Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

By KIM HARMON

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Field-Hockey-Ties-95-Opener

Full Text:

Field Hockey Girls Earn 2-2 Tie (Sept. 13)

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

It seemed, early on, that the Newtown High School field hockey team wasn't

going to wait very long to try and banish the ghosts still lingering from

their 0-12-3 record of a year ago.

In 1994, the Lady Indians had to wait half a season before they scored their

first goal.

In 1995, they had to wait all of five minutes.

In 1994, they waited for 15 games and didn't find the win column.

In 1995 . . . well, they're still waiting. The Lady Indians had a 2-1 lead in

their season opener against Masuk with just about eight minutes left in the

game, but they couldn't quite hold on and had to settle for a 2-2 tie.

" I'll take it, " said head coach Lisa Poirier, " for a first game. They

played pretty good, but it took them a little while to get started and our

defense had a tough time. But I was happy with it, but we'll have to work on

our consistency. That's the main thing. "

The Lady Indians, as a whole, had a tough time for nine weeks last year,

searching for some sort of aggressiveness, some sort of threat on offense, and

all they mustered were three goals and a lot of frustration. But the '95 girls

- many of whom spent the winter and summer following that 0-12-3 campaign

playing in leagues and working out in camps - almost out of the gate.

They had to wait a few minutes, though, while the Pantherettes pinned the

Newtown defense deep in its own end for the first stage of the game, giving

Lori Villani an opportunity to score a goal and give Masuk the 1-0 edge.

But while that may have seemed like the clincher a year ago, it was hardly a

bump in the road.

Just a few moments later, down in the Lady Indians' offense zone, Brooke

Stiewing took a free hit from 25 yards out and sent it rocketing to the left

post of the cage. The pass found a seem and Kate Zimmerman found the ball,

poking a one-timer past the Masuk goalie to tie the score at 1-1.

" Katie couldn't have been in a better position, " said coach Poirier. " I was

a little surprised (it came so quickly), but I knew this team could score. We

just needed something like (the Masuk goal) to get us started. "

The Lady Indians picked up the thread of aggressiveness they started to weave

in the first half and really started knitting when the second half opened. The

Lady Indians attacked the cage and put together a few nice scoring

opportunities. The first came when Zimmerman grabbed a pass on the left wing

and dragged it down to the end line before crossing it into the striking

circle. Melissa Araya, a returning All-WCC selection, rushed into the circle

but was a step to late to get her stick on the ball.

The second came a minute later when a shot by Araya from just inside the top

of the circle slammed into the cage for an apparent goal. But a Pantherette

infraction just prior to the shot erased the goal.

A moment later, though, it didn't matter. Krista Halstead put the Lady Indians

ahead 2-1 on a rush into the circle, rolling a ball through the Masuk goalie's

legs for her first goal of the year.

Araya, who followed the ball into the cage, turned around almost with a look

of disbelief in her eyes, waiting for the referee's whistle to say the goal

was disallowed, but the cadence and the hand signal to midfield said

otherwise. " (At that point), I just wanted to hold the lead, " said coach

Poirier, " and let the girls feel what is was like to lead for a while. "

The Lady Indians held the 2-1 for about five minutes and no doubt started

thinking about that elusive victory, when Masuk's Villani snuffed out those

thoughts with her second goal of the game.

" Sure, I was disappointed, " said coach Poirier, " but at least the girls

realized we could score. To score almost as many goals, in one game, as we did

all last year is pretty good. "

The Lady Indians will search for their first victory of the season today while

hosting New Milford at 3:30 pm.

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

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