Newtown High School’s boys’ volleyball team will take to the court looking to bump, set, and spike its way to a fourth South-West Conference championship match appearance in the last six years under the direction of new coach.

Dan Nyitrai, who has some volunteer coaching, as well as playing, experience at Trumbull High under his belt — and whose brother Jacob is a junior on the Trumbull squad — takes on the lead role. Sandy Doski, due to new job requirements, is stepping back but will remain a fixture in the Nighthawk program, coaching the junior varsity group and helping out with the varsity squad.

Captains are senior outside hitters Nico Diaz and Ben Davis, senior setter Braden Hazard, and sophomore middle hitter A.J. Zatulskis, up from junior varsity. Returning players include sophomores: middle/ right side hitter Warner Bacon and right side hitter Nate Twitchell. New players, in addition to Zatulskis, are juniors: setter Matt Tomaj, libero/defensive specialist Brody Goudy, middle hitter Charlie Hanson, defensive specialist Jack Maher, and middle/outside hitter Max McCarthy; as well as sophomores: libero Eli Sullivan and Zatulskis, who steps right into the captain role.

Doski said the Nighthawks are striving to get back to the conference finals and to win the title for the first time since 2019. The Nighthawks were eliminated in the semifinals by Masuk of Monroe last spring and there was no title match in the coronavirus-impacted 2020 campaign. Other than that, the Hawks have been there each time since 2018, another year they won the crown.

Newtown, Doski said, looks to finish ranked in the top ten in states and make it past the semifinal round of the Class L State Tournament. Darien has been a regular state playoff thorn in Newtown’s side in recent years.

“This year we have a solid block — a lot of height this year — and we have some solid hitters who can score points for us. We need to work on our serve receive and we need to serve tougher to opponents. Once we get that down, I feel we will be very competitive and may surprise some teams,” Doski said.

“Having a new coach and new system to follow, it is key that the players buy into what Dan is bringing to the game. Not many people like change and with Dan being a very young coach, it is crucial that the boys work really hard to follow his lead,” Doski added.

Tough teams in the SWC include Joel Barlow, Masuk and Pomperaug of Southbury, Doski anticipates. Out of conference matches include FCIAC foes Ridgefield and Trumbull, meaning a reunion of sorts for Nyitrai.

“We play back-to-back with them to open up our season, and both of them made it to the semifinals in states last year along with us, just in different brackets. Both schools have very strong boys’ volleyball programs and it will be a challenge playing both of them; however, I feel we will be able to compete with them and maybe pull off an upset and take one of the games,” Doski said.

The first three matches of the season are at home with Ridgefield coming to town Monday, April 3 at 6 pm, Trumbull visiting Wednesday, April 5 at 5:30 pm, and Masuk in town Monday, April 10 at 6:30 pm in the first of a back-to-back set with the Panthers; NHS visits Masuk two days later, at 6 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.