Although possession is only part of the game, it can be a significant factor in the outcome of a lacrosse matchup. That certainly was the case when Newtown High School's boys' squad got a dominant faceoff performance from Luke Gagnon, winning 20-plus draws — about two-thirds of the game's faceoffs — in a 21-11 win over visiting Bethel at Blue & Gold Stadium under the lights on May 2.

Scoring in transition was another significant factor in the win, with the Nighthawks finishing plays on the move after either winning those draws, making stops on defense, or causing turnovers.

"Faceoffs and transition. We pushed the ball — we pushed the pace," Nighthawk Coach Tony Fitti said of keys to the win, a bounce back from a tough 11-10 loss at Joel Barlow of Redding two nights earlier.

"We challenged our guys to step up and bring some energy," said Fitti, adding that the enthusiasm from the bench was also a factor in the win. "It was good to see our guys come back, rebound, and get the job done."

Marcus Gerace scored five times, Nate Pickard had four goals, Luke Stewart and Nick Stockwell both scored three, and Graham Spencer added a pair of tallies to lead the offense. Cole Stockwell, Gagnon, Jack Meade, and Kyle June also scored.

There was more of the same in a 20-2 win over visiting New Milford on Senior Night, May 5. NHS got possession of the ball early and often on the way to winning 18 draws. Stewart, Gerace, June, and Pickard all scored three times, and Gagnon and Meade each scored twice. Gerace also had three assists and Spencer set up two tallies. Newtown improved to 8-3.

NHS will hold its 15 For Life Foundation game to raise awareness for mental health struggles Saturday night, May 9, when the Hawks host Pomperaug of Southbury at 7 pm.

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