NHS Boys’ Tennis—

Defending Champion Nighthawks  Back With New Look, Same Attitude

By Andy Hutchison

Coming off a run to the South-West Conference title in 2010, Newtown High School’s boys’ tennis team is looking to put together another memorable season this spring. Whatever amount of success the Nighthawks end up having will hinge on the efforts of proven returnees and how the newcomers do in filling the voids left by six graduates and a transfer.

Newtown has eight returning players, four of whom started last year, and all of whom have developed impressively during the winter, Coach Marty Margulies said.

The Nighthawks are led by No. 1 singles player and junior Rob Beier. The rest of the returnees, expected to be in a lineup that could be altered in the early going as Margulies gets a feel for his squad, are senior captain Connor Howell, and sophomores Cam McCleary, Tyler Ruefenacht, Sean Elliott, Ricky Fuentes, Yossie Kohrman-Glaser, and Adam Oehlberg. Margulies calls it a “dog fight” for positioning among the seven players for top singles spots behind Beier, along with the top doubles spots.

Newcomers are seniors Iain Baxter and Eric Sippin, junior Mason West, sophomore Karan Marwah, and freshmen Nic Klein, Charlie Poarch, and Jordan Trager, all of whom have showed promise in the early going.

Newtown went 14-2 a year ago, losing only to Bunnell of Stratford and Pomperaug of Southbury. Margulies believes this year’s version of the Hawks will have as strong a top eight (as in the four singles players and first two doubles teams) as they did a year ago, and the coach is looking forward to seeing which players will emerge as the third double tandem.

The coach believes his team has a strong nucleus back and, thus, he would like to see the team at least contend for a repeat conference championship performance. “I certainly expect us to challenge,” he said.

 Margulies points out that last year’s run to the SWC championship was a surprise and that he hopes for another unexpected run to the pinnacle. No matter how far Newtown goes this spring, Margulies has the goal of qualifying for the tourney as one of the conference’s top four teams, and at least being in position to defend the title once the regular season comes to a close.

The Nighthawks were scheduled to begin the campaign at Weston, in a rematch of last year’s SWC championship match, Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press). The Hawks will host Pomperaug of Southbury on Friday, April 8, at the new courts at NHS, beginning at 3:45 pm.

“They’re great kids with a terrific attitude and I’m looking forward to a very enjoyable season,” the coach said.