South-West Conference playoffs action for Newtown High School's girls' basketball team begins on February 15, when New Fairfield visits for a 7 pm quarterfinal-round game.

Newtown's always-stingy defense outdid itself with its lowest points-against total this season in a 53-18 rout of host Masuk of Monroe on February 6. After a 54-47 loss at Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport on February 8, the Nighthawks finished off the regular season with a 48-22 triumph over visiting New Fairfield on Senior Night, February 11.

The Nighthawks (17-3 overall and 11-2 in conference play) locked up the South-West Conference’s second seed when Kolbe lost to Pomperaug of Southbury on February 13.

Against Masuk, Carlie Smith scored ten points, Cailin Wilson and Amy Sapenter both scored eight, and Nicki DaPra had seven points, five rebounds, and six assists. As a team, the Nighthawks collected 21 assists.

In the loss to Kolbe, DaPra led the way with 19 points, Cyleigh Wilson scored nine, and Sapenter added seven.

On Senior Night, the Nighthawks held the Rebels to just five field goals; New Fairfield scored half of its points from the free throw line.

“We played extremely well defensively,” Newtown Coach Jeremy O’Connell said.

Newtown had more scorers than the Rebels had field goal points, as a dozen Nighthawks — including all four seniors, Jackie Matthews, Carolina Stubbs, DaPra, and Wilson — etched their name into the scorebook. Matthews had ten rebounds and five steals, and DaPra grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists.

As things stood heading into Wednesday’s action, New Fairfield was a possible first-round SWC playoff opponent, and Kolbe is a possible semifinal opposition (NHS, with a quarterfinal win, would host the semis on Monday, February 18, at 7 pm). Kolbe is seeded third and takes on No. 6 Pomperaug in quarterfinal-round play. Top-seeded Notre Dame plays-Fairfield plays No. 8 Brookfield, and No. 4 Bethel takes on No. 5 Pomperaug in other quarterfinal matchups.

The deeper the Hawks go in the playoffs, the potentially tougher the competition.

O’Connell said that while there were moral victories in comeback efforts of defeats to Notre Dame and Kolbe — the team’s only SWC setbacks — he is looking for the team to put itself in better position to come out on top in the postseason.

“We can’t go down big when you’re playing in the biggest games of the year. Hopefully, we learned from that for the SWC tournament — that if we come out strong and play our game, we have the opportunity to beat anyone,” O’Connell said.