South-West Conference Title Hopes Dashed In Rematch With Brookfield

By Andy Hutchison

STRATFORD — Only two weeks earlier, the Newtown High School football team got little indication of just how formidable of an opponent Brookfield could be. Newtown ran away with a surprising 34-3 win on November 14. But in the November 20 South-West Conference Championship game, the tables were turned on the Nighthawks. Brookfield built an early lead and cruised to a 28-7 win at Bunnell High School on a frigid evening.

Everything that went right for Newtown the first time around went wrong. And for Brookfield: vise versa.

The Nighthawks, who scored on nearly every possession and forced several turnovers in the regular season battle, saw Brookfield achieve that success at their expense. In the championship game, Newtown either punted or turned the ball over on every possession until finally striking for a late-game touchdown. But it was too little, too late.

“It’s frustrating — it’s very frustrating. To have so much success against them two weeks ago,” said Newtown Coach Steve George, “and then have our butts kicked.”

Newtown handed Brookfield (9-1, 8-1 in the SWC) its only conference loss. Newtown, meanwhile, went 9-1 (8-0 in the conference) before suffering its first defeat since an opening-week loss at Shelton.

“This one hurts,” George said.

 “They covered us well. That’s the difficult part of playing a team a second time around,” said George, going on to say the Bobcats’ coaching staff made some adjustments since that first meeting.

Brookfield didn’t allow quarterback Jake DeVellis, his receivers, or Newtown’s backs much space. That tight coverage meant little opportunity to move the football and resulted in some costly turnovers.

“Turnovers were the difference,” George said. “We made some bad decisions with the ball tonight.”

Newtown turned the ball over three times (two led to Brookfield scores).

The Nighthawks, themselves, came up with some turnovers, but they were not as costly to Brookfield as the Nighthawks’ turnovers were to themselves.

The Bobcats reeled off all of their points in what was, for Newtown, a disastrous second quarter. Travis Treibt barreled into the end zone for three of the Bobcats’ four scores, including each of the first two. After Brookfield’s offense took charge for a 15-0 lead (an encroachment penalty on the Nighthawks during the second point after prompted Brookfield to go for the two-point conversion), Newtown was intercepted on consecutive offensive plays and both picks led to touchdowns.

The Nighthawks didn’t give up and managed to hold Brookfield scoreless in the second half, but the Hawks couldn’t muster enough offense. DeVellis hit Jamie Vavrek with a 50-yard scoring strike late in the fourth to break up the shutout and give Newtown some life. The ensuing onside kick, however, was recovered by the Bobcats, thwarting any hopes of a dramatic comeback.

Because of an odd scheduling format, the Hawks left the field after the conference title defeat still having a big regular-season game to play. Newtown’s annual Thanksgiving Eve clash with Masuk (Blue and Gold Stadium at 7 pm) is an opportunity for the Hawks to earn a spot in the Class LL State Playoffs.

“It’s a real big game for us and it’s a big game every year,” George said.

This year, it is especially big. Newtown controls its own destiny (a win and the Hawks can compete for a state crown in early December; a loss and Newtown still can get a berth with some outside help). Newtown holds tiebreakers (based on the state’s playoff point system) over Cheshire and New Britain — two teams vying for a playoff spot along with Newtown.

Masuk will not be an easy opponent — or at least it wouldn’t seem so given that the Panthers’ lone defeat this fall came to Brookfield.

“We know Masuk’s a good football team and I hope the kids can bounce back,” George said. “The kids will get excited for Masuk.”