Season Of Redemption Continues For NHS Laxmen

By Andy Hutchison

Winning is always rewarding, but for some Newtown High school boys’ lacrosse players, after sustaining season-marring injuries a year ago, the success the Nighthawks have had in 2008 has been especially satisfying.

Newtown, the No. 2 seed, won its South-West Conference tourney quarterfinal round game 19-8 over No. 7 Brookfield at home on Tuesday night and has more wins (14) than the team compiled during each of the last three years combined. The sudden winning ways can be attributed, in part, to the team’s health.

Juniors Ben Mahony and Kevin Canavan both sustained broken collar bones early in the 2007 season and Jacob Dauz (lower back fracture) and senior goaltender Max Beitel (broken wrist) missed playing time. This season, all of these players have been key components in Newtown’s turnaround.

“They’re such competitive kids. I’m so happy that they’re able to come back and have success,” Newtown Coach Brian Micena said.

Micena attributes the strong season to a combination of the players being healthy, talent, and chemistry. Of course, with these key players back on the field, the talent level and chemistry improve.

Mahony and Canavan were first-year varsity players when their seasons ended early.

“It was such a disappointment for me,” said Canavan, who scored a goal after sustaining the injury before leaving the field just three games into his varsity career. “This year is all about redemption.”

“We never really got a taste for it,” said Mahony, who was hurt in the fifth game.

The Hawks were 13-3 during this past regular season and lost only to New Fairfield in SWC action. Getting to contribute this year is a winning scenario for last year’s injury-bug victims and the wins are icing on the cake.

“It feels good just to be back and play,” Dauz said.

“This year is awesome,” Beitel added. “To actually be in the playoffs is such a great feeling.”

Newtown advanced to the SWC tourney’s semifinals on Thursday (after The Bee went to press). Whether or not the Hawks win an SWC title, they will still have state tournament action to look forward to.

“If we play the way we’re capable of playing, very few teams can stop us,” Micena said after Tuesday’s win.

The Hawks pulled away after Brookfield climbed to within 10-6 late in the third quarter at a chilly, damp, foggy, October-like, you-can-see-your-breath-sort-of-night at Newtown’s Blue & Gold Stadium. Brothers Will and Ben Mahony scored in the final minute of the third to pad the lead to six and that momentum carried over into the fourth. NHS struck for eight unanswered tallies to build a commanding 18-6 lead.

Will Mahony and Canavan each had five goals and Christian Beitel recorded four assists. Conor Martin and Ben Mahony each collected seven ground balls.

Newtown outshot Brookfield 64-39 and had a 46-18 ground balls advantage. That advantage in ground balls gave the Hawks lots of possession time, something Micena said is crucial for success in the postseason.

“I think playoffs are about possession time,” the coach said.

Newtown, with a win over the winner of No. 3 Masuk (a team the Hawks beat 12-11) or No. 6 Weston (which they defeated 12-8) on Thursday, would reach next week’s title game (Wednesday night at Joel Barlow High School) against the winner of New Fairfield/New Milford.

NHS was beaten 18-6 by New Fairfield, the tourney’s top seed, and defeated New Milford 13-9.