By Kim J. Harmon

MILFORD – Joel Barlow High School hasn’t had a girls’ swim team for very long – only since it split with the boys’ team a couple of years ago – but the Lady Falcons have quickly proven themselves to be a force in the South-West Conference.

Barlow handed Newtown a 109-76 loss on Friday at the Foran High School pool in Milford. At the same time, Newtown handed Foran a convincing 121-65 loss. When all was said and done, the Lady Nighthawks – with their third split in their third tri-meet of the season – boasted a record of 4-4 in the SWC.

In the win over Foran, senior Margaret Ashey (200 individual medley and 500 freestyle) and freshman Amy Robinson (50 freestyle and 100 backstroke) were double winners. Melissa Rushefski (200 freestyle), Caitlin Malloy (100 butterfly) and Margaret Randall (100 breaststroke) were solo winners.

The ‘Hawks won 10 of the 12 events – including all three relays. Lauren Kotwicki (50 freestyle and 100 butterfly) finished second twice while Malloy (200 individual medley), Randall (100 freestyle) and Jessica Remitz (100 breaststroke) all earned second-place finishes.

A very solid one-two punch in diving gave the Lady Lions one of their event wins.

In the loss to Barlow, the 200 freestyle relay team of Robinson, Liz Portnoy, Kotwicki and Rushefski captured the only first-place finish of the night. The ‘Hawks did take seven second-place finishes to stay somewhat close.

The results:

Newtown 121, Foran 65

200 medley relay – 1. Newtown (Ashey, Randall, Kotwicki, Robinson) 2:09:41; 2. Foran 2:21.72; 3. Newtown 2:26.29; 200 freestyle – 1. Ruschefski (N) 2:18.56; 2. Beher (F) 2:24.24; 3. Rebb (N) 2:29.63; 200 individual medley – 1. Ashey (N) 2:30.15; 2. Malloy (N) 2:39:23; 3. Hudak (F) 2:47.38; 50 freestyle – 1. Robinson (N) 27.81; 2. Kotwicki (N) 29.38; 3. Portnoy (N) 30.61; Diving – 1. Erika (F) 178.80; 2. Marinna (F) 178.55 3. Tierney (N) 118.35; 100 butterfly – 1. Malloy (N) 1:11.47; 2. Kotwicki (N) 1:14.32; 3. Hudak (F) 1:16.61; 100 freestyle – 1. Samelwich (F) 1:05.73; 2. Randall (N) 1:06.09; 3. Portnoy (N) 1:07.33; 500 freestyle – 1. Ashey (N) 5:57.09; 2. Beher (F) 6:35.49; 3. Cupero (N) 6:40.45; 200 freestyle relay – 1. Newtown (Robinson, Portnoy, Kotwicki, Rushefski) 1:57.14; 2. Foran 2:04.08; 3. Newtown 2:05.10; 100 backstroke – 1. Robinson (N) 1:10.88; 2. Amerta (F) 1:20.52; 3. Silver (F) 1:22.40; 100 beaststroke – 1. Randall (N) 1:22.81; 2. Remitz (N) 1:24.91; 3. Bailey (N) 1:26.72; 400 freestyle relay – 1. Newtown (Malloy, Ashey, Randall, Rushefski) 4:20.53; 2. Foran 4:36.22; 3. Newtown 4:44.08.

Joel Barlow 109, Newtown 76

200 medley relay – 1. Barlow (Hartney, Tanaka, Bergeron, Winners) 2:05.22; 2. Newtown 2:09.41; 3. Barlow 2:13.32; 200 freestyle – 1. Jen DeLucia (B) 2:12.92; 2. Rushefski (N) 2:18.55; 3. Gliesing (B) 2:19.46; 200 individual medley – 1. Tanaka (B) 2:26.39; 2. Hartney (B) 2:26.7; 3. Ashey (N) 2:30.15; 50 freestyle – 1. Winners (B) 27.3; 2. Robinson (N) 27.8; 3. Mackey (B) 28.9; Diving – 1. Carey (N) 118.35, 2. Kylie (JB) 118.25, 3. Cedegren (N) 107.55; 100 butterfly – 1. Bergeron (B) 1:06.3; 2. Malloy (N) 1:11.47; 3. Smith (B) 1:14.27; 100 freestyle – 1. DeLucia (B) 1:00.64; 2. Winners (B) 1:02.37; 3. Samelwich (F) 1:05.73; 500 freestyle – 1. Tanaka (B) 5:43.10; 2. Ashey (N) 5:56.09; 3. Gliesing (B) 6:05.52; 200 freestyle relay – 1. Newtown (Robinson, Portnoy, Kotnicki, Rushefski) 1:57.14; 2. Barlow 2:03.13; 3. Foran 2:04.0; 100 backstroke – 1. Hartney (B) 1:08.2; 2. Robinson (N) 1;10.88; 3. Barry (B) 1:16.73; 100 breaststroke – 1. Bergeron (B) 1:18.3; 2. Marasco (B) 1:19.16; 3. Randall (N) 1:22.81; 400 freestyle relay – 1. Barlow (Hartney, Tanaka, Gliesing, DeLucia) 4:13.28; 2. Newtown 4:20.53; 3. Newtown 4.08.