By Kim J. Harmon

STRATFORD – At the level the Newtown High School boys’ track team is performing, it pretty much expected an easy time when it traveled to Stratford to take on Bunnell and Foran. Even so, the Nighthawks are still mighty excited about beating both of those schools rather handily on Monday afternoon.

That’s because the two wins (93-57 over Bunnell and 91-59 over Foran) puts the ‘Hawks at 7-0-1 for the season – numbers that were mere wishful thinking last month.

“Being 7-0-1 and undefeated sounds great,” said head coach Ed Obloj. “This team is on fire. And two examples of the team really coming together is the performance of Dave Strong (10-foot qualifying jump in the pole vault) and Blair Balmforth (qualifying in the 100-meter dash despite running the event alone).”

Along with strong and Balmforth, Dave Rod (800 meters) and Tony Napoleone (100-meter high hurdles) also qualified for the South-West Conference championship meet. Rod finished first in his event on Monday while Napoleone finished second to teammate Kyle Tobin in his.

The ‘Hawks are off to the best start of anyone in the SWC, but New Milford (7-1-1), Stratford (9-3) and Jonathan Law (9-3-1) are all right there. Stratford, Law and Bethel are coming up, too, in the two final regular season meets.

“I’ve told the guys that they have a bulls-eye on their backs now,” said coach Carl Paternoster. “Everyone will be gunning for us – but they have continued to impress every meet. It’s been incredible. I hope this wave of success continues the rest of the way.”

Kyle Tobin was a double winner for the ‘Hawks on Monday, capturing the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. Other individual winners included Balmforth (100 dash), Peter Terrance (400 meters), Steve Ambrogio (long jump), and Dave Strong (pole vault).

Next Monday, the ‘Hawks will be on the road to take on Bethel, Immaculate and Stratford at Bethel High School. On Monday, May 14, the ‘Hawks will close out the regular season with a trip to Milford to take on Jonathan Law, Notre Dame and Pomperaug.

The SWC championship meet is slated for Monday, May 21, at New Milford.

Newtown 93, Bunnell 57

Newtown 91, Foran 59

 

TRACK EVENTS

 

4x800 relay – 1. Newtown 6:44.9, 2. Foran 8:53.6, 3. Bunnell 10:08.4.

4x100 relay – 1. Foran 46.6, 2. Newtown 46.8, 3. Bunnell 51.1.

100 high hurdles – 1. Tobin (N) 16.0, 2. Napoleone (N) 17.8, 3. Alorsi (N) 18.1.

100 dash – 1. Balmforth (N) 11.6, 2. Ambrogio (N) 11.7, 3. Jacobs (B) 11.7.

1,600 meters – 1. Pancoat (B) 4:42.2, 2. Simeone (F) 4:43.2, 3. Heller (N) 4:52.5.

400 meters – 1. Terrance (N) 54.7, 2. Laplante (F) 54.7, 3.Companik (B) 55.6.

300 intermediate hurdles – 1. Tobin (N) 41.7, 2. Meehan (B) 45.3, 3. Napoleone (N) 46.5

800 meters – 1. Rod (N) 2:07.1, 2. Bryant (N) 2:11.6, 3. Heath (B) 2:12.6.

200 dash – 1. Laplante (F) 23.9, 2. Tobin (N) 24.0, 3. Ambrogio (N) 24.1.

3,200 meters – 1. Simeone (F) 10:34.8, 2. Pancoat (B) 10:45.77, 3. Mallox (B) 11:04.09.

4x400 relay – 1. Newtown 3:45.6, 2. Foran 3:51.7, Bunnell 3:52.9.

FIELD EVENTS

 

High jump – 1. Purnowicz (B) 5-6, 2. Womble (B) 5-6, 3. Companik (B) 5-6.

Long jump – 1. Ambrogio (N) 18-9, 2. Morse (F) 17-81/4 , 3. Deeb (B) 17-71/2 .

Javelin – 1. Bugni (F) 146-5, 2. Cash (F) 140-0, 3. Morrow (F) 136-2.

Shot put – 1. Cash (F) 453/4 , 2. Morrow (F) 42-81/2 , 3. Regan (N) 41-2.

Discus – 1. Cash (F) 119-0, 2. Bugni (F) 116-8, 3. Folzarano (B) 110-11.

Triple jump – 1. Reed (B) 40-0, 2. Ambrogio (N) 38-4, 3. McKay (B) 37-11.

Pole vault – 1. Strong (N) 10-0, 2. Pert (B) 9-0, 3. M. Miller (N) 8-6.