Fourth Graders Edge Chargers

Newtown Youth Football’s fourth grade Nighthawks wrapped up their preseason with a hard-fought 19-14 win over the Bridgeport Chargers at Taylor Field on Saturday.

Newtown got on the board early after running back Shaine Luzietti powered his way into the end zone on their first possession. Quarterback Jack Street added the extra point on a QB keeper to give Newtown a 7-0 lead.

Newtown scored again in the second quarter when Luke Hannan, behind the strong blocking of Nicholas Sabillon, Trevor Jacozzi, Grant Baker, Jordan Conrad, Jack Stenz, and Thomas Tavar, scored on a 65-yard touchdown run to extend the Nighthawk lead to 13-0.

Bridgeport would not be kept scoreless for long, finding the end zone on a long run to shrink the lead to 13-7 at the end of the half. The Chargers went ahead 14-13 in the third quarter.

After the Nighthawks turned the ball over late in the fourth quarter, the defense took over the game. Behind great plays by Shaine Luzietti, William Wallace, Michael Haddick, Luke Hannan, and Jake Dandrea, the defense gave the ball back to the offense at the Bridgeport eight yard line with under a minute to go.

Running back Jeffrey Garrity, who had carried most of the workload out of the backfield, found  the end zone two plays later to give Newtown a 19-14 victory.

Newtown opens the regular season on Saturday at home against Monroe, and looks to continue its undefeated streak from last season.