A Heartbreaker For

Junior Pee Wees

 

Although the offense and defensive squads showed their mettle last weekend with hard-driving runs and bone-crushing tackles, it was the turnover and penalty bugs that plagued them in a 19-13 loss to New Fairfield.

New Fairfield recovered a loose ball on the Newtown 18 and quickly drove to the end zone for an early 6-0 lead. Newtown countered with some punch as John Fracker scrambled for a 55-yard score to give Newtown a 7-6 lead.

The defense stopped the Rebel’s next two drives with an interception by Andrew Murphy and a key sack by Sean Maher and did the same on the Rebels’ first possession of the second half, but an offsides penalty on a fourth and three gave the Rebels a fresh set of downs – which culminated, five plays later, with a 45-yard touchdown pass.

The final Newtown score came as a result of a key sack by William Arndt, which forced the Rebels to punt. Sean Ross took the kick on Newtown’s own 15, picked up some massive blocks along the way and scored to tie the game at 13-13 with four minutes left to play.

However, New Fairfield came right back with a remarkable 55-yard pass play to take the lead for good, 19-13.

Max Nacewicz had a great game on both sides of the line, with Cody Fischer and Mitch Udiskey making stellar plays on defense.

 

Pee Wees Tough Out

Another Win

Newtown and New Fairfield battled both rain and tough defense in the tightest and most dramatic game of the season and Robbie O’Donnell scored from four yards out as the Pee Wees captured an 8-6 win last weekend.

On the opening drive, which started near midfield after Tory Deakin pounced on an onsides kick attempt, the Nighthawks marched 52 yards for the score. A key play was a 15-yard pass from Jaime Vavrek to Kurt Nacewicz, but runs by AJ “Mad Dog” Ritchie, Kevin “Legs” Canavan and Kyle “OC” O’Connor also made a difference. O’Donnell rushed the ball into the end zone behind the blocking wall of Keith McGrath, Dana Hansen, Deakin, Mike “The Animal” Hadgraft, Zach Dent and Brian Kuruc.

Nacewicz added the two-point kick to give the ‘Hawks an 8-0 lead.

In the second quarter, with the rain really coming down, Newtown relied on its defense to hold New Fairfield. Ritchie, Kevin brown and Kevin O’Connell made some big tackles and Vavrek broke up a pass to stifle a New Fairfield drive. On offense, Canavan, Vavrek and O’Donnell made some nice runs and Nacewicz made a pass reception, but the ‘Hawks were unable to convert on a fourth down play.

In the third, James Sharpe, Hadgraft, Mike Poeltl and Tucker Schmidt made some big defensive plays. In the fourth, New Fairfield was finally able to move the ball through the Newtown defense and scored with 40 seconds left.

However, the ‘Hawks had one big defensive play left – blocking the point-after kick.

- Matt Kuruc

Junior Midgets In 0-0

Deadlock At New Fairfield

It was a defensive battle from the start as the top two teams in the Candlewood Valley League (New Fairfield at 5-0 and Newtown at 4-1) met for the first time … a meeting that ended in a 0-0 tie.

The Nighthawks dodged a bullet early in the first quarter. On their first play from scrimmage, the ‘Hawks picked up seven yards on a quarterback keeper, but could only manage two yards on the next two plays. Then, on the punt attempt, the Newtown punter dropped to one knee to field a low snap and the ball was whistled dead, giving New Fairfield the ball on the Newtown 19.

But the Falcons lost seven yards on their first series of plays. Nose guard Zach Conger put a lot of pressure on the opposing center and New Fairfield suffered through two fumbled snaps. The first quarter was almost without offense as both teams were only able to manage three total yards.

Newtown picked up the pace in the second quarter and was able to move down to the Falcon five yard line, with the help of a roughing the kicker penalty against New Fairfield. But the drive was stopped by an interception of a Jake DeVellis pass.

This was the third of five interceptions the ‘Hawks would suffer on the day.

In the third, a New Fairfield drive – set up by a failed onsides kick attempt by Newtown – stalled on the Newtown 30 when Collin Babbage recovered a Falcon fumble. A penalty killed Newtown’s next drive, but the Nighthawks stuffed the Falcons offense and took possession of the ball on their own 28 to start the fourth quarter.

In 14 plays (taking seven minutes off the game clock), the Nighthawks moved to the ball to the Falcon’s 15. QB Brendan Martin rolled out to his left, behind DeVellis and Conger lead blocking, and rambled all the way down to the four. A New Fairfield player, however, pulled the ball loose and was tackled at the two.

Newtown regained possession four players later after the D forced a fumble (which was recovered by Mitch Rucinski at the 14) and the locals were able to move the ball back to the New Fairfield five. The lost ground, however, and gave up the ball at the 10. On the next play, Babbage made a leaping interception of a New Fairfield pass, and the Nighthawks had yet another chance deep in Falcon territory.

But it was not to be. On the next play, with about 30 seconds left in the game, Newtown was picked off again at the Falcon four.

Mike Rodriquez, Jason Kostecki, Gabe Guisti, Ed White, and Ben Collins turned in great performances on the offensive line. Jake Woolf, Kyle McNamara, and Dan Curtis came up big on a dominating Nighthawk defense. Cody Marus and Kenton Lord both pounded up the middle with strong running from the fullback position.

This tie places the Junior Midgets at 4-1-1, with a solid hold on second place in the division.

Midgets Explode For

35 At New Fairfield

Matt Mascolo ran for one score and threw for another to lead the Midgets to a 35-0 shellacking of New Fairfield last weekend. Tyler Tarantino and Brett Mauro rushed for touchdowns while Brendan Martin and Will Mahony caught touchdown passes to power the offense.

Although New Fairfield received the opening kick, the Nighthawks soon had the ball off a fumble recovery by Ryan Manning (nice tackles by Conor Martin and John Aminti preceded the fumble). On offense, Tarantino had a 19-yard carry to bring the ball inside the New Fairfield 10. Dan DeLaVega picked up six yards and Mascolo finished off the drive with a one-yard plunge for the TD. Mahony kicked for the two-point conversion and Newtown had an 8-0 lead.

The Nighthawks’ next drive seemed to stall at the New Fairfield 27, until Mascolo hit Martin with a throw that led to another touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Chris Elias, John Aminti, Eric Dreher, and Tom Jackman powered the defense for the remainder of the first half and Matt Boland made an interception which killed another New Fairfield drive and although the ‘Hawks were unable to move the ball on the next drive, Lucas Vendel, Jamie Goodwick (pass deflection) and Eric Puffer made big defensive plays to keep New Fairfield out of the end zone at the close of the half.

The ‘Hawks were on the move right from the start of the second half. Dreher raced 56 yards on the second play from scrimmage. Mahony then made a touchdown grab and – with a conversion pass from Mahony to Dreher – the ‘Hawks had a 21-0 lead.

The ‘Hawks used an onsides kick (recovered by Kris Kling) to fire up the offense again. Tarantino rushed the ball to the New Fairfield 22 and after Vendel picked up a couple more yard Dreher brought the ball down to the nine. Tarantino then got the call and scored the fourth Newtown touchdown. After Mahony kicked, the ‘Hawks had a 29-0 lead.

Alex Dahlmeyer anchored the D on the ensuing New Fairfield drive, forcing a punt. Although Newtown was unable to move the ball (despite the efforts of Aminti and Connor McNamara), Jackman made a nice tackle and DeLaVega recovered a fumble. From there, Mauro and Kling started the offense moving and the drive ended with Mauro rushing 29 yards for a score.

It was the fourth win for the Midgets this season.