High School Grapplers Battling In Postseason

By Andy Hutchison

BETHEL — Newtown High School’s wrestling team is competing in the postseason this week. The South-West Conference Championships were held at Bethel High School February 12 and 13 and the Class LL State Championships will be held in Shelton February 19 and 20.

The postseason, for all intents and purposes, got underway in the regular season finale — a highly -contested 33-30 loss to Masuk at home on February 9.

“It was unbelievable. It was absolutely the best I’ve seen in 12 years of coaching,” said Newtown Coach Alan Potter, adding that the excitement of the matches spilled into the stands with supportive fans in the packed NHS gymnasium.

That match, despite the setback, pumped up the Nighthawk wrestlers as they headed into the playoffs, Potter said.

In the SWC tourney, Newtown came out with a fifth-place finish among 13 teams. Masuk, despite barely beating the Nighthawks at the end of the season, and losing to the Hawks earlier in the year, placed second behind always-dominant New Milford.

New Milford had 250.50 points and Newtown scored 102 points.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Newtown sophomore and 103-pound wrestler Nick Crudo said of the SWC competition, adding, “It’s pretty nerve-wracking.”

Crudo seemed to shake those nerves quite easily and got to the championship round before settling for a second-place finish.

“It’s great. We get to see some of the best wrestlers around,” said Newtown’s 160-pound grappler Brian Kuruc. “It gets us used to the whole tournament atmosphere.”

Kuruc, a senior, got to the consolation round but suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out of the Class LL championships this weekend. Kuruc had to settle for fourth in the tourney.

In the 145-pound weight class, Newtown’s Cory Fisher got to the championship round and had a second-place finish. Ian McEvoy, at 130, was fourth. Joe Pieretti, at 140, earned third place.