NHS Sports Team Recap—

Girls Boot Bethel, Spikers Keep Rolling

By Andy Hutchison

The girls’ soccer team broke loose for a seven-goal outburst in a win over Bethel, and the girls’ volleyball team rolled to its fourth straight win in recent Newtown High School action. Both the Newtown High’s boys’ and girls’ soccer team played just once this past week thanks to rain pushing Tuesday’s scheduled matches with Stratford to Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press). Newtown High’s field hockey team continued its stretch of tough games to begin the campaign with losses to New Fairfield and Pomperaug of Southbury. The cross country teams were washed out on Tuesday, and the team that likes the playing conditions wet, the girls’ swimming and diving team, rolled to their first win of the campaign. Here are some of the highlights:

 

Booters Net Seven

After scoring once in its previous two games combined, the girls’ soccer team piled up the net-finders in a 7-2 thumping of Bethel at Treadwell Park on September 24. Brittany Tolla and Melissa Buccino both scored twice, and Amy Martin and Reagan Cerney also found the net. The Nighthawks got credit for another tally on an own goal by Bethel.

After a season-opening 5-1 win over Immaculate of Danbury, the Hawks were held to two goals in two games despite some quality scoring chances. Newtown Coach Marc Kenney said he wasn’t worried and that those chances, a week or so later, would start showing up on the scoreboard.

“Although we spend time on it, it’s not something you can just pick up and go out and score five or six or seven goals — or even three goals, you know?” Kenney commented. “Finally, I think our goal-scoring has matched our play.”

Kenney said he remains confident in his teams through early-season scoring woes when he sees the players create opportunities to find the back of the net. The goal-scoring barrage, however, serves as a nice confidence booster for the girls, the coach believes.

“From their perspective, confidence is a big thing and, obviously, you saw it snowballs,” Kenney said.

Newtown improved to 2-0-2. Following the game at Stratford, NHS is slated to host Notre Dame-Fairfield on Friday, October 1, at Treadwell Park at 3:45 pm. Following an October 2 game at Holy Cross in Waterbury is the always intriguing match with Masuk of Monroe, on the road, October 5 at 7 pm.

The boys’ soccer team went on the road and played Bethel to a scoreless tie on October 25. Newtown, in keeping with the girls’ slate of games, will take on Notre Dame on October 1, and Holy Cross the next day before playing Masuk on October 5. The Masuk game will be at Treadwell’s Tilson Field at 7 pm. Newtown carried a 1-2-1 record into the middle of the week.

Spikers Come Together

After an 0-2 start, everything seems to be going well for the girls’ volleyball team. The Nighthawks carried a four-match winning streak into Wednesday’s clash with Bethel. Newtown has lost only one game in that stretch, beating Bethel in the first meeting between the foes, New Milford, and New Fairfield by 3-0 scores. NHS also topped Joel Barlow of Redding 3-1.

Coach Tom Czaplinski and his players attribute the success to better communication and a comfort level the players have established as the season has unfolded.

“I think we just got to know each other more as a team on and off the court,” said Emma Herring, one of six juniors on the team.

“Our team chemistry is definitely growing with every game we have and every practice we have,” fellow junior Abbey Doski added. “We’re getting more confident in ourselves as a whole team and not as individuals.”

In the most recent win, the victory at New Fairfield on September 27, the teamwork showed with strong passing throughout the win.

Herring had 11 kills and two service aces, Carly Iwanicki had five kills and six digs, Doski collected 15 digs and had six service aces, setter Jess Lynch compiled 29 assists, and Maddie Good had seven digs in the win.

“I think we’re a little ahead of where I thought we’d be at this point in the year, “ Czaplinski said. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

NHS, after a September 30 visit to Stratford, will host Weston at 7:15 pm on October 4 (at Reed School).

Swimming And Field Hockey Update

The girls’ swimming and diving team took home first-place finishes in every event of its second meet of the season, a convincing 147-37 win at Oxford on September 24 (see related story).

The field hockey team begin the season against some of the toughest teams around and fell to 1-3 following defeats to New Fairfield on September 23 and Pomperaug of Southbury two days later, by 1-0 and 3-0 scores, respectively. Newtown, following a September 30 home game with Immaculate of Danbury and an October 1 rematch with Pomperaug, also at home, will play five straight on the road, beginning with an October 4 battle with Lauralton Hall of Milford.