In the waning moments of the game, and only seconds after student fans started chanting, “I believe that we will win,” Newtown High School standout scorer Riley Powers made it happen. Powers took a pass from Katie Rowan, got behind the defense, and deposited a tie-breaking goal to send the girls’ soccer team to a wild 2-1 victory over visiting Bethel on October 14.

The deciding tally came with just 1:40 left in regulation on a shot from 12 yards out from the right side football field hashmarks. And was scored just after Newtown Coach Marc Kenney moved Powers to the middle of the field in hopes of capitalizing. The move, and a few others, paid off to help Newtown win its eighth straight contest. Newtown improved to 10-2 and Bethel fell to 8-4-1.

Typically a center midfielder, Powers was moved to the right wing and Ally Bradley and Kristen Reisert were inserted into the center midfield to take advantage of their height and counter Bethel’s size and physicality, Kenney said.

“They’re big, they’re tall — they did a good job of heading balls,” Kenney said.

And Powers and Rowan continue to work well together on the field to lead Newtown’s offense. The same combination connected, with Powers delivering, on Newtown’s first goal, before Bethel tied things.

“It’s more important for them to win games than score goals,” Kenney said.

Of course, with that desire to win comes the goals, and Powers leads the Nighthawks.

Both goaltenders — Newtown’s Ryann Heim-Sherwood and Bethel’s Emma Perrotti — registered ten-plus saves. Perrotti stayed in the game after a late collision going for a 50-50 ball.

“We’ve played well the last couple of weeks and we knew it was going to be a battle,” Kenney said. “We’ll see them again. This game could have gone either way.”

“The intensity of the game was definitely something we knew was going to be a big factor,” said Newtown captain and defender Ally McCarthy, adding, “I think we stayed really composed.”

The Nighthawks played host Seymour to a scoreless draw on October 16. They visited Masuk of Monroe on October 19 and posted a 3-1 victory; Ella Morits scored twice and Rowan had the other for NHS. After hosting Notre Dame-Fairfield on Thursday, October 21, the Hawks close out the regular season on Monday, October 25, when Pomperaug of Southbury visits at 6 pm. The South-West Conference Tournament quarterfinals will take place in late October.

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