By Kim J. Harmon

Matt Saunders can’t believe that his high school athletic career has come to an end.

But at least he’s going out on top.

Matt, 18, a senior middie with the Newtown High School lacrosse team, was named to the CIAC Division II All-State team – an honor that puts a final emphasis on what has been a truly solid career.

“I was honorable mention last year,” said Matt, “so one of my goals was to get All-State. It was something to reach for. And when I found out I was, like, wow – one of the top middies in the state.”

For good reason, too.

Sure, Matt scored 46 goals and assisted on 22 others for 68 points, but his offensive capabilities were only part of it. He was also a big physical presence for a Nighthawk team that did not boast a whole lot of size.

And then there is his determination.

In an 11-10 loss to New Fairfield this year, Matt – on his own – took on the Rebel defense twice as the ‘Hawks struggled to get back into a game that was threatening to slip further and further away from them.

“I just got frustrated,” Matt admitted, “and I used that frustration and anger and ran straight through them.”

It was all those things, put together, that made him the player he was.

“I always feel I can do better,” he admitted. “I always feel I can get that extra goal, that extra assist. But I definitely feel that I played well this year.”

The whole team played well, although maybe not as well as they would have hoped. But it was still a turnaround from a disappointing 1999 season and an even more disappointing 2000 season where there were more problems than can be documented here.

But this year saw the arrival of coach Brian Micena – a three-time All American and former coach at Fairfield Prep (one of Newtown’s most formidable rivals) – and Matt thought it was just what Newtown needed.

“He had a program,” said Matt, “and he made it pretty clear how he wanted things done. He taught us how to move the ball around and play as a team – which was one thing we were really good at.”

And coach Micena brought discipline, which was sorely lacking.

“Everyone needs discipline in their lives,” said Matt. “It was one of the things sports teaches you.”

So it was a new-look team this year . . . a team that finished 8-8 overall. That’s not too bad, considering the 6-10 record of the year before, but the ‘Hawks lost to Brookfield in the South-West Conference semi-finals (and once during the regular season) and then were handled pretty easily by Ridgefield in the first round of the CIAC Division II state tournament.

The first loss to Brookfield rankled the ‘Hawks the most, but Matt saw a silver lining in that black cloud.

“Even when we lost to Brookfield,” he said, “we could tell people were getting better. We were improving and that’s something we hadn’t seen the past couple of years.”

Matt will be heading to Union College in New York this fall and will play both football and lacrosse (he was, in fact, recruited for both). Difficult, sure, but Matt – the kid they say was born with a helmet on – is confident.

“I think Union will be good for me,” said Matt, who plans on majoring in computer science. “It’s Division III, so I have a chance to be All-League or something. I have been working so hard for so long.”

And now with graduation just a few days away, Matt has a few months to reflect on his career.

Even though he still can’t believe it’s all over.