By Kim J. Harmon

It is one of the most exciting moments in all sports – that moment in a football game where there is just three or four seconds left in the fourth quarter and the kicker is lining up for a field goal that will, one way or another, decide the game.

There was one of those moments last Friday at Blue & Gold Stadium and it was sophomore Casey Kirch lining up for a 35-yard field goal attempt that would decide a South-West Conference game between Newtown and Immaculate.

The kid has got a leg, but this was a little too much to ask. The field goal was a bit wide left and a game that had been sitting idle in a 13-13 tie ended that way. And although the Nighthawks officially put an end to their three-game losing streak, they didn’t – as yet – end the winless streak.

The ‘Hawks moved to 2-3-1 on the year.

But a tie, it seems, was only fitting for a game that could have been a win and could have been a loss for either team depending on the vagaries of just a couple of plays.

Like, when Rob Konkos made a touchdown-saving tackle of James Jordan after Immaculate’s big defensive back picked off a Tom Ryan pass and nearly brought it all the way back for a score.

Or, like, when Immaculate scored a touchdown with 2:51 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game and Brett Palmer hooked the extra point wide left.

And like Kirch’s game-ending (if you don’t count the one play, with less than a second left, that Immaculate was given) field goal attempt.

The Nighthawks have been waiting for a game like this ever since their 27-0 pounding of Brookfield in the second week of the season. Since then, the ‘Hawks have had their wings clipped by Bunnell, New Milford and Foran.

And what better way to end the misery than with a win over their most bitter rival. Lots of people remember how the game – won by Newtown – ended last year. There was certainly a bit of bad blood involved.

Immaculate had the upper hand in this one, though, by taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 17-yard pass from Palmer to Jordan. A personal foul flagged on Newtown helped keep the scoring drive alive.

But the Nighthawks began driving late in the first quarter and just a few plays into the second – only two minutes after the Mustangs put the first touchdown on the board – Ryan struck Tim Barrett with a 28-yard scoring strike.

Kirch’s extra point tied it up, 7-7.

Late in the second, after a succession of punts, Newtown was on the move. But a Ryan pass was picked off by Jordan, who barreled his way through a crush of traffic at the original line of scrimmage and was on his way to the end zone when Konkos caught up to him from behind.

It was a big play because Immaculate, starting on the Newtown 13, gained just one yard on two rushing attempts and threw two passes incomplete to kill the opportunity to take a lead into the halftime break.

Immaculate had a couple of opportunities in the third quarter, but the Newtown defense stiffened at the right time.

With 4:38 left to play, the Nighthawks grabbed their first lead of the game and did it on a bit of a razzle-dazzle play. With the line at the Immaculate 25, Ryan handed off to Kevin Whipkey, who was clearly on the option looking downfield to pass. But what he did was toss it back across the field to Ryan, who sauntered into the end zone for the touchdown.

After a missed extra point, Newtown led 13-7. Emotion was running high at that point, but Immaculate doused it just four plays later when Palmer hit Zack Long with a 55-yard bomb that tied the score. With the chance to take the lead, though, Palmer pulled the extra point kick wide left.

The ‘Hawks had their chance to take the game back, though, when the Mustangs decided on a short kick off. The ‘Hawks put together six plays – including a pass interference – that brought the ball to the 18 yard line with just six seconds left.

Even though Newtown missed an opportunity to win on that kick, the Nighthawks never would have had the opportunity had the defense not been so strong. Senior Matt Regan, in particular, found himself in the backfield more than once and all over the quarterback more than once. It was – save for one or two plays – a brilliant defensive effort throughout the game.

The ‘Hawks will travel to Jonathan Law on Friday for a 7 pm contest. Law (2-4-0) was blanked by New Milford, 21-0, on October 19.

Immaculate   7    0    0    6 - 13

Newtown      0    7    0    6 - 13

 

First Quarter

I – Jordan 17 pass from Palmer (Palmer kick)

Second Quarter

N – Barrett 28 pass from Ryan (Kirch kick)

Fourth Quarter

N – Ryan 25 pass from Whipkey (kick failed)

I – Long 55 pass from Palmer (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

NEWTOWN: Whipkey 6-18, Deluca 8-38, Boland 11-33, Nowak 7-20, Gleason 1-3, Ryan 3-47. IMMACULATE: Long 11-6, Colangelo 8-51, Trebt 1-0.

Passing

NEWTOWN: Tom Ryan 2-10-1, 55 yards, 1 TD; Kevin Whipkey 1-1-0, 25 yards, 1 TD. IMMACULATE: Palmer 12-22-1, 240 yards.

Receiving

 

NEWTOWN: Barrett 2-55, Ryan 1-25. IMMACULATE: Jordan 6-140, Long 3-94, Colangelo 2-6, Koestner 1-6.