Newtown High Girls’ And Boys’ Tennis Teams Win Openers

Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ tennis teams got off to winning starts with triumphs over Pomperaug of Southbury in their season openers this past week. The girls hosted the Panthers and won 6-1 and the boys went on the road and brought home a 5-2 victory – both on April 4. The girls also won their second match with a 7-0 blanking of Lauralton Hall in Milford on Monday.

Against Pomperaug, the girls’ squad got victories in the top three singles positions and in all three doubles matchups. No. 1 singles player Caroline Kelly blanked Jennifer Pireo 6-0, 6-0, No. 2 player Lauren Frazzetta topped Christina Piro 6-0, 6-2, and No. 3 player Mia Terracino came back for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lauren Piro. In doubles action, the No. 1 tandem of Julia Frattaroli and Stephanie Roman prevailed 6-1, 6-0 over Clare Llu and Adriana Racki. The No. 2 team of Maggie Kost and Annie Beier topped Sydney Lucas and Brianna Curcio 6-0, 6-0, and the No. 3 duo of Meghan Logan and Aimee Alexander also won by a pair of 6-0 scores with a win over Rachel Taranovich and Meghan Marucci.

In the win over Lauralton, Kelly, Frazzetta, and Terracino all won in two sets, as did Maria Biondi at fourth singles. Kelly, after winning 6-0 in the first set, had to battle to a 7-6 (7-5) victory over Mary Kate Fornshell in the second set, to close out the match. All of Newtown’s doubles tandems again came out on top — also each winning in the minimum two sets. The same two first and doubles pairings that won in the opener prevailed again, and the third doubles team of Logan and Alyssa Ruefenacht also won.

The Nighthawks were scheduled to host Stratford on Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press).

The boys defeated Pomperaug behind four singles wins and a top doubles tandem victory. No. 1 player Tyler Ruefenacht defeated Alex Burnham 6-3, 6-0, No. 2 Cam McCleary topped Tony Ribas 6-0, 6-2, No. 3 Sean Elliott beat Kryshan Appularaju 6-2, 6-3, and at fourth singles, Ricky Fuentes defeated Rickyt Ribas 6-1, 6-1.

In doubles play, Keaton McCleary and Mason West worked together to outlast John Filippo and Joe Sullivan 6-4, 6-4.

The boys, after more than a week of practices, weren’t scheduled to play another match again until Thursday’s scheduled clash with host Stratford. Newtown will continue its string of three straight road matches to begin the year with an April 16 battle with New Fairfield.

 The Nighthawks will have their first home match April 18 when Bunnell of Stratford visits Newtown.