On Senior Night the honorees got to select their events and test the waters with some less-familiar strokes when Newtown High School’s girls swimming and diving team hosted New Milford on October 7. The Nighthawks mixed, matched, and won — exhibitioning the final three events after sealing the team victory on the way to a 94-67 outcome.

“The seniors had fun with different events and swam some off events for the experience,” Newtown Assistant Coach Ryan Eberts said.

Some examples of seniors swimming off events and succeeding were Zoe Petertonjes winning the 100 breaststroke race and Maddie Marcisz taking first in the backstroke event. Underclassmen also tried out new events; junior Sierra Marx certainly looked comfortable in the 100 butterfly race by winning that one.

In addition to the Nighthawks celebrating seniors Briella Dunkle, Rebecca Goldman, Marcisz, Petertonjes, and Ella Viau, the younger swimmers had some strong efforts and are coming into their own, Eberts said.

Newtown won the first event, the 200 yard individual medley relay, as Petertonjes, Marcisz, Viau, and Dunkle swam a 2:14.64. Teammates Marx, Indigo Land, Ella Murphy, and Emma Sheehan were second in 2:17.59.

The Nighthawks had another one-two finish in the 200 freestyle race as Petertonjes finished in 2:05.80 and Giulia Rossi completed her race in 2:41.76. Ella Murphy had Newtown’s fastest time and was second in the 200 individual medley race, clocking in at 2:46.79; Reagan Garvin came in third in 2:51.43. Marx won the 50 free in 27.50 and Viau came in third in the event in 30.85.

Aliyah Reuther won the diving competition with a score of 157.15. Marx was first in the 100 butterfly in 1:09.45. NHS had the top three in the 100 free with Marcisz finishing in 1:00.40, Land an ultra-close second in 1:00.80, and Garvin third in 1:05.91. It was another one-two-three Nighthawk outcome in the 500, with Sheehan winning in 6:28.15, Rossi clocking in at 7:06.33, and Tess Rickey making her final touch in 8:13.34.

In the 200 free relay Murphy, Madison Weston, Garvin, and Sheehan came in first in 2:06.12 and Newtown’s contingent of Jolene Brackett, Reuther, Lucia Suarez, and Rossi came in second in 2:30.24. NHS had the fastest two times in the 100 backstroke, as Marcisz won in 1:08.78 and Viau took second in 1:17.69. In the 100 breaststroke event Petertonjes raced to first place in 1:15.76, and Land was second in 1:18.76.

Newtown recorded the top two 400 free relay times as Garvin, Sheehan, Land, and Petertonjes timed in at 4:11.48 and Murphy, Viau, Marcisz, and Marx took second in 4:14.25.

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