Newtown High School's boys' lacrosse team carries a nine-game winning streak into its regular-season finale, a challenging visit to the only team in the South-West Conference with a better record than the Nighthawks, undefeated New Fairfield, on Saturday, May 12. Faceoff is set for 7 pm; the game was originally to be played two games later before being rescheduled.

Newtown has a record of 12-2 overall and 10-0 in SWC play, and the Rebels took a 12-0 (9-0) mark into the middle of this week.

During Newtown's streak, the Hawks have had mostly lopsided wins, including a 14-7 doubling of host Masuk of Monroe on May 3. One of the trends has been double-digit offensive production by the Hawks, while holding opponents to single-digit scoring. Newtown did that in the first eight games of the nine unanswered victories before beating visiting Joel Barlow of Redding 14-10 on May 8.

Another has been in the mindset going forward. The Nighthawks are never satisfied and are trying to build off each game, regardless of the disparity on the scoreboard.

After a 10-4 win over Weston on May 1, Coach Scott Bulkley said his team still had some growth to undergo and some work to do.

Two days later, following the victory over Masuk, Bulkley said the Nighthawks could have done more offensively.

The Nighthawks had 30-plus shots toward the goal, but Bulkley wanted more of them on the net.

"We missed some good opportunities to score. I want harder and better-placed shots on the cage," Bulkley said.

One hard, well-placed attempt on goal that didn't miss was a Layton Harrell blast, one of his four tallies, that ripped through the net, causing a delay in the action for repair.

Tucker Garrity led Newtown with six net-finders, and Jeff Garrity and Aiden Coleman both had a pair of goals. Both Garritys had three assists, Evan Eggleston registered two helpers, and Coleman, Harrell, and Tanner Stergue each had one.

Bulkley has had good reason to look for improvement. After all, Newtown stands to have its work cut out the remainder of the way given the late regular-season competition and what is ahead in the postseason. The Nighthawks passed the test against their third and final Westchester County, N.Y., opponent with a 12-7 triumph over Briarcliff at Blue & Gold Stadium, on May 5. Bulkley described it as a solid team win. Newtown has a trio of players with hat-tricks.

Tucker Garrity had three goals and four assists, Harrell logged three goals and three assists, and Coleman also had a three-goal effort. Jeff Garrity scored twice, and Eggleston notched a goal and three assists.

Against Barlow, Newtown allowed double-digit scoring for the first time since a 16-12 loss to Stepinac of New York back on April 14. But the winning streak continued as the Hawks piled up the goals once again.

Tucker Garrity had five goals and two assists, Harrell scored three times and added two assists, Eggleston scored three times, Jeff Garrity and Declan Sughrue both scored twice, and Brandon Manka and Cayden Dunn each recorded goals.

Following the New Fairfield game are the single-elimination postseason tournaments, beginning with the South-West Conference tourney and continuing with the state playoffs.