Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team saw its season come to an end in an 80-49 loss to host Fairfield Prep in the second round of the Class LL state tournament on March 11. The No. 16 Nighthawks hung close with top-seeded Prep and trailed by just nine points at halftime after trailing by as many as a dozen in the second stanza. The Jesuits scored 24 first-quarter points and led 36-27 at the break. Charlie Huegi’s basket, followed by Dylan Palumbo’s hoop set up by a Huegi steal, closed out the first-half scoring.

Prep started the third quarter with consecutive 3-pointers and outscored the Nighthawks 21-4 in the stanza. The Jesuits hit back-to-back shots from beyond the arc to begin the fourth; Prep made nine 3-pointers in the game.

“I think we did a good job of getting to the basket. I think we didn’t do a good job of finishing,” said Newtown Coach Tim Tallcouch, quickly adding that he was pleased with his team’s effort, as has been the case throughout the season. “This group of kids never quits.”

Will Dalton had 12 points, Jeremy Doski and Harry Depuy both scored ten, Ben Mason had six, Palumbo and Huegi scored four apiece, and Jacob Burden added three. Huegi had eight assists, Doski had four assists, Dalton came away with four steals, and Depuy and Tom Cotton both grabbed four rebounds.

Seniors Huegi, Burden, Depuy, Dalton, and Doski will be missed, Tallcouch notes.

“I’m going to miss them big time. They’ve been with us for three years. They’ve set a great example for the kids moving forward,” the coach said.