New, Yet Familiar Coach Takes Helm For Field Hockey Team

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s field hockey team has a new leader. Amanda Shevlin succeeds former coach Amanda Hadgraft, who left the program to pursue her degree. Shevlin, a 2005 NHS graduate and former field hockey player, is a familiar face in the program. Not only did she once suit up for the Blue and Gold, but Shevlin was an assistant coach for the Nighthawks for two seasons.

“I’m excited,” Shevlin said about taking the lead reigns.

Shevlin said team camaraderie is a strength. “We have a strong team that has a lot of talent and a lot of skill,” the coach added.

Shevlin would like to see her team go deep in both the SWC and state tournaments and believes the Nighthawks have the capability to do so, but adds, “They have to want it.”

Newtown carried a 9-5-1 record into the Class L State Tournament and saw its season end in heart-breaking fashion: A 1-0 three-overtime, penalty strokes loss to South Windsor.

Senior captains are forward Hannah Koch, midfielder Katie Canavan, and defender Emma Fiore. Other key team members include senior forward Maggie Korth and junior goaltender Liz Eiseman.

The season begins against the best of the best in the SWC, with consecutive games against New Milford, Pomperaug of Southbury, Brookfield, and New Fairfield, followed by an early-season rematch with Pomperaug — all before the Hawks see another opponent.

Talk about jumping into the proverbial field hockey fire.

“We need to bring our ‘A’ game 100 percent of the time for two weeks,” Shevlin said. “I think we need to get momentum right from the beginning.”

The Hawks dropped their opener 2-0 but still have plenty of games to look forward to as they try to put together a winning campaign.