was deadlocked early, with Newtown scoring the only goal of the game in the 38th minute. Andrew Wiles, one of the team’s leading scorers, netted the crucial goal with a one-time shot off of a crisp pass from Gavin Dignon across the penalty box.

Andrew, with typical humility, said, “Right time and place … that about describes it.”

Newtown was able to withstand a vicious offensive attack by Club Napoli in the second half with a team-wide commitment to defense and hustle.

“I’ve played with the Salty Dogs since high school,” said John Schwerdtle, one of the founding members of the Newtown Soccer Club, “and this team has the best combination of chemistry and talent of any I can remember. The Salty Dogs went 9-1 this fall with nine shutouts (including the championship) – that is a great record.”

After the victory, the team spent the afternoon with their families celebrating at another Newtown staple, My Place Restaurant, who will be co-sponsoring the team with Media Horizons, Inc. in 2008.

The future looks uncertain for the Salty Dogs, given a perceived field shortage on Sunday mornings in Newtown. Having been moved from Treadwell Park to the high school this past season, there may be another move out of the town subject to approval from the Parks & Recreation Department.

Given the decades of history and tradition in the town, the Dogs are not eager to leave.

The team was started in the early 1970s by Al Taubert, the “Father of Newtown Soccer,” Rheiner Ertle, Hugh Dignon and others. Two of the current players watched their father play for the Salty Dogs (both over-30s and over-40s) for over twenty years – since they were toddlers.