It seemed that pretty much everything that could stand in the way of success for Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team did this spring. And yet, at the end of the day, it was quite the successful campaign for the Nighthawk laxmen.

Beginning with a nearly team-wide coronavirus quarantine that wiped out the preseason and continuing with a deluge of injuries to key players, the Nighthawks certainly had their share of obstacles.

Coach Scott Bulkley, who had a no-excuses, hold-players-accountable approach, was pretty impressed with what his at-times patchwork roster accomplished in winning a dozen games, including a South-West Conference tournament quarterfinal contest and a Class L state playoff qualifying round tilt. Newtown, the No. 11 team in the state bracket, saw its challenging but ultimately rewarding campaign come to an end at the hands of No. 6 Simsbury, but not before nearly pulling an upset with a backup goaltender (see related story about Markus Paltauf) and banged up roster.

Newtown fell 9-8 to Simsbury in what Bulkley described as a hard-fought game. His team nearly dug itself out of a big deficit and tied it in the last few seconds.

Tanner Trede had three goals and an assist, Colin Breslin had two goals, Ryan Ruddy notched two goals and an assist, Jake Bulkley recorded a goal and an assist, and Connor Breslin added a goal. Shaine Luzietti picked up eight ground balls. Paltauf made nine saves.

“I thought everybody played extremely hard,” Bulkley said. “I thought that, for the most part, we had a solid season.”

Senior Jeffrey Garrity, a standout scorer as a sophomore — don’t forget, last season was canceled due to the coronavirus — was out this year with an injury. Attacks Will Wallace and Sam Steare were in and out of the lineup at different times. Top scorer Brandon Mank and Mark Sokk, one of the team’s top midfielders, got injured. Midfielder Elijah Williams was also hurt. The injury to starting goaltender Jake Dandrea in the conference playoffs was the icing on this bitter-tasting injury cake.

Lots of players stepped up from the junior varsity ranks or changed positions for the betterment of the team — and the makeshift approach worked.

Trede and Bulkley were never off the field. Trede logged a whopping 75 points — a credit to his abilities and a product of being on the field so much, Bulkley said.

Connor Breslin and Bulkley both recorded 44 points. A long pole middie, Bulkley saw time on attack and put up high point totals for any player, much less a long stick player.

Defender Luzietti bumped up to help out with draws since Trede and Bulkley, along with Ruddy and Sokk, would otherwise have been beaten up too much with all of their time on the field, which included time battling for possession off the face-offs.

Mike Haddick was an unsung hero, Bulkley noted, for switching positions to help out the middle of the defense.

“They didn’t complain. They worked really hard,” Bulkley said of his players who made adjustments to help the team.

T.J. O’Connell stepped up and played defensive middie and showed his speed all over the field. Among the younger, less experienced players who rose through the ranks quickly due to injuries was Isaiah Williams, who was new to defense this year and made his mark. Midfielder Colby Harrell and attack players Steare and Colin Breslin stepped up as well. Fisher Stites came up from the JV ranks and contributed with face-offs.

Bulkley credited defensive coach Steve Groccia and his brother, JV coach Nick Groccia, for bringing players along.

The Newtown head coach said he is looking forward to seeing further growth and development of his up-and-coming players next spring.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.