Boys’ Tennis Team First In SWC, Embarks On Championship Pursuit

By Andy Hutchison

Regardless of what the Nighthawks do in the postseason, they’ll always have the claim to fame as being the regular-season champions. Newtown High School’s boys’ tennis team ended the season with only one conference loss — to Bunnell of Stratford — and two overall following a season-ending 4-3 nonconference setback to Pomperaug of Southbury on Monday.

The Nighthawks finished tied with Weston for the best record in the South-West Conference but, by virtue of their 5-2 win over the Trojans, earn the tiebreaker advantage and, thus — are the SWC champions.

Now the next step: Trying to duplicate that pinnacle finish in the conference tournament.

The first-place finish presents the Hawks with somewhat of a double-edged sword scenario. Sure, Newtown is the best in the SWC, but with that comes a date with the No. 4 team, which happens to be Bunnell, in the semifinals. The two teams were slated to square off on Thursday (after The Bee went to press) for the right to compete in the championship match on Monday, May 24.

The winner will face the victor of the Pomperaug-Weston match for all of the marbles. The SWC’s individual tourney will follow on May 26 and 27 at Wolfe Park in Monroe.

The Nighthawks had their final postseason tune-ups this past week and ended the campaign with a 6-1 win over New Milford on May 13, a 7-0 win over Masuk of Monroe on May 15, and the 4-3 setback to Pomperaug on Monday.

No. 1 singles player Timo Roehrs won a pair of two-set matches before falling in the Pomperaug clash. No. 2 Peter Manos followed suit, and No. 3 Rob Beier and No. 4 Casey Tenney each won all three matches they played in the final week of the regular campaign — all winning with relative ease in two sets, although fought through a tiebreaker and 7-5 win along the way.

In doubles play, the No. 1 duo of Connor Howell and Colin Jacob picked up one win in the final week with a two-set triumph in the Masuk match. No. 2 player Rich Andreotta combined with Tyler Ruefenacht to win in the New Milford and Pomperaug matches, and teamed with Cam McCleary to win in the Masuk battle. At No. 3, the combination of McCleary and Sean Elliott were victorious against New Milford, Ricky Fuentes and Yoshi Kohrmann Glaser won in the Masuk match, and McCleary and Kieran Lardner fell in the Pomperaug match.

The Nighthawks, 12-2 overall, won all of their team matches with at least five individual/doubles wins during the regular campaign.