By Steve Bigham

By KIM HARMON

Published: Apr 04, 2000 12:00 AM

By Steve Bigham

he Newtown High School girlsâ tennis team has been hit with a problem that has plagued many major college basketball programs in recent years. The star player jumps ship long before graduation.

In the case of college basketball, the player opts to leave early for greener pastures in the NBA. At NHS, the star player â Diana Perachio â has decided to take a year off from high school tennis in an effort to raise her New England and national rankings. As a sophomore last spring, Perachio finished up an undefeated regular season by winning the South-West Conference title for the second-straight season at first singles. She then advanced to the semifinals of the CIAC Class L state tournament before bowing out on a hot day in New Haven.

Second-year coach Carol Lipnick admits losing dependable Diana will be tough, but points out that as good as Perachio was, she was only able to get one victory per match for the Nighthawks. You need four wins to beat your opponent and Lipnick believes this yearâs team may have more depth.

âWe pulled out a number of matches 4-3 that went down to the last doubles court that was on. I think weâll do that again this year,â she predicted. âWe will have a lot of depth. Obviously, weâre going to miss Diana, but the rest of team has a lot more balance. I think the wins will be more spread out this year.â

Newtown finished a respectable 7-7 a year ago. Also gone from that team was fourth singles player Cindy Schlier who chalked up several big wins in 1999.

Leading this yearâs squad will be senior tri-captains Kaitlin Lavery, Alexis Nahoum and Monica Alpert. Lavery played second singles last year and is looking to make the big jump up to first singles in her senior season. Nahoum, who played third singles a year ago, will likely move up to the number two slot, although she could also see time at first singles.

Alpert is one of the teamâs best doubles players and will once again team up with sophomore Caitlin Martin to form the number one doubles team.

âTheyâll play number one again together. They look so good in preseason and they did well together last year,â Lipnick said.

A pair of newcomers to the squad will fill the third and fourth singles spot. The first is senior newcomer Kristin Daugherty who has been a very pleasant surprise so far. The other is freshman Caroline Kunkel, a very steady player who should make an immediate impact, according to Lipnick.

The second doubles team will once again be strong as junior Maria Pavelo and senior Amanda Cruz team up. Pavelo was a regular in the second doubles slot a year ago, while Cruz floated between second and third doubles, gaining valuable experience along the way.

Junior Jackie Alpert is expected to be a mainstay at third doubles with freshmen Rachel Stern and Christina Andrews vying for the right to play with her.

Senior Liz Hoffman and sophomore Kali Santarpia are also vying for playing time.

DATEÂ Â Â Â Â OPPONENTÂ Â Â Â H/A

April 11Â Â Â Â Â BunnellÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

April 12Â Â Â Â Â New FairfieldÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

April 14Â Â Â Â Â Lauralton HallÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

April 17Â Â Â Â Â WestonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

April 18Â Â Â Â Â StratfordÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

April 24Â Â Â Â Â BethelÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

April 26Â Â Â Â Â Jonathan LawÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

April 28Â Â Â Â Â MasukÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

May 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ImmaculateÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

May 3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New MilfordÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

May 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PomperaugÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

May 10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BrookfieldÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

May 15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joel BarlowÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â H

May 17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ForanÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A

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First Selectman Hosts Sourdough Baking Class With Friend, ‘Newtown Bee’ Copy Editor

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We are not investigative reporters. We've never claimed to be. We cover meetings, write features, and do other very good work for this town. We're not doing any less than when John Voket was Editor (nor any of his predecessors). Sorry we're not doing enough for you. -SH

Unhappy With Meeting Coverage

Well, Shannon, its a good thing that my post didn't mention "everything" from print being published online. I do note, however, that you didn't address the main point of my initial comment, that as of the paper of record for the town you might actually publish information from the majority of the Town's Commissions and Boards online. Its not like there is hard hitting investigative journalism in these stories; they're really just a regurgitation of the meetings minutes. John Voket used to post these types of stories on the Bee's website, even if the updates were several weeks in arrears. For what its worth, I didn't miss any of those stories as I am a subscriber (that's how I knew about it in the first place). However, many people in town who aren't subscribers did miss those stores and otherwise have no idea because its clearly not a priority for the Bee to post them online anymore. Fortunately, however, your online readers are fully informed of the First Selectman's ability to bake sour dough bread.

I for one was glad to her that the entrance would be off Johnnie Cake Lane, having more traffic at the flag pole would be painful (plus it's further from my house).

20-60 Castle Hill Road Development Is Mislabeled

There are many considerations as it relates to the development of the Castle Hill property as noted. I am supportive of the proposal and to approval process as it is sensitive to concerns being raised. The proposal provides another housing and lifestyle option for long time residents and newcomers with great accessibility to town. The developer is a long time resident with a solid reputation and the best interest of town at heart. It is not wise to make gross assumptions but I would think it would be a net positive (will attract empty nesters) to the tax base versus incremental town costs required. Net positive tax base growth supports continued investment in our great school system. Working in partnership with historical groups, bike and trails, the borough and others could actually add another great part of our amazing town.

Proposed Castle Hill Development Is Wrong For Newtown

EDITOR'S NOTE: We do not publish everything that goes into print on our website. We never have. It's a longstanding policy that our print subscribers benefit by being able to read every feature, article, press release, etc, and see every advertisement, thanks to their paid subscriptions. Many stories are posted a few days after each print edition is published but some are never shared online. The Board of Education vacancy created by a resignation on February 20, which was filled on March 19, was covered in the March 22, 2024 print edition. Sorry you missed those stories.

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