Newtown High School's football team kicks off the season with the goal to be competitive each week and find success through a mix of returning talent on defense and some returnees and newcomers at other positions, along with having its three pillars in alignment. Attitude, communication, and physicality are essential for the team's success, Coach Dan Farina said.

The Nighthawks move from Class L to Class MM for this year's state rankings and playoffs, but the team will have postseason tune-ups from a pair of not just Class LL representatives but teams that are perennial powers and, as a matter of fact, reached last year's LL title game when they play in crossover tilts with Greenwich and Southington. Then, of course, there is plenty of competition within the South-West Conference and this year's schedule features matchups with three SWC programs that reached the postseason, two of which got to championship games a year ago.

"The schedule is always tough as we have a good league," Farina said. "We're excited about it. You play the schedule and it's tough — that's the way we want it.

"It starts week one," Farina said of the opening game matchup with New Fairfield, which was a Class S qualifier last season. "They're a good football team. They're well coached."

New Fairfield invades Blue & Gold Stadium for a Thursday night contest, September 10. All Friday games — home and away — are scheduled for 6:30 pm, with the remaining home matchups all on Fridays.

Southington, with a lineup with plenty of returning players from last year's runner-up squad, visits on September 18, and a week later the Nighthawks venture to Pomperaug of Southbury, an SWC foe that Farina describes as a big, physical team that narrowly missed qualifying for the playoffs last fall.

Saturday, October 3 marks a rare day game when the Hawks visit LL champ Greenwich at 1 pm. After a bye week, NHS hosts Notre Dame Prep of Fairfield under the lights on October 16. NHS entertains Joel Barlow of Redding on October 23, visits Class MM runner-up Bunnell of Stratford October 30, hosts New Milford November 6, is at Class M runner-up Brookfield November 13, and concludes the regular season Wednesday, November 25 with the annual Thanksgiving Eve clash with Masuk of Monroe on the road this season, at 6 pm.

Captains to lead the way are defensive backs Graham Spencer and Nick Stockwell, linebackers Caden Cuomo and Henri Quirk, and defensive lineman Drillon Lena.

Other key players, also seniors, include running back Luke Gagnon, wide receiver Spencer Maddox, offensive linemen Will Speiser and Chris Shope, defensive linemen Aiden Calle and Billy Massett, and defensive backs Sean Caron and Julian Moore. The new starting quarterback is junior Jack Colonel.

"Our defense is the backbone of our football team, with many starters returning. Our offense will be a mix of seniors and juniors who are ready to compete," Farina said. "Our goals are to compete every game and have our three pillars in alignment.

"Football's always about hard work and doing your job," the coach added. "Attitude is our energy, our effort, and our body language; communication is being on the same page, communication from player to player, player to coach, and coach to player; and physicality is playing physical, playing in your gap physically, moving someone out of your gap physically," the coach said.

"Guys have been working hard all summer and we’re excited to be a team every day," Farina said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.