Sometimes games, for all intents and purposes, are over by halftime. In the case of Newtown High School’s football team’s visit to Stratford at Penders Field on October 3, make it the first quarter. The Nighthawks scored five opening-quarter touchdowns — twice on interception returns — on the way to a 55-0 victory over the Red Devils.

When all was said and done Luke Gagnon had a trio of rushing scores, but the Nighthawks scored in a variety of ways: on the ground, through the air, on defense, and on special teams.

Defense was Newtown’s initial offense, with Caden Cuomo intercepting a pass and returning the ball 35 yards for the first score to set the tone. After Gagnon’s two-yard TD rush the Hawks put up points through the air as quarterback Marcus Gerace connected with Travis Rekos on a 37-yard TD pass play. Cole Stockwell’s 13-yard rush into the end zone and Andrew Moran’s 49-yard pick six rounded out the opening quarter barrage.

Newtown held its 35-0 lead through the second quarter and added to it in the third. Gagnon scored on a 32-yard run, and then special teams got in on the act with Cuomo blocking a punt and Graham Spencer scooping the ball and running it back 32 yards for another six points. Gagnon’s fourth-quarter score, a two-yard run, capped the onslaught.

Gagnon rushed ten times for 101 yards, and Stockwell had ten carries for 67. Gerace completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 164 yards. Rekos had two receptions for 47 yards, Luke Stewart four catches for 45, Grady Marks four receptions for 40, Stockwell two for 24, and Emmett Regan one for eight yards. The Hawks racked up 321 yards of offense, split pretty evenly between the aerial attack and ground game. Spencer Maddox connected on seven of eight extra point attempts.

The Hawks dominated the possession game; its offense was on the field for much of the night and NHS punted just once — Regan’s 43-yard boot.

On defense, Spencer had five solo tackles and assisted on another, Moran four, C.J. Manfredonia three, Henri Quirk and Cuomo each two solo and an assist, Kieran Garrity and Stockwell both with a pair, and Nick Pavia a solo to go along with assists on a trio of tackles and a quarterback sack, and Aaden Calle had a tackle and QB sack. Garrity and Justyn Gonzalez both had interceptions

After a bye week Newtown finally returns home Friday, October 17, to host Bunnell of Stratford at 7 pm; the team’s first matchup at Blue & Gold Stadium since week one, September 12. Newtown is 2-2 overall and Bunnell stands at 3-1. The Bulldogs and Nighthawks have had one common opponent thus far — FCIAC foe New Canaan. NHS lost to New Canaan 30-10 in week one, and Bunnell fell 27-7 to the Rams. Newtown has a pair of potentially tough matchups with Brookfield (currently 3-1) headed to NHS on Friday, October 24 at 7.

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