After a thrilling Class L State Tournament qualifying round win over Fairfield-Warde, No. 17 Newtown faced off against the No. 1 seed in the tournament, Fairfield Prep. The Jesuits had all the momentum as they defeated the Nighthawks by a final score of 19-2 in the first round, on May 31.

With the win, Fairfield Prep advanced to the second round of the tournament, while Newtown ended its season with a final record of 11-9.

Despite all the ups and downs throughout the season, Head Coach Anthony Fitti is extremely proud of what the team was able to accomplish, and even being able to make it to this part late in the season serves as a positive trend for where the program is heading in the following years.

“When you’re able and have the opportunity to go out and compete with a nationally ranked team, a top team in the state, that’s all we can ask for, that’s all that we want,” he said, referring to Prep. “Regardless of the outcome, regardless of score, we stayed in the fight, we stayed in it and worked really, really hard, and I’m really, really proud of our guys for their effort.”

Right from the start, the Jesuits would show that the momentum would be in their favor, scoring five goals in roughly a four-and-a-half-minute span, before the Nighthawks would finally get possession of the ball at the 7:30 mark in the first quarter. That possession would be short-lived, however, as strong play on the defensive end for Fairfield Prep gave little to no chances for Newtown to get going on the offensive side of the ball. The Jesuits continued their scoring barrage throughout the entirety of the first half, scoring 11 in the first quarter and four in the second to go up 15-0 entering the second half.

It was the same story entering the second half for the Jesuits, putting up another goal minutes into the third quarter. The Nighthawks finally put up a score with a Colby Harrell goal late in the quarter, but Fairfield Prep answered back taking away any momentum with a buzzer-beater goal to finish off the quarter and enter the fourth with a strong 17-1 lead. Harrell scored one more time in the fourth for the final goal of his high school career.

Reflecting back on the overall success of the 2023 season, Fitti believes that the seniors helped set the tone for what was expected and what was accomplished day in and day out with his first year manning the position.

“I think first and foremost, it really starts with our senior class. Those guys from day one accepted me, accepted my vision, accepted our plan, not only from a leadership standpoint but a lacrosse standpoint as well,” he said. “I really owe a lot to year one and what we as a team were able to accomplish to our senior class. We put a lot on that senior class group, and those guys exceeded expectations, and any success that we had as a group starts 100 percent with that senior class, and I’m extremely proud of them.”

On the other side, the senior class felt high regard for the coaching staff as well as for what they were able to do with the program by buying into the vision they saw.

“I think they really just bought into us and we bought into them,” said goaltender Reilly Nydell. “I think they are really great coaching lacrosse minds, and I think we just trusted that, and the more we bought into it, the better results we got.”

With only four seniors graduating out of the 29 players selected for the state tournament roster, Newtown will recoup a strong core entering next season. Fitti believes that the 2023 season and that senior class will serve as the foundation for any success they have in the future.

“We talk a lot about the opportunity for them to set the foundation for the next 20 years of Newtown lacrosse with their work ethic and the culture with what they do on the field and how they carry themselves as leaders and people,” he said. “Because of their efforts this year, I think we’re going to be in a really good place, and when we look back and we’re in the [first round] versus Fairfield Prep, somewhere down the line and that scoreboard looks different and we’re celebrating on the field, we’ll always look back on the 2023 senior class, and what they were able to do for that group and the impact that they left for many years to come.”

As they leave the program in good hands and in high spirits, the seniors are sad to leave but are excited and optimistic to see what success will come the program’s way in the future.

“It’s been an honor to be a part of such a prideful lacrosse community, from the youth program up to the high school, everybody wants to have the Newtown jersey on and I think that’s well known to everybody, all the players and coaches,” said Nydell. “It’s been an honor to wear Newtown across my chest for the past few years, and hopefully we can keep that tradition going with the youth program and continue on.”

Owen Brown is a student at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Mass., and is doing an internship with The Newtown Bee.