Newtown High School's girls' swimming and diving team had some impressive times and scores but, most notably, honored its final-year competitors on Senior Night when Weston visited on October 20.

The Nighthawks followed up an 86-75 setback at Masuk of Monroe on October 15 with a 99-68 loss to Weston. Newtown's best highlights in the Masuk meet included diver Aliyah Reuther with a first-place score of 229.05; Sierra Marx winning the 200 yard freestyle race in 2:15.41; Jolene Brackett taking first in the 100 breaststroke in 1:26.09; and the 200 free relay (2:04.27) and 400 free relay (4:29.94) teams both winning.

Senior Night featured Reuther with a first-place score of 219.65 and Marx winning the 100 yard freestyle event in 1:00.76.

"Aliyah had another great night on the diving board. We want to give a big congratulations to our seniors who we celebrated on Senior Night: Jolene Brackett, Indigo Land, Sierra Marx, Aliyah Reuther, Emma Sheehan, Lia Suarez, and Madi Weston," NHS Head Coach Lisa Irving said.

"We have a solid senior class — they bonded. Aliyah dove very well. We wish them the best of luck," Assistant Coach Ryan Eberts added.

Reuther followed a strong dive with a tough one before bouncing back to finish strongly. "She's got that athlete in her," Diving Coach Justin Corres said.

The 200 medley relay team of Sheehan, Brackett, Marx, and Land was third in 2:14.24. Marx was second in the 200 free with a time of 2:11.92. Land was second in the 50 free in 26.85. The 200 free relay team, comprising Ella Murphy, Reagan Garvin, Brackett, and Land, was second in 1:56.58. Land placed third in the 100 breaststroke race in 1:22.66. The 400 free relay contingent of Marx, Garvin, Weston, and Murphy was third in 4:27.63.

Newtown had the following fourth-place swimmers: Murphy in the 200 individual medley race in 2:46.55; Garvin in the 100 butterfly event in 1:12.99; Sheehan in the 500 free, making her final touch in 6:33.50; the 200 free relay of Weston, Suarez, Reuther, and Giulia Rossi; and Murphy in the 100 backstroke in a time of 1:12.99.

After visiting the Bethel-Danbury-Immaculate team at the New Fairfield pool on Tuesday, October 27, at 4 pm, it is on to the postseason. The South-West Conference Diving Championships will take place at Weston High on Wednesday, November 4, at 5:30 pm and the swimming events will take place at Masuk on Saturday, November 7, at 10 am.

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