Date: Fri 08-Sep-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

South-West-Conference-Preview

Full Text:

South-West Conference Preview

The new South-West Conference, beginning this fall, will be comprised of the

eleven schools of the Western Connecticut Conference and the seven schools of

the Cross County Interscholastic Conference broken down into two nine-team

divisions: The Patriot Division and The Colonial Division.

Newtown High sports teams will compete in the Colonial Division along with

long-time rivals Masuk, New Milford, Bethel, and Pomperaug, and with Bunnell,

Foran, Jonathan Law, and Laurelton Hall (an all-girls' school).

The Patriot Division will be comprised of Brookfield, New Fairfield, Joel

Barlow, Abbott Tech, Weston, Immaculate, Kolbe Cathedral, Stratford, and Notre

Dame-Fairfield. The WCC football conference will remain in tact for the 1995

season and will change over to the SWC in 1996 with an entirely different

divisional alignment (in order to create Thanksgiving Day rivalries) which

will include one more school, Bullard Havens, to take the place of Laurelton

Hall. Neither Abbott Tech or Kolbe have football programs.

Following is a look at what to expect this season from the teams of the SWC:

FALL SPORTS

Boys' Soccer

Long-time WCC soccer powers Newtown, Joel Barlow, and Bethel will still have

the upper hand in the expanded conference, but will feel some heat from

CCIAC-champion, Jonathan Law. Law defeated Newtown in the quarterfinals of

last year's CIAC playoffs before eventually losing to state-champion Bethel in

the Class L semifinals.

While all four schools should return strong teams for the 1995 campaigns, Law

has graduated United States High School Soccer Player of the Year, Pierre

Venditti, who beat NHS 1-0 in the state quarters on a 60-yard goal on the

second-half kickoff. Venditti accounted for a large percentage of Law's

offensive production last season, but the team is rumored to have another

transfer player in camp - even better than Venditti.

Girls' Soccer

The classic Newtown/ Weston girls' soccer rivalry may remain in tact in the

SWC as the two compete in opposite divisions. In the Colonial, though, Newtown

will be pressured from defending CCIAC champion, Laurelton Hall. Hall and

possibly Foran, will be the only real comers in the group of new schools which

will see fledgling programs from both Bunnell and Stratford.

Volleyball

As if NHS didn't get adequate competition from the tough volleyball schools in

the WCC, the SWC will see the arrival of CCIAC giant, Foran. Before being

knocked off by Bunnell in last season's conference finals, Foran had won 142

of its last 145 league matches while winning a total of 16 CCIAC

championships. Look for Foran to rebound and expect strong competition from

Bunnell as well.

Field Hockey

It would be safe to say that no incoming CCIAC field hockey team will upset

Pomperaug's apple cart. Not a single one of the seven new schools even has a

field hockey program.

Cross Country

The NHS girls' cross country team will be a strong favorite to win the first

SWC title, but will be pushed by Bethel, as always, as well as Laurelton Hall

and Notre Dame. The boys' XC race will see the addition of Stratford and its

star runner, Kevin Krankall.

Girls' Swimming

None of the CCIAC's girls' swimming additions will challenge the WCC's top

squads, Weston or Pomperaug. But CCIAC champion Laurelton Hall, who boasts an

excellent program, could steal a few key points at the conference meet.

WINTER SPORTS

Boys' Basketball

Having won the last-ever WCC title, Newtown High has its work cut out in the

new conference. The Indians will be challenged by Divisional opponents

Bunnell, Masuk, Law, and Pomperaug, and from Patriot opponents Notre Dame,

Kolbe, and Stratford - who eliminated NHS from last year's CIAC tournament.

Basketball is one of the strongest sports in the CCIAC where Notre Dame was

the first-place team last season and Kolbe won the CCIAC Tournament title.

Girls' Basketball

If NHS is to capture its elusive conference title it will now have another

Masuk to contend with. Newtown will find itself in the same division with

defending WCC and Class M state champion Masuk as well as defending CCIAC

champ and class M runner-up, Laurelton Hall.

Notre Dame of Fairfield will also bring along its tough program.

Wrestling

Newtown won't be seeing new opponents on its schedule (per say) but will now

compete in the same conference as long-time opponents Law and Stratford.

Newtown has wrestled against all of the CCIAC schools in the past. New

Fairfield and New Milford will remain the top teams in the SWC but Newtown,

Law, and Stratford could surprise.

The SWC championship meet will offer much stronger competition to Newtown's

young wrestlers.

Boys' Swimming

None of the new schools will provide overwhelming competition in this sport.

Look for CCIAC champion, Bunnell, to float somewhere in the middle of the SWC

pack.

SPRING SPORTS

Baseball

Returning a strong team with a new coach and a new conference, Newtown will

face strong competition from a slew of tough baseball schools in the merger.

Defending CCIAC champion Law will promise to be strong again this season as

will Stratford and Notre Dame, who always have powerful programs.

Softball

The NHS girls' softball team can expect to get the same tough heat from WCC

champion Bethel once the new season begins, but better watch out, also, for

Laurelton Hall. Hall won the CCIAC last season and advanced to the state

semifinals before losing to Seymour. Notre Dame, Foran, and Bunnell all put

strong teams on the field as well.

Golf

In its efforts to make it back to the top of the league, Newtown's golf team

will get new competition from Foran - who placed third in Division II last

season while winning the CCIAC.

Track and Field

Bunnell is the strongest of the girls' track and field programs coming in next

season. Newtown will be returning several key athletes from its WCC

championship team, though, and could still be considered the favorite.

Jonathan Law had won the last four CCIAC championships before Bunnell's upset

last spring.

On the boys' side, Stratford is coming in with CCIAC and Class M state titles,

having knocked off four-year champion Law last season. Both Stratford and Law

promise to be strong in the upcoming season and will assuredly compete with

the best schools from the WCC.

Tennis

The Newtown High tennis teams haven't been able to scratch the surface against

some already tough competition among the already existing WCC teams. Things

promise to get even more difficult in the new SWC as Bunnell comes in on the

girls' side having won more than 40 CCIAC matches in a row, and Foran brings

in one of the best young players.

Laurelton Hall also has a solid program.

Hockey

While Newtown High doesn't currently have an ice hockey team, New Milford and

Immaculate will be joined by Notre Dame and Milford, both of whom have

outstanding programs. There won't be enough teams, however, to compete as a

conference.

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

Girls' Golfers Take On Notre Dame, Immaculate, And Masuk

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 08-Sep-1995

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