Football—

Gridders Target Championship Success

By Andy Hutchison

The Newtown High School football team is looking forward to building on last year’s relative success and making a name for itself in not only the regular campaign, but also the postseason this fall.

The Nighthawks had a solid 7-3 mark a year ago and the captains say this season’s goals are to make a push to win not only more games, but championships too.

“I want to win SWC and state championships — either one, or both,” senior captain Kyle McNamara, a cornerback said. “We want to have the best defense in the SWC.”

The Nighthawks graduated 21 players, among them seven who started or got regular playing time last year (three on offense and four on defense). Key losses include receiver Bob Lapple, safety Jamie Goodwick and running back/linebacker Tyler Tarantino.

There is plenty of talent back on the gridiron, though, and Head Coach Steve George is optimistic about the season.

“We’re pretty experienced,” George said. “We have a lot of athletes on the field this year — a lot of good, solid athletes.”

The Hawks have decent size on the lines, the coach said, and plenty of potential contributors up and down the lineup. “We’re pretty deep,” he said.

The senior captains, in addition to McNamara, are quarterback Jake DeVellis, guard/linebacker Brett LeBlanc, guard/linebacker Tim Wheeler and tackle/linebacker John Aminti.

Other players whom George and his coaching staff point to as potential leaders on the field are seniors Kurt Macewicz (receiver), Chris Arndt (receiver/linebacker), Mike Lango (receiver/linebacker) and Keith McGrath (defensive tackle), and juniors Connor McNamara (center/tackle) and Kyle O’Connor (running back).

George said Shelton, Masuk, Pomperaug, Brookfield, and Bethel are among the top teams in the conference that stand between the Hawks and an SWC title, along with enough wins to qualify for state playoff action. Along the way, the Hawks will look to avenge a hard-to-swallow season-ending 17-14 defeat to Masuk (“We were a field goal away from being 8-2,” the coach said). Of course that game does not crop up on the schedule until November 26 (it’s the annual Thanksgiving eve clash).

“I think we have a good team. We have a lot of great leadership and everybody gets along with everybody,” Wheeler said. “I think we’ll get far.”

“We’ve just got to work hard and make an impact this season,” Aminti added.

It will not be easy for the Hawks to achieve their lofty goals.

“It will take a lot of hard work, a lot of practice as we’ve been doing. We’re just hoping to come out and have a good winning season and hopefully win SWCs and states,” LeBlanc said.

DeVellis said the Hawks have plenty of young talent that will help the veteran players in those championship-seeking efforts. “We’re out to prove that experience does matter and this is our year,” DeVellis said.

It is first things first with the season opener scheduled for Friday night at Shelton. “We want to come out and beat Shelton. They’ll be good,” Aminti anticipates.

After the opener, NHS remains on the road for a September 19 game at New Milford before the home opener, September 26 against Pomperaug — the first of four straight home games.