Nick Lotrecchiano scored four touchdowns – two via the ground and two via the halfback option – and the Newtown fourth-grade football team pummeled Norwalk, 27-7, last weekend at Tiger Hollow Stadium in Ridgefield for the Candlewood Valley League championship.

The ‘Hawks will now head to the AYF National Championship tournament in Lakeland, Florida, December 4 through December 9.

It was the ninth win over the Nighthawks in a perfect CVL season – which started back on September 9 with a 20-12 win over the same Norwalk Ravens. Through their nine games, the locals defeated Norwalk three times while scoring 268 points and allowing only 56.

The ‘Hawks generated more than 300 yards of total offense.

Colton Smith led all rushers with 16 carries and 96 hard earned yards up the middle behind the dominating blocking of Markus Elken, Jake Lambert, Eric Cascone, Stephen Grasso, Griffin Davis and Erik Street.

Lotrecchiano added 81 yards on eight carries, scoring on runs of 42 and 25 yards and then connecting with Smith twice on the halfback option for touchdowns. On the second hookup, Smith made a spectacular over-the-shoulder grab to put the locals ahead, 27-0.

Jaret DeVellis, Bubba Condon and Nolan Fisher also had big days in the backfield contributing 21, 20 and 10 yards, respectively. Condon and Fisher both had huge fourth down runs that kept drives alive in the first half.

Smith, Lotrecchianno and DeVellis put the exclamation point on the days scoring with each adding a PAT.

The Hawks defense continued to demonstrate why offense wins games, but defense wins championships. The touted Raven speed proved to be no match for the tenacity of the Nighthawk defense as middle linebackers Condon and Max Rucinski seemed to be all over the field, punishing Raven runners and combining for a team leading 15 tackles.

While the Hawk defensive front kept the Ravens off balance most of the game as Lambert, Nick Rubino and Logan Walsh made multiple tackles in the Ravens backfield while Grasso added a sack. Other Hawk defensive stand-outs included Cascone, Smith, Lotrecchiano, Shane Quimby and DeVellis each contributing two or more tackles to the Hawk attack.

Team members include Jacob “Boots” Burden, Eric Cascone, Michael “The Hammer” Cirone, Bubba Condon, Griffin Davis, Jaret “Bread Basket” DeVellis, Harrison Duffy, Markus Elken, Nolan Fisher, Troy Frangione, Stephen Grasso, Jake Lambert, Nick Lotrecchiano, Brandon McIntyre, Colten Moroney, Matt Perun, Aidan Petershack, Rory Phillips, Shane Quimby, Nick Rubino, Max Rucinski, Richie Sandlon, Joe “The Waterbug” Santella, Jonathon Sherman, Colton Smith, Erik Street, Ryan Szalay and Logan Walsh.

EIGHTH GRADE

Ridgefield 26, Newtown 6

After winning nine straight games and out-scoring opponents 229-34, the eighth-grade team was stymied by Ridgefield, 26-6, in the CVFL championship last Saturday.

The Nighthawks defeated Ridgefield, 24-0, back on September 24 … the start of three straight shutouts for the locals.

Last weekend, though, the magic was gone. Four turnovers gave the Raiders the impetus they would need to win the CVL championship.

A fumble at the Newtown 38 enabled Ridgefield to take an early 6-0 lead. On the ensuing kick, another fumble was scooped by a Ridgefield player and returned for a touchdown to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead.

The Nighthawks continued to fight and mounted a drive – keyed by the elusive running of Kyle Vignone – that eventually stalled at the Ridgefield 26 when time ran out in the half.

Vignone opened the second half by returning the kick 58 yards to the Ridgefield 32, but the drive stalled with a fumble. Ridgefield quickly drove down the field for a touchdown and a 20-0 lead.

And on their next possession, the ‘Hawks saw a tipped pass returned 50 yards for another touchdown that put the Raiders on top, 26-0.

Vignone finally got the locals on the board when he burst off tackle for a 56-yard touchdown. The defense continued to fight, but the ‘Hawks ran out of time.

Sean Devaney played a tremendous game at defensive end and frustrated Ridgefield defenders with strong blocking on offense. Matt Datin also had a strong game from his defensive end position and fought hard in the trenches from his offensive tackle position.

SIXTH GRADE

Newtown 18, Mahopac 6

Justin DeVellis, Jack Kearney and Danny Hebert all scored touchdowns last weekend to lead the sixth-grade team to an 18-6 win over Mahopac in the Candlewood Valley Rose Bowl championship.

On their first possession the Nighthawks drove right down the field behind the inside running of Josh Villa and the outside speed of Hebert. Devellis snuck in for the first score from one yard out as the strong inside blocking of Kearney, Dean Baye and Robbie Hughes paved the way.

Mahopac answered right back with a drive of their own behind their 175-pound.to tie the score, but the interior defense rose up and stopped the extra point attempt.

The ‘Hawks engineered a long drive after a 30-yard kickoff return by Devellis, with Kearney eventually scoring on a six-yard run.

The game then turned into a defensive struggle with the onset of a cold rain and in a key series  the Mahopac fullback rumbled 50 yards only to be pulled down from behind by Kory Kling on the Newtown five. The locals drove the Panthers back on three successive plays behind the strong inside push of Chris Stanton and stopped the fourth down try at the line of scrimmage to take over on downs with about a two minutes left to play.

Hebert then put the game away, going 90 yards behind the blocks of Kearney, Villa, Kitzmiller and Derrickson for the touchdown.