Newtown High School's girls' swimming and diving team begins the season Tuesday, September 15, with Stratford visiting the Nighthawks' renovated pool for a 4 pm meet, and the Hawks are excited to settle in at home after a logistically challenging preseason during which pool tiles were replaced and a fresh coat of paint was applied at the Nighthawks' facility.

"The team has been already putting in a lot of work this season despite the fact that we have been displaced from our pool. There were some much-needed maintenance and renovations happening on the high school pool over the summer and we can't wait to be back at our newly-refurbished facility," said Coach Lisa Irving, whose team trained outdoors at Treadwell Park as well as at friendly rival Masuk of Monroe's pool during the preseason.

Captains are Sierra Marx (backstroke/freestyle), Emma Sheehan (distance freestyle), Lia Suarez (breaststroke), and Madi Weston (sprint freestyle). Other seniors to help lead the way are Indigo Land and Jolene Brackett (breaststroke/freestyle) and Aliyah Ruether (diving); sophomores Ella Murphy (backstroke/freestyle/individual medley) and Reagan Garvin (utility swimmer) are also expected to be among the standouts.

It is a small team with only a dozen swimmers and two divers in the fold, but optimism is high.

"We are really excited for this upcoming season. We have a small but very dedicated group of girls and this year will really be a group effort. We are looking forward to seeing what this team can do," Irving said. "Our goals for the season are, as always, to focus on personal achievement, overall team success, and to have a great showing at the SWC and State Championships. We are looking to see our younger swimmers develop their skills and our seniors flourish in the pool and also as leaders.

"I'm looking forward to having a small group because everybody is going to have to contribute one way or another and I'm excited to see how they're going to do it," added Irving, who will have some swimmers in lesser/unfamiliar events to fill holes.

Tough teams in the South-West Conference this year are Pomperaug of Southbury, Weston, and Brookfield. Newtown will have five straight meets at home to begin the campaign, with Bunnell of Stratford visiting Friday, September 18 at 6:30 pm and then three consecutive 4 pm contests: Tuesday, September 22 versus Pomperaug; Tuesday, September 29 against New Milford; and Friday, October 2 when Joel Barlow of Redding comes to town. Five of six meets on the back half of the schedule will all be on the road, including a 12-team meet at Cornerstone Aquatics Center in West Hartford on Saturday, October 3 at 3 pm and an October 15 visit to Masuk at 4 pm.

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