For the second season in a row, the goodbyes came following a state playoff loss to an FCIAC team that made the trip to Newtown. And, for the second year in a row, the Nighthawks left the field with their heads held high for both the overall success of the campaign and the potential for the future.

No. 9 seed Newtown fell 9-2 to No. 24 Staples of Westport in the May 31 Class LL State Tournament’s first round.

Staples jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning behind a trio of clean hits and a passed ball to set the tone.

“It is a frustrating start. You don’t want to give up runs but we were still in it,” Newtown Coach Joanna Closs said.

Especially when you consider the Nighthawks put together some hits and hard-hit balls in the bottom of the first. Perhaps being limited to just one run in the frame was as frustrating as that top half of the inning.

Ashley Hubner got on board with a one-out bunt single and Madison Thoesen followed with a run-scoring double to center field. Maddy Twitchell followed with a single to center, on a full-count pitch, putting runners at the corners with one out. After the Wreckers recorded an out on a pop fly, Morgan Melillo smacked a hard comebacker right into the glove of starting pitcher Grace Alfero to end the threat.

Newtown starter Sydney Adolfson settled in for a one-two-three second inning, but Staples first baseman Ally Schwartz smashed a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double as Staples broke the game open with five runs in the third inning for an 8-1 lead.

“The energy never came back up and it’s disappointing because we’re better than that,” Closs said.

Newtown only struck out four times, but too many of the balls the Hawks put into play were turned into outs. Staples outhit Newtown 14-9.

Adolfson went three innings and struck out four batters. Caroline Gardner impressed in relief, holding the Wreckers to one earned run on five hits and fanning five.

The Nighthawks will lose senior catcher Melillo, who had a hit and an RBI in the loss, and senior outfielder Twitchell, who delivered three hits, and miss the leadership and play of both captains. But they will bring back a bulk of the starting lineup and reserves, including Thoesen, who had two hits, and Ashley Hubner and Rachel Casagrande, both of whom singled against Staples.

The players rose to the occasion en route to earning the No. 2 seed in the South-West Conference Tournament

“A lot of kids really stepped up,” Closs said. “We definitely have a bright future.”

Last year, as the No. 11 seed in the state bracket, NHS advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to No. 14 Trumbull. When the season ended, the talk was about the bright future with a majority of the starters coming back.

Fast forward to 2022. Newtown had an impressive 16-4 regular season and reached the South-West Conference Tournament semifinals and one of the top state playoff seeds. Thoesen, a key cog in the lineup, is a freshman, and among nine first- and second-year high school athletes. Almost everybody else will also be back with a season of varsity experience under their belts.

The future continues to look bright indeed.

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