The Newtown High School junior varsity football team opened the 2001 season with a 34-22 win over Bethel and a lot of people got in on the action – Ben Bagaglio (two TDs), Mark Boland (one TD), Jack Elias (one TD), Kevin Whipkey (one TD pass), Tim Barrett (one TD catch) and Casey Kirch (four extra points).

Newtown took a 7-0 lead in this one on an eight-yard run by Bagaglio and then stretched the lead to 14-0 on a three-yard run by Boland (set up by his own 20-yard run and a 20-yard run by Bagaglio). The lead expanded to 21-0 after Newtown took advantage of a bad snap on a Bethel punt, soon scoring on Elias’ run from a half-yard out.

Bethel started to rally, though, moving the ball despite some tough defense by Newtown. A 14-yard run and two-point conversion trimmed the Newtown lead to 21-8.

The Nighthawks went back up, 27-8, on a 25-yard interception return by Bagaglio. Kirch was stopped on the PAT attempt for the first time.

Ross Coates had a nice kick to pin Bethel deep and Tim Barrett made a big sack to keep Bethel off the scoreboard as the first half ended.

In the second half, the Wildcats scored two touchdowns – one on a four-yard run and the other on a punt return – to trim the Nighthawk lead to 27-22. But Brett Eastman intercepted a pass at the start of the four quarter and returned it all the way to the Bethel 20. On the next play, Whipkey hit Barrett on a 20-yard scoring strike and the Nighthawks soon had their 34-22 win.

Freshmen Fall

Newtown scored on a 70-yard kickoff return and Derek Pattison scored on a five-yard run, but Newtown fell to Bethel, 24-12, to start the 2001 season.

Bethel opened the scoring with its first touchdown, but the Nighthawks answered right back by taking the kickoff 70 yards for the score. Jeff Levasseur then made a big interception in the end zone to stop Bethel from scoring again.

Matt Selezan picked up a fumble in the second half, which led to Pattison’s touchdown. Selezan picked up another fumble later in the half, but it didn’t lead to any points. The ‘Hawks were knocking on the door late in the fourth quarter when quarterback John Collins brought a keeper down to the five yard line, but time ran out.