Newtown pulls away from Bunnell in second half

STRATFORD — Following back-to-back non-conference losses to FCIAC powers Darien and Ridgefield, the Newtown football team found itself in a bye week — a very, very long bye week.

And after the week off, it took Newtown some time to get going Friday night against SWC-rival Bunnell.

Thanks to a pair of second-half touchdown runs by Caleb Smith, the Nighthawks pulled away late with a 31-7 victory at Mastroni Field to put their Class LL playoff ambitions back on track and end the Bulldogs’ four-game winning streak.

“I had a bad taste in my mouth (during the bye),” Newtown coach Bob Pattison said. “I was itching to get out there and play again. I wish we could have played at 10 a.m. because I was so amped up this morning to get to this game.”

Newtown’s Connecticut Football Alliance scheduling odyssey continues the next two weeks with games against SCC members Cheshire and Shelton, which are a combined 7-3.

“Tonight was just one game at a time, we’re not looking forward … we’re trying to win every game we can,” Smith said. “We can’t focus too much on the future.”

Bunnell went ahead 7-3 in the second quarter when quarterback Theodore Lanham pushed the pile into the end zone for a hard-fought 2-yard score.

Newtown seized momentum later in the half when Chris Stowell intercepted Lanham near midfield.

Seven plays later Dylan Magazu uncorked a looping pass hauled in by Eric Gray for a 25-yard touchdown that regained the Nighthawks’ advantage a minute before halftime. The pass ended up being the second — and final — completion for the Nighthawks Friday night.

“Our defense came up with some crucial turnovers,” Pattison said.

Magazu increased Newtown’s lead to 17-7 in the third on a 2-yard touchdown run.

Bunnell responded on its next drive, going deep into Newtown territory — set up by a 19-yard run by Michael Trovarelli. However, the Nighthawks got an unlikely turnover three plays later when lineman Noah Clark intercepted Lanham near the line of scrimmage.

The turnover set up Smith’s 57-yard touchdown run, which put Newtown ahead 24-7. Smith added a 15-yard score late in the fourth to cap the scoring.

Bunnell (4-2) also has a pair of SCC opponents the next two weeks in the form of Hamden and Hand. The Bulldogs hung around for most of the game and were within striking distance until the final stages when the Nighthawks broke it open.

“There wasn’t a moment in this game we didn’t believe we could win,” Bunnell coach Ty Jenkins said. “Our motto is ‘brick-bybrick’ and tonight I think we showed where we are as a program.”

Bunnell played the game in pink jerseys rather than its usual home blue as part of the school’s “Pink Out” night in support of cancer awareness.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Caleb Smith, Newtown — The junior’s pair of second half touchdowns sparked the Nighthawks against the Bulldogs. He finished with over 100 rushing yards.

QUOTABLE

“We were definitely slow at the start but, the second half we came out firing,” Smith said.

NEWTOWN 31, BUNNELL 7

NEWTOWN ............................ 3 7 14—31 BUNNELL ................................ 0 7 0 0—7 N—Rich Guman 33 field goal B—Theodore Lanham 2 run (Matthew Stewart kick)

N—Eric Gray 25 pass Dylan Magazu (Guman kick)

N—Magazu 2 run (Guman kick) N—Caleb Smith 57 run (Guman kick) N—Smith 15 run (Guman kick) Records: Newtown 3-2, Bunnell 4-2