Mason scores 4 touchdowns as Newtown rips Pomperaug
Dan Mason scores 4 touchdowns to reach 18 for season
NEWTOWN--The only thing that didn’t work for the Newtown football team in its game against Pomperaug Friday night was a last-second Hail Mary attempt at the end of the first half.
And even that
was close.
Dan Mason increased his season touchdown total to 18 with four more as the No. 7 Nighthawks blanked Pomperaug 42-0 in a SWC matchup. Mason scored on runs of two, four and six yards in addition to a 50-yard receiving score.
Newtown’s defense also thrived against the run-heavy Panthers attack after getting out to a slow start.
“Pomperaug’s offense is hard to replicate in practice until you actually see it because it’s bodies left, bodies right and sometimes the ball carrier squirts through,” said Nighthawks coach Robert Pattison. “They took it to us those first two drives until we figured things out.”
AIR NEWTOWN
Quarterback Luke Melillo had another strong outing in the shotgun for the Nighthawks, going 10-for-15 — including connecting on nine straight completions — for 173 yards in the first half before the ground game ran out the clock in the second.
“We saw some things we could take advantage of,” Pattison said. “Our quarterback is a talented kid and we have some talented receivers. …They work hard on stockblocking and today they had some opportunities to catch some passes.”
Joe Pagett hauled in many of Melillo’s targets, catching eight passes for 131 yards.
“Over the years Luke and I have bonded as QB and receiver,” Pagett said. “This whole year we’ve been running a lot and we’ve started passing. He knows he can trust me and I trust him to get me the ball.”
SEEKING POSITIVES
The much-improved Panthers got out to a 3-1 start before losses to Branford and the Nighthawks. Pomperaug will hope to get back on track next week against Stratford.
“Our mindset is how we react to adversity,” Panthers first-year coach Tony Pereira said. “The outcome didn’t come out how we wanted to, but we’re going to continue to work hard and use it as a learning experience.”
The opening drive was the most promising for the visitors, as several first downs and a 10-play drive put them in Newtown territory before a fourthdown attempt ended just short. Pomperaug had just two more first downs in the first half.
Newtown recovered two of its own fumbles and had a potential interception dropped in the first half.
“We gave them extra possessions with some third-and-longs in the first half,” Pereira said. “We didn’t get them off the field, they got the 50-50 balls and it quickly turned the momentum over.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Luke Melillo, Newtown: Finished the game 13for-18 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
QUOTABLE
“We’re definitely better than we have been, but we are making a lot of mistakes,” Pagett said. “We try and get better every week, but if you make those mistakes against good teams you can’t come back. We’re just trying to go week by week.”