Sports

Girls Soccer Team Blanks Bunnell, Drops Tough One, Rebounds Against Bethel

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Oct 16, 2025 7:00 am

Newtown High School’s girls soccer team defeated visiting Bunnell of Stratford 7-0 on October 9. The Nighthawks wore special pink uniforms and the program raised $400 for Hope On Main Street, which honors cancer survivors and their caregivers.

On the field, Delia Stango and Makenzie Fregoe both scored twice, and Leah Morris, Olivia Fernandes, and Sadie Singlak also scored. Stango and Fernandes recorded assists.

Newtown hosted unbeaten Woodland in a nonconference game on October 11 and fell in a 2-1 heartbreaker. Addie O’Leary scored the Nighthawk goal, answering Woodland’s first tally on a free kick from 30 yards out with 15 minutes to play. The game appeared headed for a tie but Woodland earned a free kick with the clock winding down, got behind the NHS back line, and poked the ball in with just six seconds left.

“Woodland had a great game plan to make the game difficult, and frustrated us throughout much of the match,” Newtown Coach Adam Bourret said.

Back at it in South-West Conference action, the Nighthawks visited Bethel on October 14 and won 3-0. Fregoe netted two goals and Summer Chaljub added another. Leah Morris, Lyla Kopp, and Stango had assists.

Fregoe opened up the scoring 13 minutes into the game; after Leah Morris beat her defender and played a series of give-and-go passes with Fregoe, she one-timed the delivery past the goalkeeper. Midway through the second, O’Leary delivered a perfectly weighted through-ball to Kopp, who put an early ball through the box, and it found Chaljub wide open; she took a touch and found the bottom corner.

With close to ten minutes left, Stango got past her defender and to the end line and crossed a ball that was once again knocked in by Fregoe.

“We controlled most of the game — it was nice to score on our opportunities and put the game away in the second half,” Bourret said.

Newtown improved to 10-1-1 in SWC play heading into Thursday’s Senior Night clash with Pomperaug of Southbury at 7 pm. The Nighthawks are battling for one of the top two spots in the conference, along with Notre Dame Prep, the only team to defeat the Hawks in conference play (1-0 in the season opener). After the Saturday, October 18 season-ending matchup with Lauralton Hall of Milford at Fairfield University’s Rafferty Stadium at 10 am, it is on to the conference playoffs. NHS is scheduled to host an SWC quarterfinal game Tuesday, October 21 (time and opponent to be determined).

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

Olivia Fernandes goes for the ball during Newtown’s 7-0 win over visiting Bunnell of Stratford on October 9. The Nighthawks wore special pink uniforms and supported Hope On Main Street. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Maddy Gioiele controls the ball for the Nighthawks.

Sara Ruddy uses her speed to set up a play.

Ana Morris looks to make a pass.

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Mr. Walczak’s reply is unfortunately emblematic of the political double-speak that frustrates so many residents. Rather than engaging on the substantive issues raised — namely, the balance between quality education and fiscal responsibility — he chose to deflect and assign partisan blame. It’s easy to grandstand about “supporting education.” It’s harder to make responsible decisions that keep Newtown affordable for everyone — families, seniors, and small businesses alike. That’s the work real public servants are doing, even when it’s not politically convenient.

Responds To Walczak

*Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on the education budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC.

Mr. Walczak, I read it multiple times before submitting my letter and again afterward. Nowhere in your letter do you mention Legislative Council. Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC. In addition, I noted that you didn't respond to the more substantive issue highlighted in my letter -- school funding and impact on our residents. Your initial letter seemed to indicate that "Republicans" were misguided in challenging budget requests. Regardless of whether you were talking about LC or BOE, is it your position that 64.8% of every tax dollar is not enough to adequately fund our schools? Are you advocating to spend more money? It feels like your Letter to the Editor is at odds with your campaign pitch of affordability.

It sounds like I hit a nerve! So let’s set the record straight, shall we… True - I did vote in favor of the municipal budget, which was a very reasonable 2.75%. Regarding not opening the BOE budget book in 2024, again, true. But what Chris & Eric failed to point out is that while I listened to all the predictable line items followed by predictable questions followed by predictable answers, and the Democrats predictably voting to give the BOE everything they asked for, I was the only LC member that concentrated on the side of the equation where 700 people in Newtown can’t pay their taxes, 400 rely upon the food pantry to put food on their table, and there are 115 homes that are in foreclosure. And while I am not on the BOE subcommittee, unlike my democratic friends, I made it a point to meet with the superintendent(s) both budget seasons face to face. So, to accuse me of “blindly” cutting the BOE budget is a blatant and despicable lie. What else did they lie about? Twenty-eight school positions were removed; the positions were never filled and the world survived. What else did they lie about? BOE passed in a bipartisan fashion? Half-lie: in 2024 they again tried to jam a 5% BOE tax increase through only to have it rejected at referendum. I proposed a 2.75% compromise that ultimately passed. What else did they lie about? My failure to mention the reduction in state aid and the increase in insurance premiums? Newtown needs to be run like an efficient company to be successful. I am not against education; I just want the school administration to make the most out of every dollar. Right now, $.66 out of every tax collected goes towards the BOE budget. And finally, my failure to offer solutions to raise revenue? I proposed a “Tanglewood model” compromise for 6 Commerce Road that could potentially generate in millions of dollars in revenue for the town. I proposed and am still in favor of an ordinance for peaceful protesting that would save the town potentially $225k in police overtime. My Democratic friends didn’t even want to consider that. And what solutions have C&E offered? Eric wanted to ADD $300K to the BOE budget for a kindergarten class that had no impact on learning Spanish! And Chis wanted the parents to pick up the tab for extracurricular activities THAT THEY ALREADY pay for. Don’t throw rocks if you live in glass houses. One of our main responsibilities on the Legislative Council is advocating taxpayers’ dollars in the best interests of the Town and trying to make it more affordable without degrading services. Unfortunately, the Democrats can’t run on “affordability” since they already jammed the residents of Newtown with a huge tax increase last year, but I still can. I am humbly asking for your support on or before Nov 4th. Thanks to C&E to giving me the opportunity to respond and clear everything up.

Democratic Response To Political Attack Letter

Not one question about the cost of implementing this system. Yes, there is a donation with strings attached. We've been there before and now we're bonding new monies regularly to maintain or repair those 'donations' like the community center. I think Deb is right to say she doesn't have enough information to make an informed decision. I'd like to know what it costs taxpayers to maintain & upgrade this system that seems to be on balance fairly unpopular.

BOE Narrowly Passes Weapons Detection System At High School

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Girls Soccer Team Blanks Bunnell, Drops Tough One, Rebounds Against Bethel

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