Note: This is an expanded version of the article that was published on the webpage on March 3.

Newtown High School's boys' swimming and diving team placed third as a team in the South-West Conference championships, which culminated with the swim events at Masuk High in Monroe, on March 3. The diving competition was held at Weston High on February 28. The swim portion of the meet was postponed a day because of the March 2 weather conditions canceling school.

Peter Fagerholm won the 100 yard backstroke race in a time of 55.31 to help the Nighthawks score 346 points and place third behind first-place Pomperaug of Southbury (546) and runner-up Weston (452). Brookfield was fourth with 320.5, and Masuk fifth with 250.5.

"He's really primed for a big showing at states," Newtown Coach Adam Fielding said of Fagerholm.

Newtown's 200 yard medley relay team of Fagerholm, Colby Delia, Michael Annesley, and Xavier Williams placed second in 1:42.12.

Rick Irving was seventh in the 200 freestyle race in 1:54.47. Irving came in 13th in the 100 with a time of 52.88.

Fagerholm was runner-up in the 200 individual medley, making his final touch in 2:01.11. Annesley was fifth in the IM in 2:06.64.

The Nighthawks had a trio of top-ten finishers in the 50 free as Mason Suba placed sixth in 23.57, and Delia and Williams tied for eighth, each clocking in at 23.63.

Kyle Gaynor was Newtown's top diver, placing fourth with a score of 388.70. Aidan Stout placed 13th with a score of 281.10.

Annesley was third in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.83. Suba was fifth in the fly in 55.91.

In the 100 free, Williams recorded a sixth-place result with a time of 51.66.

David Lawrence was tenth in the 500 free, making his final touch in 5:09.05.

Lawrence also finished 12th in the 200 free in 1:56.69. Sean McCleary was 13th in the 500, making his final touch in 5:31.56.

Yu was 15th in the 100 backstroke in 1:03.49, and Mckinley Seaver placed 23rd in the backstroke race in 1:09.98.

The 200 free relay, comprising Suba, Annesley, Delia, and Lawrence, was third in 1:33.10.

Newtown's fastest finisher in the 100 breaststroke race was Delia, who placed seventh in 1:06.76.

In the final event of the meet, the 400 free relay contingent of Suba, Williams, Lawrence, and Fagerholm was third in 3:22.38.

"That last relay was fantastic," Fielding said.

Kevin Tran placed 19th in the 200 IM with a time of 2:23.83 and 18th in the 100 breaststroke in 1:12.94. Josh Bent was 25th in the IM with a time of 2:32.44. Mike Yu was 21st in the 50 with a time of 25.11. Jack Wojtowicz was 21st in the 100 butterfly in 1:03.32.

Newtown had a pair of state qualifiers - Williams in the 50 and Irving in the 100 - as they join team members in getting ready for the Class LL state championships.

The state trials will take place on Saturday, March 10, in East Hartford, with the finals on Wednesday, March 14, in Middletown.

Fielding said his state meet swimmers have yet to log their best times.

"I think we're setting up really solidly for states," said Fielding, adding that practice time will go a along way toward success. "We've got a lot of work to do this week."