Newtown High School's football team capped off the regular season with a 34-13 win over visiting Masuk in the annual Thanksgiving Eve clash, at Blue & Gold Stadium on an unseasonably warm, 50-something degree, November 26 evening.

The Nighthawks finish at 8-2 and await the outcome of Turkey Day games to determine their state postseason fate, but the Hawks stand to have one Class L's top few seeds and a quarterfinal-round home game Tuesday, December 2.

NHS struck first on Jack Roszman's 29-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead and went up 10-0 later in the first quarter, after the teams traded punts, when Nick Pavia mashed his way into the end zone from eight yards out following key Marcus Gerace completion to Travis Rekos.

Masuk got on the board in the second quarter and had possession with a chance to take the lead but saw its TD answered by another Nighthawk score for a 17-7 halftime lead.

Nick Stockwell's interception got the ball back in the hands of Gerace and the Hawks, leading to a 16-yard catch and run by Cole Stockwell for a score.

Early in the third quarter, another Nighthawk INT set the table for touchdown as C.J. Manfredonia's pick led to a 55-yard drive highlighted by a Luke Stewart reception that culminated with a 24-yard Grady Marks TD catch.

At 24-7 the Hawks appeared on the verge of pouring it on but the Panthers would not be Newtown's feast. They converted a fourth and goal with a passing TD from the 16 yard line to cut the deficit to 11. Caden Cuomo blocked the extra point attempt leaving the score 24-13.

A nice leaping sideline catch by Stewart, against a double team defense, set up Roszman's 41-yard line drive field goal to push the lead to 14, The Hawks were up 27-13 heading to the fourth.

Emmet Regan punted from his own end zone and got the Hawks out of fourth-quarter trouble with a solid boot and roll for a 46-yard punt. Pavia broke free on a 56-yard TD scamper to end the scoring.