By Kim J. Harmon

More than simple numbers likes goals and batting averages, the measure of an athlete can be taken in their character, their will to succeed, their leadership and their willingness to do what it takes to get on the field and help the team.

Oh, the numbers are pretty good for juniors Meg Regnery (a team-high 59 goals for the girls’ lacrosse team) and Nick Magoulas (a .373 batting average for the baseball team), it is those other qualities they displayed which made it awfully difficult to overlook them as the Newtown High School Athletes of the Year, an award presented by The Newtown Bee.

Meg Regnery

Back in April, it seemed apparent to everyone – coaches and players alike – that the Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse team was going to continue muddling through the rebuilding process which began the year before. Thus, it was clear that Meg Regnery was going to have to do her best to carry the offense in 2004.

Pressure? Not for Regnery.

“It really motivated me,” she said. “I love playing under pressure.”

But after some big wins and a bunch of goals in the first couple of weeks, it became apparent that Regnery did not, in fact, have to carry the offense. Kelly Collier, Karli Beitel, Kate Fenton, Heidi Ekstrom, Kim Solheim – all of them had the potential to be explosive.

“(Early on) I knew I had to go in strong, be a leader, and set an example for the younger girls,” said Regnery. “There was a lot of pressure to be 110% at practice and at the games. But a lot of girls really stepped it up this year – a lot of girls.”

Even though the pressure seemed to be off, it didn’t slow Regnery down at all. The other girls scored a ton of goals and showed a lot of desire, but Regnery – who said she benefited a lot from the emergence of Beitel – led the way with 59 goals and an unquestionable will to succeed.

She credits head coach Sara Patrick and new assistant coach, Maura Fletcher, with pushing her in the right direction.

“Maura brought a lot of positives to the team and really motivated me to do my best,” said Regnery. “When I had a mental block with my shot, she went online and found a drill which helped me get it back.”

With her 59 goals, Regnery stands at 110 in her career – just 38 shy of the school record set by Ellie Champagne only two years ago. The record seems well within her reach, but when and if she eclipses that mark it will only be a by-product of her hard work and will to win.

“I love the sport and I just go out and play,” said Regnery. “I just really focus on the game and giving 110% and if I break a record, that’s great.”

Regnery carries that same motivation with her to the field hockey field. Goals are a heck of a lot harder to come by in that sport, but winning is what’s important. Regnery will always remember head coach Kathy Davey introducing her to the sport as an eighth grader at the Newtown Middle School and would love to pay her back for that.

“I’m playing for an amazing coach,” said Regnery. “She is the best role model and I really look up to her. Her motivating is how I became the athlete I am. Next year, we want to win it bad. We have a lot of kids and a lot of fire and I know I want to do it for Mrs Davey.”

Summer is going to be busy for Meg Regnery as she plays with the Connecticut Lacrosse Futures, participates in camps, and prepares for what should be another stellar athletic year at Newtown High School.

She will always put up the numbers, but her will to succeed and be the best player she can be is the most impressive thing of all.

Nick Magoulas

There was nothing Nick Magoulas wanted to do more than tend the net for the Newtown High School hockey team and catch for the baseball team. But circumstance conspired against him as – in both sports – there was someone else who the coaches felt was just a little bit better.

And so Magoulas, who admittedly grumbled his way through a very trying sophomore year, decided to re-invent himself as a player.

To get out on the ice. To get out on the field.

To help the team.

Magoulas had played a few games as a freshman (collecting a hit at St. Joseph’s in his first varsity at-bat) and expected to be the No. 1 catcher as a sophomore. But along came a kid – a freshman – called Pete Oggeri.

“Most of the kids talked very highlight of him,” said Magoulas, “and with all that praise any normal person would give him a chance. I was on the bench and did what I had to do. No, I wasn’t happy. I’ve been a catcher my whole life and I felt like I wasn’t getting a chance.”

But with Oggeri playing the position so well and adding a nice bat to the offense, Magoulas saw the writing on the wall. Rather than grouse about it any longer, though, he decided to make a change. Before pitchers and catchers reported for spring drills, Magoulas, now 17, walked into head coach Carl Strait’s office and had a chat.

“I was tired of not playing,” said Magoulas, “and went and talked to coach (Strait) and told him I’d play wherever he needed me to play. He said a spot at first base was open. Then I got a first baseman’s mitt for Christmas and broke in by February.”

And when tryouts came along, Magoulas – born and raised a catcher – began to learn the many nuances of the position.

“I don’t anyone worked more during the off season than he did,” said coach Strait. “And he made himself into probably the best first baseman I’ve seen in my five years here.”

Magoulas added, “Scooping the ball, turning double plays, flipping the ball to the pitcher – I did whatever I could. I worked as hard as I possibly could to make that position mine and keep anyone from taking it.”

And no one likely will, now. As the Nighthawks went 7-13, Magoulas played the position very well and added a potent bat to the lineup as he hit .373 (fifth-best on the time, third-best of the regulars) with four doubles, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored.

The circumstances were so eerily similar in hockey, too. Magoulas was born and bred a goaltender, as well, working at the Wonderland of Ice, with the Western Connecticut Youth Hockey program, and at The Gunnery . The experience was behind him and he easily got the starting goaltending position on the fledgling Newtown High hockey team.

 Magoulas played well and helped lead the team to a 9-10 record in its first year. But along came this kid – Pete Oggeri, again – and the coaches liked his potential so much they split Magoulas and Oggeri in the net.

“I felt like I did a good job as a freshman,” said Magoulas. “I gave it my all, but when (the coaches) decided not to give me the chance it was disappointing.”

But even though Magoulas had an opportunity to start two big games at the end of the season and played well in both, he saw the writing on the wall there, as well.

“I know I had some skill skating,” he said, “and I know the game well enough that I thought I could do the little things to help.”

Magoulas had always skated out with his youth teams whenever it was someone else’s chance to play in goal, but it took a little time to adjust to the speed of the game. Even so, he had a lot of opportunities to play and scored five goals, assisting on another, as the ‘Hawks finished 5-15-1 overall, 4-7-1 in the SWC.

“I had a lot of fun,” Magoulas admitted. “Sophomore year was just worrying about whether or not I’d be playing. But junior year was a lot more fun. It was the right decision.”

And now with all of that angst behind him, Nick Magoulas can work on becoming the best player he can be and helping the teams in whatever way he can.