Date: Fri 04-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Nutmeg-Games-1995

Full Text:

Nutmeg Games, 1995

Several Newtown athletes competed for the West Region last week at the Eighth

Nutmeg State Games, and many returned home with gold medals to show for their

efforts. Competing in the intermediate baseball division, the local baseball

foursome of Ken Seferi, Jeff Rucktenwald, Kyle McCullough, and Larry Isler

secured their gold medals the hard way . . . through the loser's bracket.

After falling 9-4 to the East in the opening round game, the West team came

back to defeat the South 13-1 and the North 10-3, before beating the East 3-1

in the championship contest at Quinnipiac College.

The four Newtown stars all contributed heavily to the success of the team,

each playing numerous positions defensively, while excelling at fluctuating

spots in the team's batting order.

The West team was coached by Larry Isler Sr.

l  On the ice, Newtown's Mike Leone and Michael Schnurr helped lead the way

for the West Region team in Mite Level hockey, who also won gold via the

loser's bracket.

Leone, 8, who was a part of last year's gold-medal-winning hockey team as

well, scored nine goals through his team's four games. Leone produced a hat

trick in the West's 5-3 semifinal win over the North and scored two goals in

each of his team's other three games, including the championship.

In the championship game against the East, Leone was taken out of the game on

a minor penalty call. The decision was later reversed and Leone returned to

spark his team to victory, assisting on the winning goal.

Michael Schnurr, the youngest member of the team, turned in some quality

minutes at forward as the West, after losing its opener 6-2 against the East,

rebounded to beat the South 4-1, the North 5-3, and the East 6-3 in the final.

Another local hockey standout, Marty Schnurr, 9, started at forward for the

West's Squirt Level team. Schnurr's team didn't medal, but the young stickman

netted a goal and two assists.

l  Newtown High School grad, Russ Bennett, 18, a track and field standout for

four years at NHS, earned his ninth and tenth career Nutmeg Games medals as he

took gold in the shot put and silver in the javelin. Bennett, who has been

competing at the Games for the past four years has won a total of ten medals

incuding two golds, both in the shot put.

l  William Brookes, 56, of Newtown entered the golf competition along with his

two sons David and Stephen. The younger two failed to medal, but dad copped

his first gold medal winning the Men's Seniors Division, shooting rounds of 81

and 83 at the par-72 Laurel View Country Club. Brookes edged the East's Ray

Gawlack by one stroke.

Newtown's other golf medalist at the Games was David Hufner, 21, who won a

silver medal in the Men's Open Division. Hufner shot rounds of 78 and 77,

finishing two strokes behind Joe Brucas III.

l  In the Scholastic Division of the track and field competition, Craig

Arsenault, 15, copped silver medal honors running an 11.67 in the 100 meters.

Arsenault will be a sophomore at St Joseph's High School in the fall.