Nighthawk Swimmers Third In Class L, 16th In Open; Hufziger Breaks Record

By Andy Hutchison

NEW HAVEN — Newtown High School’s boys’ swimming and diving team placed third in the Class L State Swimming and Diving Championships and came in 26th at the State Open this past week.

The Nighthawks scored 393.5 points at the Class L meet and were narrowly beaten out for second place by Cheshire (394.5). Pomperaug of Southbury won the event, which included 21 point-accumulating teams, with 852.5 points. The Class L meet swim finals were held at Wesleyan University on March 17 and the Class L diving finals were held at Bulkeley High in Hartford on March 11.

“The class meet was a tremendous effort by everyone involved for our entire team that was there,” Newtown Coach Matt Childs said.

Dan Hufziger, in the State Open, broke the Newtown High 50-yard freestyle record that had stood since 1976, Childs said.

At the State Open championship, held at Yale University’s Kiphuth Memorial Exhibition Pool on March 20, Newtown scored 56 points. Pomperaug led a field of 55 teams with 489 points.

 

Class L

Newtown’s highlights from the Class L meet are as follows:

Relay results:

In the 200-yard medley relay event the team of Hufziger, Michael Hubbard, Matt Iassogna, and Abben Hung placed fifth in a time of 1:42.25. In the 200 free relay, Hufziger, Hung, Kyle O’Connor, and Luke Fiore were third in 1:29.42. The 400 free relay team of O’Connor, George Delia, Conor Donnelly, and Fiore placed sixth in 3:25.97.

Individual results:

200 freestyle: Fiore, fifth (1:48.22).

200 individual medley: Donnelly, 15th (2:09.47).

50 free: Hufziger, fourth (22.21); Hung, 13th (22.90); O’Connor, 22nd (23.88); Hubbard, 24th (24.02).

100 butterfly: Iassogna, eighth (57.17); O’Connor, tenth (58.20); Delia, 16th (1:00.19).

100 free: Fiore, sixth, 48.86; Hufziger, 11th (49.66).

500 free: Donnelly, sixth, 5:00.15; Delia, 13th (5:11.63).

100 backstroke: Iassogna, 22nd (1:03.38).

100 breaststroke: Hung, eighth (1:02.00); Hubbard, 16th (1:06.47); Nick Lafky, 18th (1:06.59).

Diving: Maggie Korth, 12th (289.80 points); Zack Bennett, 14th (284.45); Shawn Mangold, 24th (248.60).

 

State Open

Results from the State Open are as follows:

Relay results:

In the 200 medley relay, Hufziger, Hubbard, Iassogna, and Hung placed 21st in a time of 1:43.47. The 200 free relay team of Hufziger, Hung, O’Connor, and Fiore was 16th in 1:30.72.

Individual results:

200 free: Fiore, 17th (1:47.33).

50 free: Hufziger, 12th (22.06).

100 free: Fiore, 21st (49.11).

100 breaststroke: Hung, 22nd (1:03.01).

Yale’s pool complex was built back in 1932 and features steep stands that seemingly put the fans on top of the swimmers. The Open features the best of the best from all four classes throughout the state and the energy pushes the participants to swim their best in the season-finale. It was also a career-finale for the seniors, including Fiore. “I’m going to miss it a lot,” he said.

“It’s a great place to have a meet. It’s loud, it’s crowded — and it really lends itself to some fast swimming,” Childs said of Kiphuth Pool.