Challenged deep into the game for the first time this campaign, Newtown High School’s football team overcame a tough Joel Barlow of Redding squad to earn a 34-14 win at Blue & Gold Stadium on October 2. Newtown improved to 4-0 and the Falcons fell to 2-2 overall.

The visiting Falcons — thanks to a 10:24 drive to begin the second half (and chew up almost all of the third quarter clock) — pulled to within 20-14 as the game went into the fourth quarter. The Nighthawks, who won by 29 or more points in each of their first three contests and basically ran out the clock in the second and third quarters of those triumphs, needed a pair of late touchdowns to put this one away.

“I thought we did a great job of putting four quarters together for our first test for a full game,” said junior wide receiver/defensive back Jared Pearson, who opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown reception.

Nick Rubino rushed nine yards for a score to put Newtown ahead 14-0 after one quarter of play. After the Falcons sliced the lead in half, on quarterback Bryan Gallaer’s 34-yard scoring run on fourth down and one, the Hawks reclaimed their two-possession lead. Newtown went up 20-7 on quarterback Jacob Burden’s 17-yard TD toss over the middle to a leaping Julian Dunn at the goal line. A late first-half NHS drive was thwarted when the Falcons came up with an interception.

Barlow got the second half kickoff and proceeded to take all but 1:36 off the 12-minute third-quarter clock before another Gallaer TD rush — this one on fourth and goal at the one — brought the Falcons to within six. Barlow also converted a fourth and one at the Newtown 40, and had some big third down conversions, including one on third and 13, to keep the drive alive.

Newtown responded with a drive that took just 2:02 off the clock, highlighted by Rubino’s 26-yard rush to set up first and goal at the one, and capped by Jaret DeVellis’s TD rush on the next play. DeVellis then ran the ball in for a two-point conversion for a 28-14 lead with 11:26 to play.

The Falcons moved the ball to the NHS 43 on its next drive, but on third and nine, Newtown linebacker Nick Samuelson came up with a tackle for no gain and, on fourth and nine, Jake Lambert and Nick Lotrecciano combined for a QB sack to force a turnover on downs on the midfield line.

Two plays, and just 1:01 later, DeVellis broke free on a 47-yard touchdown scamper to all but put the game away, making it 34-14 with 4:17 remaining. A high snap on the extra point try led to holder DeVellis attempting to run the ball in for two more points, but he was stopped despite a valiant effort.

Newtown attempted an onside kick to put the game away and, although the Falcons managed to field the ball, Newtown’s defense again clamped down to force a turnover on downs with 1:44 left.

George commended the efforts of running backs DeVellis and Rubino, and noted that their success stemmed from strong blocking up front.

“I was really proud of my offensive line today,” Newtown Coach Steve George said. “They really moved Barlow off the ball when we had the ball.”

Which wasn’t all the much.

The Falcons dominated in time of possession caused by a combination of the Falcons’ strong running ability and Newtown’s bend but don’t break defense. Newtown had the ball for only 4:47 of the 24 second-half minutes.

George wasn’t surprised that Barlow gave Newtown a bit of a struggle.

“It’s always how it is when we play these guys,” the coach said. “Those kids played hard — they tested us a little bit.”

The Nighthawks can anticipate being tested again in their next few games, beginning with a Friday, October 10, visit to Bethel (7 pm). The Bobcats, who always give Newtown trouble, started the year 3-0 before getting shut out by New Fairfield, 42-0, in week four. Bethel also beat Barlow, winning 44-25.

“It’s a similar offense,” said George, comparing Bethel’s to that of Barlow’s, and noting that the Bobcats thrive on its triple option threat. “We will definitely be tested again next week.”

Of course, previous results for like opponents are to be taken with a grain of salt; the same New Fairfield team that crushed Bethel lost a 10-7 battle with Barlow, yet the Bobcats beat the Falcons by 19 points.

George notes that his team will practice hard for the Bethel game. “These kids will be prepared and ready to play,” he said.

Looking ahead, something the cautious Nighthawks refuse to do, the team stands to have another couple of difficult hurdles to overcome in home games against Ansonia on October 17 and Brookfield on October 24 — both at 7 pm.

The Ansonia Chargers, a nonconference team out of the Naugatuck Valley League, is unbeaten — not only this fall, but going back for a stretch of 47 consecutive games. The Chargers, in fact, with a win over St Paul Catholic on October 10, will try to tie Cheshire’s state record of 49 straight victories in their visit to Newtown.

Brookfield, which Newtown defeated in last year’s South-West Conference championship game, is also off to a 4-0 start to the campaign. As tempting as it may be to think about these big games, Newtown’s players are trained to keep their focus on the task at hand.

“We’re going to take it one week at a time. We’re not worried about Ansonia or Brookfield yet,” Pearson said.