The 2006 American Youth Football season opened last weekend with a much different Candlewood Valley League, but for a few Newtown teams the appearance of some new opponents – like Hudson Valley or Southern Dutchess – did not distract them from posting convincing wins.

The sixth-grade squad opened with a 13-6 win over Hudson Valley while the fifth-grade team opened with a 19-7 win over Southern Dutchess. Meanwhile, the 79er Gold team pounded Southern Dutchess, 35-6.

Danny Hebert (6th grade), Julian Dunn (5th grade) and Mike Doyle (79er Gold) scored two touchdowns apiece to pace their teams.

A look at the action –

SIXTH GRADE

Newtown 13, Hudson Valley 6

Quarterback Danny Hebert scored a pair of touchdowns – one on a 76-yard option – to lead the Newtown Grade 6 American Youth Football team to a 13-6 season-opening win over the Hudson Valley Knights.

The locals took the lead in the second quarter when Hebert scampered 76 yards on the option for the first touchdown of the game. Max Lopez ran in the extra point to put the Hawks ahead 7-0. And then with 20 seconds remaining in the half, Hebert broke three tackles, reversed direction, and scored his second TD to put the Hawks ahead, 13-0.

James Marusi helped spring Hebert with a key block.

In the fourth, the Hawks ran nine minutes off the clock thanks to the domination of the offensive line – Mike Senf, Robbie Hughes, Kyle Morrissey, Chris Stanton, Tom Bauer and JP Kitzmiller. The defense was paced by Pat Cappozziello, Kyle Degenhardt and Josh Villa. A huge sack by Jack Kearney in the second quarter kept the Knights from a potential TD.

Cappozziello and Villa both recovered fumbles.

FIFTH GRADE

Newtown 19, Southern Dutchess 7

Julian Dunn scored on runs of 29 and 40 yards and Cooper Gold scored on a run of 15 yards as the Newtown Grade 5 American Youth Football team posted a 19-7 season-opening win over the Southern Dutchess Packers (White) on Saturday.

The offensive and defensive line work of Tommy Gleason, Patrick Afriyie, Cameron Weibel, Jimmy Leidlein, Matt White and Patrick Carello helped power Newtown to the win.

Dunn opened the scoring for Newtown late in the first quarter with a 29 yard touchdown run set up by a nice block from Chase Wurtz. Quarterback Drew Tarantino tossed a conversion pass to a diving Nick Strokis to give the Nighthawks a 7-0 advantage.

Dunn added a 40-yard scamper in the second quarter to put the locals on top, 13-0, while Southern Dutchess broke a long run for a touchdown late in the quarter to make it 13-7 at the half. But Newtown used ball control and field position to set up its final score early in the fourth quarter. Gold powered his way into the end zone on a 15-yard dive play to make it 19-7.

The Newtown defense, with great individual effort from Conner Noonan, held Southern Dutchess scoreless down the stretch to close out the win.

79ER GOLD

Newtown 35

Southern Dutchess 6

Mike Doyle scored a pair of touchdowns while Justin Dunn and Michael Roche each scored to lead the Newtown 79er Gold American Youth Football team to a 35-6 season-opening win over Southern Dutchess.

In a game filled with offensive explosion, it was the defense that made it possible. After an initial scoring drive by Southern Dutchess, the defense took over and starting with a fumble recovery on a kick off by Colin Thies that defense – anchored by Ryan Shaw – made four tackles in the backfield for losses. Nick Samuelson contributing with two tackles and a fumble recovery in the backfield and the 79er’s excellent line play by Thies, Marc Webb, David Anderson, Adam Bell, Tim Mammen, Aaron Beckett and James Leuci made it difficult for Southern Dutchess to move the ball at all.

Gabe Barrett made a spectacular interception to stop a drive by Southern Dutchess.

While Doyle, Dunn and Roche showcased the rushing attack with their electrifying runs, Peyton Manning was on the receiving end of a 50-yard touchdown pass. Trevor Lopez contributed a pair of conversions on the day with Matt Maturo, Dunn and Barrett added one each.

Quarterback Matt Elias – normally a wingback – had a key 40-yard bootleg run to set up Roche’s touchdown.

79ER BIG BLUE

Ridgefield 18, Newtown 14

Devin Luzietti scored on runs of 35 and 30 yards but the Newtown 79ers Big Blue American Youth Football team dropped an 18-14 season-opening loss to Ridgefield Orange last weekend.

Although the defense of Shawn McCarthy, Mitchell Savoca and Jared Pearson made it difficult for Ridgefield to score, the Orange opened the game with a touchdown. But Scott Gregson, Geoffrey Santore and Greggory Harrison stepped up and stuffed the Ridgefield runner short of the goal line to stop the extra point.

Newtown took over on its own 40 yard line and with the aggressive blocking of Colin McCafferty, Andrew Svanda and Gordon Walsh it was able to tear off big chunks of yardage. The fine running of quarterback Ethan Carpenter got Big Blue rolling and Luzietti took over with some strong running to break away with a 35 yard touchdown run. Jeremy Salaris and Nick Rohrbacher had key blocks as Luzietti was able to bull his way in for the extra point to put Big Blue ahead, 7-6.

At the start of the season half, a fumble stalled a Newtown drive while sloppy defensive play enabled Ridgefield to march down the field for a go-ahead touchdown. Adam Robertson and Bryan Kiley stopped the extra point and the Orange had a 12-7 lead.

Big Blue couldn’t keep its next drive going although Anthony Falbo and Nick Lametto opened up good holes for Carpenter and Luzietti. Ridgefield took over and eventually scored on a sweep, taking an 18-7 lead.

The next time the locals got their hands on the ball, they were able to hit pay dirt. Starting from their own 40, the Hawksgot solid blocking from Steven Senf, Brian Raab, Thomas Addessi and Austin LeBlanc and Luzietti finished things off with a 30-yard TD run. Luzietti added the extra-point conversion and the locals were down, 18-14, with seven minutes left to play.

Salaris, Kiley and Gregson sparked the D and helped the offense take over with three minutes left. But the Big Blue ran out of time on the Ridgefield 20.

The Big Blue will be back in action this week against Ridgefield Black.