By Kim J. Harmon

WESTON – Although not the highest lowest scoring team in the South-West Conference (two others teams have scored fewer points), the Weston High School football team has had trouble putting points up on the board.

Not on Saturday.

Not against Newtown.

Tom Bennewitz tossed four touchdown passes – three in the first half alone – and passed for 255 yards as the Trojans (under the guidance of former Newtown coach, Bob Zito) upended the floundering Nighthawks, 33-21, and pushed the ‘Hawks winless streak to six games.

The ‘Hawks also fell to 2-5-1 on the year.

Bennewitz tossed a three-yard scoring strike to Ryan Squillante and a 43-yard scoring strike to Travis Rudomanski in the first period as the Trojans built up a quick, 14-0, lead. Bennewitz hit Rudomanski again in the second quarter – this time from 12 yards out – as the Trojans went into the halftime break with a 21-0 lead.

In the third quarter, Bennewitz went to the air one more time and connected with Squillante on a 37-yard touchdown pass to put the Trojans ahead, 28-0.

Newtown did not score until Mark Boland (5-for-26) ran the ball in from two yards out. But Weston answered that touchdown with another touchdown of its own, a nine-yard run by Luke Dudley that put the Trojans ahead, 33-7, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Nighthawks did put a little something together in the fourth quarter. Tom Ryan (7-of-23, 140 yards) hit Tim Byrne with a 49-yard touchdown pass to trim a little off the Weston lead. Although Byrne leads the team with 14 receptions, it was his first touchdown grab of the season.

And with about nine minutes to go in the game, senior Matt Regan picked up a fumble and rumbled 49 yards with it for another touchdown.

The ‘Hawks were able to pick up just 73 yards on the ground last Saturday. Even though the Trojans picked up just 104 yards themselves, the difference was the work of the sophomore QB – Bennewitz.

The Nighthawks will host Bullard Havens on Friday at 7 pm and then conclude the season with the traditional (pre-)Thanksgiving Day game against Masuk on Wednesday, November 21. Kickoff for that game is slated at 7 pm in Monroe.

Newtown     0    0    7   14 - 21

Weston     14    7  12    0 - 33

 

First Quarter

W – Squillante 3 pass from Bennewitz (kick failed)

W – Rudomanski 42 pass from Bennewitz (Squillante pass from Bennewitz)

Second Quarter

W – Rudomanski 12 pass from Bennewitz (Bennewitz kick)

Third Quarter

W – Squillante 37 pass from Bennewitz (kick failed)

N – Boland 2 run (Kirch kick)

W – Dudley 9 run (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

N – Byrne 49 pass from Ryan (Kirch kick)

N – Regan 49 fumble recovery (Kirch kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

 

Rushing

 

NEWTOWN: Ryan 5-39, Boland 5-26, Nowak 5-10, Mike Deluca 2-minus 2 (Totals: 17-73). WESTON: Squillante 12-32, Dudley 9-48, Bell 5-15, Bennewitz 5-4, S. Bell 4-5 (Totals: 35-104).

Passing

 

NEWTOWN: Ryan 7-23-1, 140 yards, 1 TD. WESTON: Bennewitz 15-20-0, 255 yards, 4 TD.

Receiving

 

NEWTOWN: Konkos 3-20, Narcum 2-48, Byrne 1-49, Kirch 1-14, Gantert 1-7. WESTON: Squillante 9-139, Rudomanski 5-119, S. Bell 1-minus 3.