Wrestling Team Takes On Top Squads, Defeats Rival New Fairfield
Newtown High School’s wrestling team tangled with some of the top teams in the state to close out January and begin February, including taking on a Fairfield Warde team that was ranked third and a New Fairfield, which was eighth in the Connecticut Wrestling Online poll.
Newtown edged host Pomperaug of Southbury 38-36 on January 26. The Nighthawks were without standout starters Tommy Milligan (106 pound weight class, 15-1 record) and Brendan McAnaspie (138, 13-1), and got big wins from captains Luca Manfredi and Ben Plaue, each beating top-ranked wrestlers in the South-West Conference. Pomperaug is among the better teams in the conference, winning four of its first six SWC matches.
The Nighthawks participated in the Fairfield Warde Duals and lost only their second dual of the season, falling 59-24 to third-ranked Warde. Newtown posted wins over Enfield and Shelton to reach the 12-victory mark. Newtown’s only other loss this season was to seventh-ranked Foran of Milford.
NHS visited eighth-ranked and conference rival New Fairfield in a rescheduled match on February 1, and came out on top in convincing fashion, 54-25. Newtown dominated with nine wins out of 14 weight classes, including six pins which came from Tommy Milligan, Plaue, Luca Manfredi, McAnaspie, Henry Terifay, and Charlie Dunn.
In addition to Newtown, New Fairfield was the only other unbeaten team in SWC action. The Nighthawks have defeated the best in the conference, including New Milford, which is otherwise unbeaten in the SWC, making a case to get back into the top ten in the state when the next ranking comes out.
“The team is working extremely hard in the practice room getting ready for the SWC and State tournaments. This win is an indication of their efforts,” Coach Tom Maurath said.
The Nighthawks conclude the regular season with a pair of dual matches, against Masuk of Monroe and Joel Barlow of Redding, and participate in the February 5 Bacon Academy Matt Bishel Bobcat Classic before heading into the postseason. The SWC championships are scheduled to take place Saturday, February 12, at New Milford High.
Check back online and in the February 11 print edition for more coverage, including a ceremony for 50 years of NHS wrestling.
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Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.
Congratulations on 50 years of High School Wrestling at Newtown High School! Feb 5, 2022
By way of introduction, I am a graduate of NHS class of 1972. I was also privileged to be on the first NHS wrestling team, in the 1971-72 school year. It is very gratifying to see how this wrestling program has grown throughout the years. To have developed such a successful program requires a tremendous group of Coaches, Volunteers and those who had the vision to start a youth wrestling program.
Of Course, whatever success NHS has experienced with the wrestling program has to date back to the first wrestling coach at NHS. That was Coach Bill Manfredonia. He was young, energetic, a Marine and knew how to get the best out of those he worked with and coached. I was exposed to many influential teachers at NHS, but it was Coach Manfredonia who really taught me what a person could accomplish with hard work and striving to do the best that one can. Wrestling provided me with a scholarship and the opportunity to attend University.
I am personally convinced that the lessons I learned in the wrestling room provided me with life skills necessary to become a productive and responsible member of society. Thank you, Coach Manfredonia. Thank you to the Wrestling team of 1971-1972. And, Thank You NHS.
Congratulations on your continued success.
Dr Tom Young
Creston, Iowa
Class of NHS 1972