Quarterback Joey Devellis did just about everything he could – except for selling hot dogs and soda at halftime – to lead the Junior Midgets to a 12-6 win over New Fairfield. Devellis ran a punt back 75 yards for a touchdown, rushed for 50 yards and one touchdown, and passed for 20 yards to give him 160 all-entertaining, all-purpose yards.

But it doesn’t stop there. Devellis also recorded seven solo tackles and punted the ball well for the 5-2 Nighthawks, who clinched first place in Division II of the Candlewood Valley League.

New Fairfield started with the football, but determined defense by Jake Putnicki (he made the initial hit on the kick return), Tucker Kass, Steve Orrico, Tommy “Rambo” Gaboriault and Devellis forced the Falcons to punt.

Devellis brought the kick back 15 yards. Brian Poeltl and Joe Collins ran for some solid gains behind the line work of Nick Maurer, Scott Perry and Tom Jackman. Even though the ‘Hawks couldn’t manage much, the defense of Cody Shpunt and Ted Gissen once again forced the Falcons to punt.

This time, Devellis brought back the kick 75 yards for a touchdown.

The ‘Hawks led, 6-0.

Kass, Gaboriault, Putnicki and Brian Stickles made some tough tackles to keep New Fairfield from moving very far down the field. On offense, Steve Vichiola, Kass and Gaboriault moved the ball behind the work of Matt Kuruc, Tim Shepard and Alex Middleleer.

Later, Poeltl ran the ball hard, picking up some nice yardage through holes created by Drew Adamek, Bowen and Orrico. Kass tossed a 10-yard pass to Shpunt and then Devellis found Kass downfield for a 10-yard gain. A fumble ended the drive.

The defense stopped New Fairfield and the ‘Hawks took over on their own 25. Poeltl picked up 12 yards on one carry and Kass helped bring the ‘Hawks down field. The drive ended when Devellis burst through the line from the one to lift Newtown to a 12-0 lead.

Bowen tapped an onside kick and Kass somehow came up with the ball. As time was running out in the first half, Devellis hit Joe Curran with a 10-yard pass play and then executed a fine QB keeper for an eight-yard gain. With seconds left, Gaboriault attempted a 15-yard field goal which was just inches wide.

In the second half, the Newtown offense continued to move the ball Poeltl registered an eight-yard reception on a pass from Devellis. Jon Monaco and Stickles played well up front.

In the final minutes of the game, New Fairfield threatened and scored its only touchdown of the game.

The Junior Pee Wees finished the regular season with a big win, too. Jaime Vavrek scored two touchdowns and Mark Scheunemann and David Hutchison scored one each to lead Newtown to a 25-8 win over New Fairfield.

The Newtown defense was ready on the Falcons’ opening drive, stopping New Fairfield on three plays. On the ensuing punt, Scheunemann took the ball on about the 50-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. Jake Devellis made two key blocks on the return to spring Scheunemann for the score.

Newtown recovered the ensuing onsides kick on the New Fairfield 48. After two strong runs by Devellis to pick up a first down, Scheunemann scored on a 35-yard counter run. This time the pass attempt from Devellis to Vavrek was complete and the Nighthawks led 13-0.

The Nighthawks kicked-off again and the defense held tight. The defensive front line punished the offense, getting into the backfield on almost every play. Mike Hadgraft, Cody Marus, Jake Woolf, Ben Collins, Kyle McNamara, and Mike Poeltl, who also played inside linebacker, anchored the defensive line.

Later, a big run by Stephen Oberstadt of about eight yards and some tough running by AJ Ritchie gave the offense one first down. Then the Falcon defense started to stiffen. The Falcons then hit Vavrek after he threw a pass, and the official called a roughing the passer penalty. This gave the Hawks an automatic first down – and that was all they needed. Strong running by Hutchison, James Maher and Rob O’Donnell drove the ball the last forty-five yards down the field. Hutchison ran the ball in for the Nighthawks third touchdown of the day.

Newtown led 19-0 at the half.

The Nighthawk defense started out strong in the second half and was able to hold the Falcons on the first series of plays. The Nighthawk’s offense worked on some new play combinations, but were unable to maintain a drive long enough to score. The Nighthawk defense stepped up again. On a third down play, the Falcon quarterback dropped back for a pass to his left flat area, but Vavrek intercepted the pass at the Falcon 40. He took the ball up the sideline and scored for Newtown’s fourth and final touchdown of the day.

The Nighthawks defense played tough the next series with a big sack by Chris Dennis in the Falcon backfield. The interior line of Matt Taylor, Justin Craparo, Rob Norling, Timo Roehrs, and Dan Cody drove the Falcon offensive line back on almost every play. Dan Curtis took a break from his quarterback role for the Hawks and provided a solid defensive performance as well. However, the Falcons were not to be denied on this offensive series and were able to break a long run for their only score of the day.

The defense was the key to the Nighthawk win, stopping the Falcons in their tracks for most of the game. Brian Reszoly and Kevin Canavan played very well at the Corner back positions, and Matt Mascolo and Scheunemann made some big hits from their Safety slots to help to shut down the Falcon offense for the rest of the game.

The Pee Wees dropped a tough 20-0 decision to New Fairfield to fall to 4-3 on the season.

Justin McGrath, Josh Friedman, Brendan Martin, Thomas Hutchison, Travis Speer and Eric Dreher put together some fine defensive plays right off the bat, but New Fairfield – facing a fourth-and-nine at midfield – came up with a beautiful play to score the intial touchdown.

Tyler Tarantino, Hutchison and McGrath ran the ball hard behind the blocking of Chris Elias, but the Newtown drive stalled at the 37. The defense held tough, though, as Jaime Post, David DeLaVega, Brett Mauro, and Christopher Matthei came up big.

Later, Ryan Manning, Zach Conger, Eric Palmer, Chris Cardelle and CJ Portolese made solid plays on defense, but New Fairfield once again converted a fourth-and-long play for a touchdown to take a 14-0 lead.

Newtown mounted a short-lived drive near the end of the first half. Jeff Davis hit McGrath with a first-down pass and Conger ran well behind the block of Peter Kraus, but the drive stalled. Great defense by Robert Eckenrode, Post, Matthei and Dan and Dave DeLaVega kept New Fairfield out of the end zone before the half ended.

Newtown opened the second half on offense, but couldn’t move the ball. New Fairfield blocked the punt and recovered the ball on the Newtown 18. Three players later, New Fairfield was in the end zone again and had built up a 20-0 lead.

Later, New Fairfield blocked another Newtown punt, but defensive efforts from Kris Kling and Lucas Vendel (forcing a fumble) prevented New Fairfield from reached the end zone. After New Fairfield picked off a pass deep in the Newtown end, solid work by Jaime Goodwick, Cardelle, Dreher, McGrath and Chris Salvatore forced New Fairfield to turn the ball over.

The two teams traded the ball back and forth and, later, Newtown mounted a drive that started with a five-yard run by Vendel and continued with a 10-yard run by Tarantino. Davis hit Speer with a six-yard pass and then Vendel rushed for two more first downs.