By Kim J. Harmon

SOUTHBURY – It happened almost 11 months ago, but a 36-31 loss to Pomperaug in the finale of the 1998-99 regular season was still fresh in the minds of the Nighthawks as they made their ride up to Southbury on Tuesday morning.

Back 11 months ago, the ‘Hawks had expected to finish the season strong with a victory over the Panthers but somehow – with a couple of unexpected losses and an injury default – suffered a loss instead to fall to 7-3.

It almost seemed like an accident.

But there was no accident on Tuesday morning. The Nighthawks whipped the Panthers, 49-28, in the first stage of a quad-meet with Platt Tech of Meriden and Staples of Westport. The win over the Panthers – coupled with a win over Platt and a loss to Staples – pushed Newtown’s record to 4-1 overall, 3-0 in the South-West Conference.

“It was an outstanding match,” head coach Alan Potter said of the win over Pomperaug. “Even though were heading into some more difficult matches in the SWC, I think people are taking notice of our ability.”

The ‘Hawks cut through the Panthers like a buzz saw in the first nine weight classes, taking a 49-0 lead before Pomperaug drew any blood . . . but by then the match was mathematically over. Those ‘Hawks in the upper weights worked hard to build on that lead but were beaten back by the Panthers’ strong upper weights.

Newtown’s march to the win started at 103, when John Read pinned Christine Jones with 36 seconds gone in the third period. Twice, Read had nearly gotten pins and saw a sizeable 5-1 lead trimmed to 6-4 because of penalty points awarded to Jones, but he finally worked out a pin in the third.

At 112, Matt Sullivan pinned Alison Watt in 25 seconds to push Newtown’s lead to 12-0 and then Ross Alpert was awarded a forfeit at 119 to raise Newtown’s lead even further to 18-0.

Dan Maley of Newtown and Tom Phillips of Pomperaug got locked up in a tough battle at 125, with Maley grabbing a 12-6 win. Maley started with a takedown for a 2-0 lead but lost it soon after on a Phillips reversal that evened the score at 2-2. Another reverse by Phillips in the second period put Maley into a 4-3 hole, but he scored the next seven points to take a 10-4 advantage on the way to the win.

Nick Feola took care of business in the 130-pound class, pinning Ryan Rausch in 1:19. Mike Daniels followed with a pin in 1:16 of Matt Arnone in the 135-pound class, Adam Prokop slammed a pin on Andrew Perry in the 140-pound class with 1:27 gone in the second period, and then Adam Esarey earned a pin in 1:45 over Justin Perreault in the 145-pound class.

All of that built Newtown’s lead to 45-0.

But the ‘Hawks were not done.

In Newtown’s final individual victory of the match, Steve Selezan defeated Alex Maas, 10-0, for the four-point major.

After that, Pomperaug was awarded forfeits in the 160- and 171-pound weight classes before Chris Symes and Anthony Annetta locked up in the 189-pound class. Symes had a nice move going on Annetta, but somehow got it turned around on him. Annetta built up a 5-0 lead at the end of one period on the way to a 13-1 major decision.

Pins in the 215- and 279-pound classes finished the match.

But not the day.

Newtown moved on to battle Staples, which is boasting possibly its best team in years.

“There were a lot of close matches,” said coach Potter, who saw his team drop a 57-18 decision to the Wreckers of Westport. “There were three matches where we had the lead but lost in the closing moments.”

The Nighthawks had a bit of an easier time against Platt Tech of Meriden, 43-34. Read won his match at 103 pounds over a “bigger, more experienced wrestler,” according to coach Potter. Maley earned a pin at 125 pounds and then Feola – after a “world-class takedown,” said coach Potter – earned a pin at 130 pounds.

Daniels, Esarey and Selezan then all won their matches, setting the stage for one of the most pivotal matches of the contest.

“At that point,” said coach Potter, “we realized we could win if (Chris) Symes could just win his match. Not only did he win, he convincingly took his man down and to his back for the pin.”

All that was left, with a 37-34 lead at that point, was a forfeit victory earned by Tom Denninger at 279 to wrap up the win for the ‘Hawks.

“In the past,” said coach Potter, “we haven’t been that confident in matches outside the SWC. And it’s been a long time since Newtown came away 2-1 in a quad meet outside the conference.”

The Nighthawks participated in the Danbury Tournament on Thursday morning (after press time) and then – following the school vacation – will move back to the SWC schedule with a tough match against Stratford on January 5.