Newtown High School's girls' tennis team is among a mix of five teams contending for top-four South-West Conference positions as the season gets going, Coach Maureen Maher believes. The Nighthawks will have to contend with Weston, Joel Barlow of Redding, Pomperaug of Southbury, and Bethel at the top of the conference, the coach said.

"I feel like we're strong enough to be in the mix," said Maher, whose lineup features a mix of strong returning players and promising newcomers. The coach expects very strong competition from those top-tier teams but added that her squad should be able to hold its own.

Seniors back in the fold include Eli Musen, Grace Newsom, Ella Romano, Lilah Hage, and Rebecca Goldman. Returning underclassmen are sophomores Emily Anderson and Charlotte Grasso, along with juniors Maria Souza and Caleigh Ward.

Just how the pieces fit together for the formation of the lineup remained to be seen as preseason wound down. The singles and doubles rotations are subject to change, but one thing is for sure: the Nighthawks boast a solid and experienced No 1 singles standout in Anderson, who slotted into the top position as a freshman. Maher noted that Anderson competed in several offseason tournaments and the coach is looking forward to seeing how she does against high-level counterparts.

New additions to the team include freshmen Mallory McCall, Sofia McKirdy, Livia Mustachi, and Aviva Fung, along with junior Charlotte Moehring.

"They're all very supportive of each other and excited for the year. I'm excited for all my new players and returning players," Maher said. "Everyone is pumped up for the season and can't wait to get started."

The campaign gets going Monday, April 6 at Weston for a 3:45 match. After visiting Masuk of Monroe on Thursday, April 9, the Hawks have their home opener Wednesday, April 15 when Brookfield visits; both of those matches are also at 3:45 pm.

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