Date: Fri 07-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Quick Words:

swim-best-record-21-years

Full Text:

10-1: Swimmers Boast Record In 21 Years

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

Coach Brian Reiff wasn't crazy enough at the beginning of the season to expect

the Newtown High School swim team to be 10-1 after 11 dual meet seasons and

now that it is, he isn't quite sure how to explain it.

"No way would I have predicted this," he said this week, after the Nighthawks

thrashed Shepaug and Foran, two teams which had owned Newtown in the last

three seasons. "I never thought these kids would come along as quickly as they

have."

And now that they have, it is time to talk a little history. The 10 wins is

the most the Newtown swim program has earned since 1977-78, when the team was

10-4, but, still, it is the best season since coach Tom Roberts led Newtown to

an undefeated record of 16-0 in 1975-76.

"It's a dream season," said coach Reiff. "You don't go into these things

expected to go 10-1."

That is, 10-1 with four more dual meets to go.

Two of those meets are against two of the strongest teams in the South-West

Conference - Bunnell and Weston. Weston has always been an arch-rival and even

though Bunnell is only in its second year on Newtown's schedule, it has become

an arch-rival based on the Nighthawks victory over the Bulldogs last year.

Coach Reiff realizes how strong those two teams are, but the Nighthawks have

continually surprised him.

"We aren't just winning meets," he said, "We are winning handily, which we

never expect. It has me wondering how good we really are."

He will find out soon enough.

Paying Shepaug Back

Shepaug had little difficulty with Newtown over the course of the last three

seasons but discovered last Friday night how quickly things can . . . well,

mutate.

"Before the meet," said coach Reiff, "(the coach) was saying, `we don't think

we can beat you, but it should come down to the final relay.' "

It came down to events well before the final relay as Newtown secured a 101-83

victory over Shepaug, swimming the last event - the 400 freestyle relay -

unofficially.

The Nighthawks jumped on Shepaug early, taking a 39-23 lead into diving and

then coming out of it ahead by 22. They were able to split points the rest of

the way, staying on top of a comfortable lead.

"Against some real good teams, like Shepaug," said coach Reiff, "we haven't

been able to take that lead into diving. We have been relying on diving to

give us that boost."

Paul McBride was a double winner for Newtown, taking first in the 200

individual medley (2:20.17) and then making a rare appearance in the 100

backstroke and taking first there as well (1:03.70).

Nick Taylor had an impressive meet, qualifying for the CIAC state meet with

his second-place finish of 2:04.98 in the 200 freestyle and then later

capturing first in the 500 freestyle (5:48.14). Todd Burns, meanwhile, also

qualified for the CIAC state meet with his identical 2:04.98 in the 200

freestyle.

Sophomore Kyle McCullough - still undefeated - had a duel off the diving

board, but he was able to outlast Justin Berton of Shepaug, 181.20-177.10, by

nailing his final dive of the evening.

"When Nicky (Taylor) and Todd (Burns) qualified for states in the 200 free,"

said coach Reiff, "that got us off to a real good start. The kids were fired

up."

Fired up and hot.