Bits & Pieces

By Kim J. Harmon

Would it be jinxing things if I predicted the Newtown High School girls’ soccer team will win a South-West Conference championship this year?

The reason I’m convinced of this is, I won’t be here to see the game.

The Lady Nighthawks have never before reached the finals of the South-West Conference tournament, but this year they will be squaring off against Masuk … and I will be in Mississippi for the wedding of my sister-in-law.

The last time I was in Mississippi for a wedding (of another sister-in-law), the Newtown High School girls’ basketball team won its first South-West Conference championship with a thrilling win over New Fairfield.

I really wanted to see that one and I was so disappointed I missed it. And I really want to see the girls’ soccer team win an SWC title.

See, fate must be involved here.

v v v

It was one of those great days in Newtown High School sports.

It was a little blustery, perhaps, and definitely a tad on the chilly side. But it was all good because the boys’ soccer team dominated Bethel, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the SWC tournament, while the field hockey team was stopping Watertown, 1-0, in a non-league confrontation and the volleyball team was sweeping Joel Barlow, 3-0, in the quarterfinals of its SWC tournament. And then the girls’ soccer team cruised past New Milford, 5-0, in the quarterfinals of its SWC tournament.

You don’t get days like that very often.

Unfortunately.

v v v

Had a similar weekend in October.

It was a little sunnier, but just as chilly, and the day started with a 34-mile ride from Waterbury to Danbury for the Newtown-Immaculate football game. After the Nighthawks grabbed a 35-0 lead, I left, grabbed something to eat, and took the 21-mile ride from Danbury to Redding for the Newtown- Joel Barlow girls’ soccer game.

With the Lady Nighthawks up 4-0 and less than a minute or so to go, I left for the 16-mile ride from Redding to Newtown for the Newtown-Bunnell volleyball match. But once the Lady Bulldogs coasted through the first two games, I had to leave for the short ride to Treadwell Park for the Newtown-Joel Barlow boys’ soccer game.

Of all those contests, only the last was competitive. But it was still a great day … a great day to be a sportswriter.

v v v

Hundreds of years ago, around this time of year, villagers would grab their old flintlock rifles (or whatever) and head out into the fields to shoot a turkey for a hearty dinner. Now, you can just grab a basketball and shoot (for) a turkey this Thanksgiving.

The 14th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot – sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department – will be held Saturday, November 18, starting at 9 am, at the Newtown Middle School ‘A’ gym. It costs $10 and the top team from each division will go home with a bird.

This is team competition, with one adult and one child per team. Teams will shoot foul shots and the highest score after three rounds will be the winner.

Times will be 9 to 9:45 am (ages 5 and under and 6-8) and 10 to 10:45 am (ages 9-12 and 13 and over).

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Campership Fund.

v v v

ESPN has five different channels (ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Classic, ESPN News and ESPN Deportes) and you know there is way too much airtime to fill when, last week, they spend 20 minutes discussing the rain out of the fourth game of the World Series.

Twenty minutes!

Not only that, they went to a press conference where the major league baseball official responsible for making the decision to postpone a game talked about the reasoning behind it. Then a reporter asks, “What are your forecasters telling you about tomorrow?” and the guy looks out at the reporters with this look on his face that seems to say, “Just what your forecasters are telling you, stupid. What the heck am I up here for, anyway?”