Experience Rules — Newtown High Football Team Blanks Immaculate

By Andy Hutchison

It was a true team effort for Newtown High School’s football team in the home opener on Friday, September 23. Starters and up-and-coming reserve players alike did their part to shut out visiting Immaculate High School of Danbury, 41-0, under the lights and a light rain at Blue & Gold Stadium. The Nighthawks improved to 2-0 and the Mustangs fell to 0-2.

Newtown did all of its scoring in the first half and Coach Steve George turned to his substitutes to run the ball, without running up the score, and chew up the clock from the late stages of the second quarter until the final whistle.

Lou Fenaroli opened the scoring on a 15-yard touchdown run and caught a screen pass from quarterback Greg Frattaroli for a 24-yard score on fourth and seven to make it 14-0. Dan Hebert busted loose for a 57-yard dash into the paint on a direct-snap play to cap the first-quarter scoring.

Andrew Cebry finished off a two-play drive with a touchdown run of his own, this one from 17 yards out, to make it 27-0 in the second quarter. The extra point was blocked but little else went well for the young Mustangs, whom George pointed out had only a handful of seniors to his 20-plus last-year varsity veterans.

Fenaroli slipped several tackles en route to a 14-yard TD scamper to make it 34-0. Even the defense got in on the act. Justin Devellis concluded the scoring by intercepting a pass when the ball deflected off an Immaculate receiver’s hands, and returning it 36 yards for pay dirt with 3:48 left in the half.

“It felt really good – first win on the field,” said Newtown sophomore offensive and defensive lineman Josh Krapf.

This was Newtown’s first victory on the new turf playing field, which was a natural grass surface until last year’s field renovations.

Krapf is one of several first- or second-year Nighthawks to gain some varsity game experience. “I’m glad coach put me in. It was fun to be a part of it.”

Last season, George had no choice but to use four quarterbacks because of injuries throughout the course of the campaign. In the Immaculate game, George had the luxury of using his backups thanks to the lopsided score. Frattaroli, a senior, was succeeded in the pocket by sophomore Drew Tarantino and senior Mike Davis as the game unfolded.

The Mustangs earned just two first downs as the NHS defense shut down the visiting team’s rushing and passing game from start to finish. George was especially pleased with the play of linebacker Mike Lord.

Fenaroli gave way to, among others, Ryan Daignault and Rick Ruot for multiple second-half carries. Ivan Hutchison, who kicks extra points, also took some late-game handoffs. Freshman Colton Smith and sophomore Jake Ball returned second-half punts.

“I felt like we were better than this team in the beginning of the week, and obviously they have some younger talented kids that are really going to develop through the years. But I think they only have five or six seniors and we have 22, so we expected to win this game,” George said. “I think our kids came out and played hard and put ’em away in the first half.”

Fenaroli, despite being limited in playing time because of the score, finished with a full game’s worth of statistics – 13 carries for 141 yards, two receptions for 42 yards, and three touchdowns. Hunter Bassett had six tackles and two and a half quarterback sacks which accounted for a cumulative 22 lost yards for Immaculate. Cory Fisher made five tackles and had one and a half sacks for minus 16 yards; Erik Samuelson made three tackles and had a sack; and Lord also had a QB sack.

The Nighthawks will try to remain unbeaten when they host Weston on Friday, September 30, at 7 pm.