Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team hasn’t lost consecutive games since the early stages of the season, and made sure that trend continued with a 53-41 win at New Fairfield on February 10. The Nighthawks improved to 12-4 overall and 7-2 in South-West Conference play with four games to play before the start of the postseason.

Newtown had two players in double figures in the win at New Fairfield as Jacob Burden led the way with 18, scoring 15 of his points on a strong 5-for-8 shooting effort from 3-point land, and Jeremy Doski contributed 14 points to go along with five assists, and five steals. Harry Depuy had six points and seven rebounds; Mason Melillo scored six and came away with three steals; Will Dalton had four points, six rebounds, and three steals; and Charlie Huegi dished out five assists and had a trio of steals.

The Nighthawks, second in the SWC’s Colonial Division behind Bunnell of Stratford, are scheduled to return home to face Masuk of Monroe on Friday, February 13 — tipoff is at 7 pm. Newtown visits Pomperaug of Southbury on February 17, hosts Weston on February 20, and goes back on the road to close out the regular campaign with game against Stratford on February 24 — all 7 pm starts. The SWC tournament is set to get started on February 27.

Newtown High School’s girls’ basketball team hosted New Fairfield, making for a battle of the best in the South-West Conference, also on February 10. The Nighthawks, who have played from behind throughout many of their games this winter, weren’t able to get over the hump in a 51-41 setback to the Rebels.

The Nighthawks, leaders of the SWC’s Colonial Division, fell to 13-5 overall and 9-2 in conference action. New Fairfield, sitting atop the Patriot Division, improved to 17-1 and 11-0.

In the loss to the Rebels, Newtown trailed 23-12 at the half and never recovered. The hosts made a mini run to start the third quarter as Haley Ryan and Kelly Merrick scored less than a minute into the second half, making it 23-16, but that was as close as Newtown would get the rest of the night. The Rebels answered with a pair of 3-pointers, and held Newtown without a point for five-plus minutes when Mali Klorczyk drained a shot from downtown to make it 29-19; it was 32-19 after three. The Nighthawks broke out of their scoring woes in the fourth quarter with 22 points, but surrendered 19 New Fairfield points in the final frame.

“We didn’t play with a lot of heart and passion. I’m a little frustrated with how we can’t put a whole game together,” Newtown Coach Jeremy O’Connell said. “And that really has been our downfall all season.”

The coach noted that the Nighthawks surrendered too many easy baskets and missed too many layups in this game. Throughout the campaign, O’Connell has been pleased with his team’s fight; the Nighthawks have overcome several deficits and pulled out some hard-fought wins. But “we haven’t been consistent all season,” the coach said.

Newtown, despite its up and down play, is vying for the top spot in the Colonial, and a first-round SWC tourney home game. Division foe Pomperaug of Southbury, also 9-2 in conference play, will visit Newtown in the final regular-season game on February 17, beginning at 7 pm; both teams have one more game on the slate before then — Pomperaug plays Kolbe and Newtown visits Masuk on Friday, February 13, also at 7 pm. The conference playoffs are set to begin on February 21.