New Feel For Young Nighthawk Softball Squad This Season

By Andy Hutchison

For the past several years, Newtown High School’s softball team has been among the top schools in the South-West Conference. The loss of six players, between graduation and some team members opting not to return to the diamond, leaves Coach Bob Guererra with an overall young team, and having to take a new approach this spring.

“This year, it’s a different kind of excitement — it’s a different kind of challenge. Some years, it was just a matter of putting the right people in the right spot and letting them play. Now, it’s a matter of trying to find exactly where all the pieces to the puzzle fall, and there might be a lot of changes,” Guererra said. “You’re back to really basic coaching, which is really a lot of fun. I’m very enthusiastic about it.”

Newtown has freshmen in several positions, including the pitching circle, and underclassmen all over the field this spring. The team also has a fair amount of talent back in the fold.

Among the key players who return are senior captains, left fielder Mady Hauck and second baseman Nora Murphy, along with junior catcher/center fielder Jess Gibbons, junior outfielder Courtney Escoda, and sophomore infielders Danielle Shine and Kayla O’Leary. Sophomores Abi Kuligowski and Karlie Kuligowski, right fielder and second baseman, respectively, along with freshman infielder Mikayla Kuligowski and freshman catcher/first and third baseman Emily Woznick are among the younger, up-and-coming players in the program. Freshman pitcher Gillian Galante is expected to take over in the circle, Guererra said.

The Nighthawks are coming off a quarterfinal round exit in the South-West Conference Tournament, and a second-round defeat in the Class LL state tournament after a 13-7 regular season. The Nighthawks will strive to be competitive while building for the future with so many young team members on the roster.

Newtown was scheduled to begin the season against back-to-back FCIAC opponents, Ridgefield and St Joseph of Trumbull, April 5 and 7, before visiting Pomperaug of Southbury on April 9 and Masuk of Monroe on April 11.

The team’s first home game is set for April 13 when Bethel visits Newtown High School for a 4:15 pm game.