NHS Swimmers Cap Off Season With 21st At State Open

By Andy Hutchison

NEW HAVEN — A select handful of Newtown High School’s boys’ swimmers were among the best of the best from Connecticut at the State Open at Yale’s Kiphuth Pool on March 19.

Newtown, represented by Abben Hung, Dan Hufziger, Nick Lafky, Conor Donnelly, and Logan Mammen, scored 74 points and placed 21st among 53 schools to score points at the year-end event. Greenwich, with 388 points, won the title.

Among the highlights of the day was Hufziger’s school record-setting performance in the 50-yard free style event. Hufziger placed eighth in the race in a time of 21.94, for 19 points.

“It feels good that my training finally paid off after all of the hard work,” Hufziger said. “I just wanted to do my best in my last 50 free ever in high school.”

Newtown’s 200-yard medley relay team of Hufziger, Hung, Lafky, and Mammen placed 17th in a time of 1:43.12 for 16 points.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Hung, Mammen, Donnelly, and Hufziger placed tenth in 1:30.03 for 34 points.

Hung was 20th in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in 1:02.38 for five points.

Swimmers from all over the state represented their schools and competed before a family and friends who packed the high-rising stands that surrounded the pool in a loud stadium setting. Just being a part of the meet — no matter what the results — was a thrill for the participants.

“This is definitely one of the best venues in Connecticut. It gets really loud — and gets exciting,” Newtown Coach Zach Gauvin said.

“It’s amazing. It’s my first time ever swimming here. It’s really intense — it’s a once in a lifetime experience,” Mammen said.

Newtown had placed eighth in the 20-team Class LL State Championships at Hamden High on March 12. NHS scored 249.5 points in that meet. Greenwich, with 667, won the championship.

In the LL meet, Newtown’s 200 medley relay squad finished in 1:43.40 for seventh place and the 200 free relay squad was eighth in 1:31.11. The 400 free relay team of Lafky, George Delia, Mammen, and Donnelly, was tenth in 3:30.94. In other top-ten results for the Nighthawks, Hufziger (22.15) and Hung (22.38) were sixth and seventh in the 50 free. Hufziger placed seventh in the 100 free, making his final touch in 49.81. Hung was sixth in the breaststroke event, finishing the race in 1:01.36, and Lafky was ninth in the breaststroke in 1:02.10.

Newtown’s Maggie Korth, with a score of 276.50, was 16th in the diving competition. Teammate Sam Freitas was 24th with a score of 244.55.