By Kim J. Harmon

March did not come like a lion – not for Newtown High School basketball.

No, it came in with a bit of a whimper as the girls’ basketball team was bounced from the CIAC Class LL tournament with an 83-48 second-round loss to No. 1 seed Manchester and the boys’ basketball team was bounced from the CIAC Class III state tournament with a 56-50 first-round loss to No. 7 seed Morgan.

There are a couple of loose ends to tie up (such as the CIAC Class LL and CIAC State Open swim championships where Newtown swimmers could make a little noise), but winter (despite what it looks like outside the window) is in the rear view mirror.

It’s time to look forward to spring.

But first –

SWIMMING

SWC Championships

With Brookfield and Pomperaug embroiled in a titanic battle in the water, a team title at the South-West Conference championships last Saturday was simply out of the question for the Newtown High School swim team.

But there is a lot more to a conference championship meet than what school (like Brookfield) walks away with the title.

There are the individual titles.

Like the one senior co-captain Andrew Heller captured in the 100-yard butterfly with a blistering two-second drop in his seed time and a 54.47 finish. Heller blew away the field … but especially top-seeded Matthew Noonan of Weston (56.48).

“Two weeks ago I swam with my USS team and got down to a 55.5,” said Heller, who helped lead the Nighthawks to a fourth-place finish overall, “and I was really getting excited. I knew I could beat this kid.”

There was a strong field in the final heat of the 100 butterfly with Chris Delcasino of Brookfield. Anthony Bruno of Pomperaug and Donny Allen of New Fairfield and the first 50 yards was pretty tight, but Heller started to take control off the second turn before opening a commanding lead off the final turn.

“I wanted to take the first 50 at a solid pace,” said Heller, “and by the second 50 try to pick up the pace. My arms were dragging on that last lap.”

But he had enough left in the tank to touch the wall ahead of Allen (55.92), Delcasino (56.19), Bruno (56.46), Noonan (56.48) and Greg Kovacs of Masuk (56.87). And now he wants to do more.

“The school record is a 53.57,” said Heller, “but I’d like to get into the 52s. We’ll see what happens. Even if I don’t do it in high school, I have the Y nationals coming up and I’d like to do it there.”

Heller is not the only Newtown swimmer to have a strong performance at the SWCs, however. Senior co-captain Chris Jacob finished fifth in the 50-yard freestyle (just .31 seconds out of first) and finished third in the 100-yard freestyle (just .97 seconds out of first). While he shaved off a quarter second in the 50, Jacob shaved more than a second-and-a-half off his 100 seed time and came within .77 seconds of setting a new school record in the event.

Stefan Toi finished fifth in the 200-yard individual medley and then finished sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke. Jake Maher was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke while Max Barrett was sixth in the 100-yard freestyle and Anthony Fiore was sixth in the 100-yard backstroke.

Meanwhile, the 200 medley relay foursome of Fiore, Jake Maher, Heller and Jacob finished second to Brookfield (just .29 seconds out of first). The 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay teams both earned fourth-place finishes.

In some other action in the championship meet, Dave Modzelewski shaved nearly eight seconds off his seed time in the 200-yard freestyle, dropping from a 2:12.47 to a 2:04.71; Fiore and Maher both shaved nearly three seconds off their seed times in the 200-yard individual medley; and Dave LaMarche dropped about three seconds in the 100-yard butterfly.

The CIAC Trials will begin Saturday at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven with the finals to follow on Tuesday, March 15, at Wesleyan University in Middletown. The CIAC State Open will close out the 2004-05 season on Saturday, March 19, at Yale in New Haven.

Individual results –

200 medley relay – 1. Brookfield 1:45.38, 2. Newtown 1:45.67, 3. New Fairfield 1:45.96, 4. Bethel 1:48.68, 5. Weston 1:48.85, 6. Pomperaug 1:53.36.

200 freestyle – 1. Mike Traynor (NF) 1:47.97, 2. Billy Magin (BR) 1:50.53, 3. Kevin Thai (BE) 1:52.42, 4. Andrew Shand (P) 1:56.82, 5. Julian Lui (M) 1:57.52, 6. Matt Reiff (BR) 1:57.81.

200 individual medley – 1. Travis McNamara (P) 2:04.67, 2. Danny Palmiotto (BR) 2:05.87, 3. David Ely (BR) 2:07.13, 4. Andrew Altman (NF) 2:07.77, 5. Stefan Toi (N) 2:08.89, 6. Andrew Heller (N) 2:09.53.

50 freestyle – 1. Donny Allen (P) 23.23, 2. Max Sackerson (BR) 23.29, 3. Chris Delcasino (BR) 23.30, 4. Anthony Bruno (P) 23.48, 5. Chris Jacob (N 23.54, 6. Carl James (BR) 23.72.

Diving – 1. Jon Andrews (P) 329.75, 2. Brian Sobel (BU) 317.70, 3. Adam Duffield (BR) 316.65, 4. Mike Joyal (NF) 290.85, 5. Andrew Ciaccio (P) 288.95, 6. Zack Krassin (W) 283.60.

100 butterfly – 1. Andrew Heller (N) 54.77, 2. Donny Allen (NF) 55.92, 3. Chris Delcasino (BR) 56.19, 4. Anthony Bruno (P) 56.46, 5. Matthew Noonan (W) 56.48, 6. Greg Kovacs (M) 56.87.

100 freestyle – 1. Travis McNamara (P) 49.73, 2. Billy Magin (BR) 49.88, 3. Chris Jacob (N) 50.70, 4. Andrew Altman (NF) 51.37, 5. Carl James (BR) 52.30, 6. Max Barrett (N) 53.09.

500 freestyle – 1. Mike Traynor (NF) 4:57.47, 2. Tim Krompinger (NF) 4:59.95, 3. Greg Kovacs (M) 5:06.86, 4. Brian Jones (BR) 5:08.75, 5. Matt Sorena (BR) 5:15.08, 6. Dan Theleen (P) 5:18.15.

200 freestyle relay – 1. Brookfield 1:31.68, 2. Pomperaug 1:32.27, 3. New Fairfield 1:32.96, 4. Newtown 1:37.85, 5. Weston 1:39.66, 6. Bunnell 1:40.75.

100 backstroke – 1. Tim Krompinger (NF) 56.31, 2. Danny Palmiotto (BR) 57.37, 3. David Ely (BR) 57.78, 4. Kevin Thai (BE) 58.14, 5. Matt Werner (NF) 59.07, 6. Anthony Fiore (N) 59.39.

100 breaststroke – 1. Max Sackerson (BR) 1:05.04, 2. Jonathan Thai (BE) 1:05.17, 3. Craig Jurgens (NF) 1:05.40, 4. Jake Maher (N) 1:06.49, 5. Bensen Thai (BE) 1:06.86, 6. Stefan Toi (N)1:06.89.

400 freestyle relay – 1. New Fairfield 3:22.15, 2. Brookfield 3:24.02, 3. Pomperaug 3:24.26, 4. Newtown 3:27.46, 5. Masuk 3:37.59, 6. Bethel 3:41.23.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Newtown 61, Newington 53

Manchester 83, Newtown 48

Although the reward for winning a first-round CIAC Class LL state tournament game against Newington was more like a curse (a visit to top-seeded and undefeated Manchester), that doesn’t mean the Newtown High School girls’ basketball team was ambivalent about whether it won or lost.

Oh, on the contrary.

When the Lady Nighthawks fell behind 10 points in the second quarter to the Lady Indians, instead of folding up shop and turning their focus to spring and the final few months of the school years, the ‘Hawks picked up the pace and roared back to capture a 61-53 win.

“With the snow days and the early dismissals,” said Meg Kelley, “we didn’t get a lot of time to practice and that hurt us early on. But the seniors realized this could be our last game and we knew we had to step it up.”

The ‘Hawks did get off to a fast start, taking a 10-4 lead in the first quarter on buckets by Carly Curran, Kelley (the first of three three-pointers), Ashley LaRocque and Siobhan Cooper. But the locals fell into a funk as the Lady Indians raced off on a 20-4 run to take a 24-14 lead midway through the second period.

At that point, Kelley had just five points.

By the close of the third period, she had 23.

“I didn’t want to lose this game,” said Kelley, who finished the season with 383 points – the fifth-best single season total in school history. “We were playing decently, but I knew I had to step it up.”

Kelley broke up the Lady Indians’ run with a pair of baskets – one off an assist from Ciara Simek and the other off a steal by Katie O’Connor and assist by LaRocque. When LaRocque closed out the half with a drive to the basket and a foul, the ‘Hawks had trimmed the deficit to just six points.

And they battled through the third period to inch closer. Cooper and LaRocque canned baskets in the period, but it was the Meg Kelley show as the senior hit four baskets and went 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Her steals and subsequent basket with seven seconds left in the third gave the ‘Hawks the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

The Lady Indians grabbed the lead back at the start of the fourth period with a three-pointer from the corner, but Kelley canned a pair of free throws to tie the score, then made a steal and dished off to Cooper for a basket that put the ‘Hawks up for good.

With a 12-1 run, the locals took a pretty commanding 52-43 lead, but the Lady Indians inched to within one point with 1:25 left to play. But O’Connor sank a basket in the low post with 1:08 to go and Curran added a basket on the fly with 37.5 seconds as the ‘Hawks closed out the game on an 8-0 run.

Kelley led all scorers with 25 points while Cooper added 11 and LaRocque chipped in with nine. Curran closed out the game with eight points, five of those coming in the final 37.5 seconds of the game.

And so the ‘Hawks moved on to the second round and – as expected by most – were bounced from the tournament by the undefeated Lady Indians of Manchester. The Indians exploded for 28 points in the first quarter and never looked back in the 83-48 win.

Kelley led Newtown with 16 points while Curran added 12 and LaRocque and Cooper chipped in with eighth points apiece. The Lady Indians had three players in double figures, with Khalia Cain popping in 17 points and Shanika Hines adding 16.

The ‘Hawks close out the 2004-05 season at 14-9.

Newtown 61, Newington 53

NEWTOWN (61): Meg Kelley 7 8-8 25, Darcy Fiscella 0 0-0 0, Katie O’Connor 1 0-0 2, Ashley LaRocque 4 1-3 9, Carly Curran 4 0-0 8, Ciara Simek 1 2-4-4, Siobhan Cooper 4 3-3 11, Kristi Nowak 0 2-4 2, Christie Iwanicki 0 0-0 0, Kacey Foehrenbach 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 16-22 61.

NEWINGTON (53): Kelly McVey 6 3-4 17, Rochelle Tucker 2 0-0 4, Carly Schroder 4 2-3 11, Jen Clevland 5 3-6 13, Allie Bazzaho 2 1-1 6, Nicole Grimaldi 0 0-0 0, Amanda Sheehan 0 0-0 0, Andrea Almeida 0 2-2 2. TOTALS: 18 11-16 53.

Three-pointers: Meg Kelley (N) 3, McVey (NE) 2, Schroder (NE), Bazzaho (NE).

Manchester 83, Newtown 48

NEWTOWN (48): Meg Kelley 6 4-5 16, Darcy Fiscella 0 0-0 0, Katie O’Connor 1 0-0 2, Ashley LaRocque 4 0-4 8, Carly Curran 4 3-3 12, Ciara Simek 0 0-0 0, Siobhan Cooper 3 2-4 8, Kristi Nowak 0 0-2 0, Christie Iwanicki 1 0-0 2, Kacey Foehrenbach 0 0-0 0, Jill Logan 0 0-0 0, Amy Kelly 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 9-18 48.

MANCHESTER (83): Khalia Cain 8 0-0 17, Stephanie Goss 5 0-0 10, Leanne Crockett 4 0-0 9, Madel Gimpes 2 0-0 4, Shanika Hines 6 1-1 16, Carrie Adams 3 0-0 6, Samantha Murphy 2 0-0 6, Erica Santos 1 0-0 2, Kara Peruccio 3 1-1 7, Shaina Barr 1 0-0 2, Vardezka Marcano 1 0-0 2, Amanda Moroles 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 37 2-2 83.

Three-pointers: Hines (M) 3, Murphy (M) 2, Crockett (M), Cain (M).

BOYS BASKETBALL

Morgan 56, Newtown 50

It came down to a couple of runs and some questionable officiating and just like that the Newtown High School boys’ basketball team saw its 2004-05 season come to an end Monday night with a 56-50 loss to Morgan in the first round of the CIAC Class III state tournament.

It was a 9-0 Morgan run in the second period (with Newtown ahead 21-15) and an 8-0 Morgan run in the fourth period (with the score tied 42-42) that did most of the damage, but were not helped by some calls (and some missed calls) that had head coach John Quinn scratching his head at the end of the game.

With the loss, the ‘Hawks fell to 8-14 … their first losing record in six years.

The ‘Hawks took a quick 6-2 lead in this game with buckets by Brennan Coakley, Marcus Tracy and Kyle Lyddy, but only Coakley – on a reverse layup – would drop in a bucket in the rest of the period as the Huskies took a 10-8 lead.

In the second, Anthony Santella tied the score with a baseline jumper and after the Huskies went up by one with a free throw, Josh Rouse scored six consecutive points and the next eight Newtown points as the locals took an 18-15 lead.

When Kevin Troy canned a three-pointer from the corner, the ‘Hawks had their largest lead of the game, 21-15.

But then it was the Huskies’ turn and with the aid of a three-pointer and 4-of-6 shooting from the foul line, the hosts went off on a 9-0 run that closed out the first half and had the ‘Hawks facing a 24-21 deficit.

Joe DeVellis took care of that deficit early in the third with a three-pointer that tied the score and after Coakley, Rouse and Tracy scored baskets the ‘Hawks had regained the lead, 30-26. The locals maintained that lead for most of the period until the Huskies scored on a drive in the lane to take a 36-34 lead. DeVellis drained another three (off a steal by Santella under the hoop), but the Huskies regained the lead at the close of the third.

In the fourth, the ‘Hawks fell as much as five points behind before Tracy hit another three-pointer and Rouse banked in a putback to tie the score, 42-42. The momentum seemed to be shifting, but that was when the Huskies went on an 8-0 run to – for all intents and purposes – put the game away.

The ‘Hawks did not score again until Troy hit a three from the corner with 59 seconds left to play. Tracy hit another three and Rouse scored on a late drive to the basket, but Morgan shot 6-of-8 from the line to keep the locals at bay.

Rouse finished with 16 points while Tracy chipped in with 10. Joe Manning of Morgan led all scorers with 17 points while Travis Budkus added 14.

Morgan 56, Newtown 50

NEWTOWN (50): Josh Rouse 7 2-2 16, Marcus Tracy 4 0-0 10, Ryan McGrath 0 0-0 0, Kyle Lyddy 1 0-0 2, Joe DeVellis 3 0-1 8, Kevin Troy 2 0-0 6, Kevin Quinn 0 0-0 0, Brennan Coakley 3 0-1 6, Anthony Santella 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 27 2-4 50.

MORGAN (56): Brian Costello 2 4-4 9, Steve Mahier 4 3-6 11, Joe Manning 8 1-3 17, Travis Budkus 4 6-9 14, Kyle Bogucki 1 1-2 3, Matt Graham 1 0-0 2, Ryan Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Drew Richards 0 0-0 0, Phil Eininger 0 0-0 0, Matt Sommo 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20 15-24 56.

Class III

  1. Coventry           20-0

  2. Litchfield          19-1

  3. Avon  18-2

  4. Shepaug Valley 18-2

  5. Tolland              17-2

  6. Enfield               17-3

  7. Morgan             17-3

  8. Platt Tech         15-5

  9. Windham          13-7

10. Ellis Tech           13-7

11. Sport and Med. 11-7

12. Goodwin Tech  11-7

13. Woodland         12-8

14. Farmington       12-8

15. Brookfield         11-9

16. Stonington        11-9

17. Naugatuck        11-9

18. Kennedy            10-10

19. Plainville           10-10

20. Waterford         10-10

21. Fairfield Ludlowe             9-11

22. E.O. Smith         9-11

23. East Catholic     9-11

24. Pomperaug        9-11

25. Wilbur Cross      8-12

26. Newtown          8-12

27. Jonathan Law   8-12

28. East Lyme         8-12

29. Bethel               8-12

30. RHAM               8-12