By Kim J. Harmon

NEW FAIRFIELD – When the Nighthawks traveled down to New Fairfield last week they knew they were going to butt heads with a good team. What they didn’t expect was to butt heads with a great team.

With some stunning performances in the 200 individual medley, the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle (not to mention a couple of touch-outs in some tight races), New Fairfield handed Newtown its first loss of the season, 100-85.

“That is a very, very good team down there,” said head coach Brian Reiff. “They have a great front line and tremendous depth.”

The Nighthawks had shot out of the 1999-2000 gate at 10-0. Now at 10-1, they are facing the prospects of tough meets ahead with Shepaug (Wednesday, February 9) and Pomperaug (Friday, February 18).

Kane Kunst had a solid meet against the Rebels, taking first in the 200-yard freestyle (1:56.57) and 500 freestyle (5:40.54). Tim Lux was first in the 100 breaststroke at 1:09.54 and Alyssa von Oy was first in diving with 216.05 points.

As an example of how tight the meet was – despite the disparity in the final score – were the races in the 200 freestyle, the 50 freestyle, the 200 freestyle relay, and the 100 backstroke.

In the 200 freestyle, Kunst defeated Lauren Semshyshen with just two seconds to spare.

In the 50 freestyle, Ryan Eberts was touched out for first by Chris Yoho by just one-tenth of a second.

In the 200 freestyle relay, New Fairfield edged Newtown for first by just six-tenths of a second.

And in the 100 backstroke, Semshyshen edged Joe Blanchard by just three-tenths of a second.

Coach Reiff used the experience at New Fairfield as a way to motivate his team – not so much for the easy 88-69 win over Foran on Tuesday night, but for the tough meets with Shepaug and Pomperaug that are coming up.

Shepaug and Pomperaug aside – for now – the loss to New Fairfield didn’t slow the Nighthawks down at all on Tuesday. The ‘Hawks took first in seven of the eight events in which they swam officially and easily overwhelmed the undermanned Lions.

Eberts and Karlis Griffiths were double winners, with Eberts taking the 200 and 100 freestyle and Griffiths taking the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly. Von Oy once again led the diving, scoring 226.15 points for first. And Doug Johnston did a solid 5:51.54 to take first in the 500 freestyle.

The best race of the night took place early, in the 200 individual medley, with Griffiths taking first, Blanchard taking second and Johnston taking third with just two seconds separating first from third.

Garrett Swink (second in the 200 free and third in the 100 fly),  Matt Fries (second in the 50 free), Greg Simoneau (second in diving), Jeff Heller (fourth in the 100 fly), Kathleen Scharf (third in the 100 free), Mark Kalb (second in the 500 free), Adam Hopkins (fourth in the 500 free), and Steve Byers (fifth in the 100 free) had good meets.

NEW FAIRFIELD            100

NEWTOWN        85

 

200 medley relay – 1. New Fairfield 1:54.67, 2. Newtown 1:55.22, 3. New Fairfield 1:58.9.

200 freestyle – 1. Kunst (N) 1:56.57, 2. Semchyshen (NF) 1:59.00, 3. Welch (NF) 2:00.50.

200 individual medley – 1. Monaghan (NF) 2:09.53, 2. Lux (N) 2:18.56, 3. Gannon (NF) 2:26.56.

50 freestyle – 1. Yoho (NF) 24.31, 2. Eberts (N) 24.41, 3. Macciorolli (NF) 25.32.

Diving – 1. Von Oy (N) 216.05, 2. Greg Simoneau (N) 180.80, 3. Kyle Neidig (N) 143.60.

100 butterfly – 1. Finnerty (NF) 1:00.77, 2. C. Welch (NF) 1:04.55, 3. Macciorolli (NF) 1:05.24.

100 freestyle – 1. Monaghan (NF) 49.14, 2. Eberts (N) 53.60, 3. Welch (NF) 54.99.

500 freestyle – 1. Kunst (N) 5:40.54, 2. Bertolovitz (NF) 5:47.08, 3. Yoho (NF) 5:47.54.

200 freestyle relay – 1. New Fairfield 1:37.09, 2. Newtown 1:37.66, 3. New Fairfield 1:55.28.

100 backstroke – 1. Semchyshen (NF) 1:06.16, 2. Blanchard (N) 1:06.49, 3. Fries (N) 1:07.62.

100 breaststroke – 1. Lux (N) 1:09.54, 2. Gannon (NF) 1:14.39, 3. Robinson (N) 1:19.57.