Boys’ Lacrosse—

NHS Learns From Opening Week’s Ups And Downs

By Andy Hutchison

The Newtown High School boys’ lacrosse team sampled the best of both worlds in their season-opening week of action. First, the Nighthawks Hawks rolled to an easy 16-1 win over South-West Conference foe Immaculate on April 2. Then, in their second game of the year, the Nighthawks visited nonconference opponent Fairfield Prep and, in some ways, took a dose of their own medicine in an 18-6 loss this past Saturday.

The Nighthawks got off on the right foot and had a confidence-boosting win before testing themselves in a game that was put on the schedule by Coach Brian Micena to give his players some exposure to the best possible competition around.

Fairfield Prep, the defending Class L state champion, was ranked 19th in the STX/Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top 25 High School Poll. The Hawks, although having gained some confidence from their 16-goal outburst earlier in the week, knew they would be in for a tough challenge against Prep.

“Playing such a tough team early — it’s a risk-reward situation,” Micena said. “I think it exposes some of the weaknesses we have. I always believe you try to play the best you can play and see where you are.”

The good thing about playing a team such as Prep early in the season is that it gives the Nighthawks an understanding of the areas in which they need to improve, and leaves them with most of the season with which to work and build off any strong points they could pull from the game.

At times, the Nighthawks executed well, and Micena said his team’s midfield — led by Will Mahoney, Jacob Dauz, and Kyle O’Connor — is its strongest suit early in the campaign.

Newtown goaltender Max Bietel played well despite the outcome, Micena said. If the Nighthawks can improve on defense and in movement without the ball, they will fare better, the coach believes.

 “Guys were ball watching too much,” said Micena, whose team saw Prep build a 12-2 lead by halftime.

“It was definitely a good measuring stick game,” said NHS attack player Brendan Martin, who had a goal and an assist. “We’ve got to play a little bit smarter and play a lot looser — we were a bit tight.”

Understandably so when you consider who the opponent was. Micena and the Nighthawks believe they will be a formidable opponent themselves when everything is clicking.

“I think when we play well, we’ll be tough to scout because we don’t have set plays — they play off each other,” Micena said of his players.

Dauz had a pair of goals and an assist and Mahoney added a goal and an assist in the defeat to Prep. Mahoney and Kevin Canavan both tallied four goals in the win over Immaculate. The Nighthawks will look to learn from the Prep game and build off the positives from the Immaculate game as the season unfolds. “They moved the ball well and the guys found the right openings,” Micena said of the performance against Immaculate.

The Nighthawks got back to their winning ways with a 14-3 win over Brookfield on Tuesday and were slated to host Pomperaug on Thursday (after The Bee sports section went to press). Beginning on Saturday with a game at Branford, the Hawks will play five of their next six games away from home. Their next home tilt is April 21 against Notre Dame-Fairfield (4 pm at Treadwell Park).