Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team built a five-goal lead and hung on for a 7-5 victory over visiting Weston in the South-West Conference tournament quarterfinals, on May 21.

The fourth-seeded Nighthawks got three goals from Jared Pearson, two from David MacKinnon, and one each off the sticks of Matt Meyers and Ryan Sullivan, as they built a 7-2 lead early in the fourth quarter. No. 5 Weston got the last three goals, although Newtown’s lead was never in serious jeopardy; the Trojans scored their final goal with 20 seconds remaining. Goaltender Jon Rospenda made 11 saves for the Nighthawks.

With the win, the defending conference champion Nighthawks earn a date with top-seeded New Milford in the semifinals, scheduled to be played at neutral site Brookfield High, on Tuesday, May 26, beginning at 7 pm. The winner advances to the title game at Joel Barlow in Redding, on Thursday, May 28, also at 7 pm. Newtown edged New Milford 8-7, one of eight one-goal nail-biters the team played this spring, back on April 30.