UPDATE: The Monday, March 13, semifinal has been moved to an earlier start time of 6 pm due to snow. The game between NHS and Fairfield Ludlowe will take place at neutral site Trumbull High as planned.

The defense did it again. Newtown High School's girls' basketball team, the No. 3 seed in the Class LL State Tournament, held No. 11 Fairfield Warde to its lowest point total of the season in a 34-28 win at home in the quarterfinals on March 8.

Bella Gerace scored 15 points to lead the offense. A collective shutdown effort on D, led by Gerace, Izzy Caron, Allie Bradley, Ava Rochester, Macey Cuomo, and Bridget McCleary NHS again shut down the opposition's offense. Newtown beat Norwich Free Academy 36-19 in the second round after a first-round bye.

With the win, the Nighthawks are back in the state semifinals for the first time since 2020, but that season was cut short due to the impact of the coronavirus; the season was halted after the quarterfinal round.

This time around, Newtown is looking forward to a chance to play for the right to get to the pinnacle game. The Nighthawks last did that in 2012 when they won it all.

Newtown will face No. 2 and unbeaten Fairfield Ludlowe in the semis on Monday, March 13. The game will take place at neutral site Trumbull High at 7 pm. Ludlowe held Warde to its previous low point total in a 44-29 win during the regular slate.