Newton shows fight on defense, but turnovers and stalled drives prove costly in road loss
CASEY — Under the Friday night lights, the Newton Eagles showed grit and flashes of potential but ultimately fell to Casey-Westfield, 28–7, in a game that saw both big defensive plays and hard-earned offensive drives.
The Warriors wasted little time striking first. On their opening possession, quarterback Nolan Clement connected with wide receiver Kellen Sullivan on a 37-yard touchdown pass to put Casey on the board. Clement later added a 23-yard rushing score just before halftime, giving the Warriors a 14–0 lead at the break.
Despite the deficit, Newton’s defense kept the Eagles in the contest. Senior Harrison Kinkade and junior Mack Huber combined for three sacks, while sophomore Dominic Baltzell anchored the defense with 13 total tackles. In the second quarter, junior Dexter Fulton gave Newton momentum when he intercepted Clement, halting a Warriors drive deep in Eagle territory.
The Eagles’ offense began to find rhythm in the third quarter. Quarterback Hayden Mulvey spread the ball around, completing 17 of 36 passes for 157 yards. His favorite target was Fulton, who turned in a big night with 10 receptions for 115 yards, including a pair of catches over 20 yards. Sophomore Quincy Fulton also contributed 39 receiving yards and added a tough 2-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter — Newton’s lone score of the night. Kicker Henry Will drilled the extra point to make it 21–7.
Casey-Westfield responded quickly. Running back Nicholas Fouty, who finished with 89 rushing yards, scored from 7 yards out midway through the fourth quarter, sealing the Warriors’ victory. Clement ended his night with 80 rushing yards and 84 passing yards, while Sullivan tallied 63 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Newton’s offense totaled 189 yards compared to Casey’s 332. The Eagles found success through the air but struggled on the ground, rushing for just 32 yards. Penalties also hurt Newton, with a key red-zone fumble in the second quarter preventing a scoring opportunity.
Still, the Eagles showed resilience. Their defense tallied five sacks for 28 yards lost and forced an interception, while the special teams unit added solid contributions — Will averaged 32.2 yards per punt and Fulton returned three kickoffs for 54 yards.
With the loss, Newton drops to 1–3 on the season. Head coach and players alike will look to build on the positives: a steadily improving passing game and a defense that continues to generate pressure.
Box Score
Scoring Summary
CW – Sullivan 37 pass from Clement (Erickson kick)
CW – Clement 23 run (Erickson kick)
CW – Fouty 33 run (Erickson kick)
N – Q. Fulton 2 run (Will kick)
CW – Fouty 7 run (Erickson kick)
Team Stats
First Downs: Newton 10, CW 17
Total Offense: Newton 189, CW 332
Rushing Yards: Newton 32, CW 248
Passing Yards: Newton 157, CW 84
Turnovers: Newton 3, CW 1
TOP: Newton 18:10, CW 29:50
Newton Leaders
Passing – Mulvey 17-36, 157 yds, 2 INT
Rushing – Q. Fulton 9-26, TD
Receiving – D. Fulton 10-115; Q. Fulton 6-39; Bennett 1-3
Defense – Baltzell 13 tackles; Kinkade 7 tackles, 2 sacks; Huber 4 tackles, sack; D. Fulton INT
Special Teams – Will 4 punts, 32.2 avg, 1-1 PAT; D. Fulton 3 KR, 54 yds
Casey-Westfield Leaders
Passing – Clement 5-14, 84 yds, TD, INT
Rushing – Fouty 9-89, 2 TD; Clement 15-80, TD; Karras 4-37
Receiving – Sullivan 3-63, TD; Julius 2-21
Defense – Self 2 INT; Karras 9 tackles; D. Hupp 4 tackles, sack
