Newtown's grade six Gold Nighthawks won the New England Championship for the second year in a row, capturing the title in a prestigious tournament that brings together top teams from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The tourney was held in Tiverton, Rhode Island in late March.

The Gold Nighthawks have competed in the tournament for the past three years. In their first appearance, they earned a strong runner-up finish in the top-tier Gold Division. In 2025, they captured the championship. They returned this March determined to defend their title under head coach Jordan Levy and assistant coaches Billy Burke and Marvin Taylor.

Brody Taylor, Billy Burke, Mason Leonard, Hudson Levy, Braxton Kuzma, Colin Scholz, AJ Singer, Tucker Lowe, Kieran Kane, and Austin Fritz arrived ready to compete. The Gold bracket was divided into two pools, with the top two teams from each advancing to the championship game.

Newtown opened play against Somers, Conn. Taylor got things started for the Nighthawks, scoring the team’s first points on one of his many layups seen throughout the tournament. Scholz dominated the boards and added several baskets in the paint, helping Newtown secure a 36-15 victory. Next, the Nighthawks faced Bow, N.H. Fritz and Lowe controlled the action inside, contributing both scoring and rebounding, as Newtown maintained the lead throughout and cruised to a 50-22 win. In their final pool game, Newtown matched up against another undefeated team, Simsbury, which came out strong and maintained the lead through the first quarter, until a layup by Burke in the second quarter, followed by a quick 3-pointer by Leonard, shifted the momentum and creating a lead that was maintained through the rest of the game. Newtown took control and pulled away for a 38-28 win, clinching a spot in the championship game.

In the final, Newtown faced another 3-0 Connecticut team, St Theresa’s. Levy led the offense with 14 of the team’s 27 points. Singer anchored the defense, limiting a typically high-scoring opponent. Kuzma managed the game as point guard and knocked down a key three-pointer to extend the lead.

With just one minute remaining and Newtown holding a narrow 26-25 advantage, Kane delivered a crucial defensive play — blocking a shot and sending the ball out of bounds in a clean, well-timed effort that brought the crowd to its feet. In the final seconds, with St Theresa’s in possession, the Nighthawks’ defense held strong, preventing a last shot. Newtown secured a thrilling 27-25 victory and was once again crowned the 2026 New England Regional Champion.