Newtown High School’s boys’ swimming and diving team fell 96-88 to visiting and unbeaten Weston, last year’s Class S state champion, on February 3. The Nighthawks, who earned a 95-82 victory over host New Fairfield in their previous meet, on January 30, stand at 5-2 overall. The Hawks have two meets remaining before the postseason — a February 10 visit to defending Class M winner Brookfield and a February 18 home meet against Joel Barlow of Redding.

Against Weston, the Nighthawks jumped out to an early lead as the 200 yard medley relay team of Tommy Horan, Seth Barrett, Matt Argraves, and Owen Gray finished first in a time of 1:49.34. Newtown’s Layton Harrell placed second in the 200 freestyle race, in 1:55.66. Seth Barrett was Newtown’s fastest finisher in the 200 individual medley event, coming in third in 2:16.24. Harrell came in third in the 50 freestyle, making his final touch in 24.65.

In the diving portion of the meet, Kyle Gaynor led Newtown with a third-place result. Argraves was third in the 100 butterfly race, finishing in 59.45. Horan was first in the 100 free, completing the race in 52.98. David Lawrence placed second in the 500 free in a time of 5:33.60.

The 200 free relay contingent of Harrell, Barrett, Argraves, and Gray was runner-up in 1:39.94. Horan won the 100 backstroke race in 59.44. Barrett placed second in the 100 breaststroke event in a time of 1:07.54. The 400 free relay group of Alex Klang, Andy Braun, Harrell, and Horan was first in 3:39.37.

In the meet with New Fairfield, Newtown sealed the victory by seizing a 95-44 lead after the 200 free relay race and exhibitioned the final three events of the meet. The 200 medley relay team of Horan, Barrett, Argraves, and Gray was first in 1:49.35. Harrell was second in the 200 free in a time of 1:57.10. In the 200 IM race, Barrett and Fagerholm recorded a one-two finish. Argraves was first in the 50 free, finishing the race in 25.41, and Gray sprinted to third in the event in a time of 26.22.

Newtown had a one-two-three performance in the diving event as Gaynor scored 173.20, Ian Humber scored 170.75, and Andrew Lally scored 127.55.

Argraves took the top spot in the 100 butterfly race in 59.72. Horan and Harrell had a one-two finish in the 100 free with times of 52.72 and 53.59. In the 50 free, Fagerholm and Lawrence logged a one-two outcome with times of 5:24.88 and 5:34.41. In the 200 free relay event, Harrell, Barrett, Argraves, and Gray earned the top spot in 1:40.14.

Although Newtown’s performances in the final few events didn’t count in the scoring, the Nighthawks recorded the fastest swim in each of the races: Horan in the backstroke race in 59.91; Barrett in the breaststroke race in 1:07.29; and the 400 relay team of Fagerholm, Klang, Harrell, and Horan in 3:45.87.