Up And Coming ... Newtown Middle School Basketball Players, Cheerleaders Entertain The Crowd

Newtown Middle School’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams ended the regular season with a doubleheader against Memorial of Middlebury on February 12. The girls’ and boys’ eighth-grade teams played back-to-back and the cheerleaders supported both teams and entertained the fans with their halftime shows.

The girls dropped a 46-24 decision and the boys remained undefeated with a convincing 67-36 triumph.

In the win, Gavin Scallon led all scorers with 14 points, 12 of which came in the first half. Chris Devaney added 11 points from inside the paint. The tempo was set early as Eric Fiore and Mike Daubert combined for 14 points on the fast break as Sean Elliot and Reid Schmidt used their trapping defensive skills. Justin Devellis, who scored on a buzzer-beating runner from out near the 3-point arc to end the third quarter and  Wyatt “Lefty” Depuy each scored 7 points to put the game away. Stephen Conway and Mike Sharfenberg both had outstanding games on defense.

In their previous game, the boys defeated an aggressive Brookfield team 71-52. Scallon led the team with 22 points and played outstanding defense at the top of the key. Fiore scored 11 points in the paint as Patrick Riccardi and Schmidt combined for 17 points while forcing Brookfield out of their offense with a trapping defense. Stephen Conway made clutch free throws down the strech as Wyatt Depuy kept up the defensive pressure.

Alex Roche has also contributed to the team’s success this year. The boys are coached by Tom Debenedetto and Chris Recklet.

Newtown Middle School’s seventh-grade boys finished their season with a record of 7-1 after defeating Brookfield 52-48. It did not come easy as the Newtown boys shot 12 for 16 at the free throw line to win the game. Nick Caggenello made two clutch free throws with less than a minute to play to tie the game at 48. Mike Davis led all scorers with 15 points. Matt Mossbarger had a great game at the point, scoring 8 points and Nathan Kalra was all over the court with a strong defensive effort and added 6 points. Matt Hoyt and Jonah Muniz combined for 6 points as they controlled the tempo of the game. Logan Puleri again had a outstanding game in the paint.

The girls’ eighth-grade roster is comprised of Lydia Beiter, Lindsay Jossick, Tressa Scott, Jenny Indelicato, Faaria Ansuri, Lauren Meyer, Kristina Engler, Courtney Tenney, Danielle Shine, Kristy Papaj, Kristi Voswinkle and Kelsey Packer. Thercia DaSilva is the team manager and coaches are Jen Hayducky, Will Ryan and Recklet

Both eighth-grade teams will conclude the season in the Jockey Hollow School tourney in Monroe this month.