By Kim J. Harmon

M

aybe coach John Kostelis won’t come out and say it, but in the space of one year a good Nighthawk team – a team that finished 11-5-1 and reached the second round of the CIAC Class LL state tournament before bowing out to powerhouse Trumbull – has gotten even better.

How much better? Well, that remains to be seen, but with just about everyone back (the ‘Hawks bid farewell to just two seniors – Jaime Cavanaugh and Catherine Foster) and several new players coming aboard this team could be stronger than it has been in quite some time.

“We should be very solid,” said coach Kostelis. “We have nice experience and a lot of depth this year.”

Back on attack are two of the most dangerous scoring threats in the South-West Conference – Colleen Davis (15 goals, 2 assists) and Shannon Rouse (19 goals, 5 assists) – and they head a class of nine seniors who give the Nighthawks a lot of leadership. Davis and Rouse will co-captain the team along with goaltender Kate Bouteiller.

A lot of leadership – along with talent – will also come from players like Kendall Zimmerman (0-2-2) and Stephanie Miles (1-0-1), whose work in the midfield will, no doubt, shine once more in the SWC. Then there is Morgan Haines (2-3-5), Kim Helfer (4-0-4) and Jessica Oswald (6-7-13) who will provide some extra spark on the offense.

But it could be Bouteiller’s efforts which will be even more important this year than last as coach Kostelis’ focus will not be so much on scoring – that hardly seems like it will be a problem – but stopping the other team from scoring.

“My main focus will be to strengthen our back line,” he said. “Our focus will be on limiting our opponents’ opportunities. You can’t win games by giving up three goals. Last year, we just didn’t put teams away.”

Last year, the Nighthhawks seemed to fade a little in the second half of some games (a happenstance that coach Kostelis blames on a general lack of fitness) and, worse yet, lost four games by one goal.

That should change.

“We have more depth,” explained coach Kostelis. “Last year we ran out of gas in some games. We’re more conditioned this year to make up for our lack of fitness and with our depth we can give kids like Davis and Rouse a rest.”

Depth – there are 18 field players on the team – could be the biggest key to success in 2000. It seemed as if everyone had nagging injuries (Oswald’s back injury late in the season was far more serious and even now she is suffering from an MCL injury which could keep her out of a few games) and the ‘Hawks didn’t have the depth to counter-act that.

“But the kids sucked it up and played very well anyway,” said coach Kostelis.

Of course, the Nighthawks have their sights set on challenging for a South-West Conference title and traveling much further into the CIAC Class LL state tournament.

“I don’t think it’s high hopes,” said coach Kostelis. “The kids want to raise the bar. Anything less than 11 wins and they would feel they were cheated. Everyone’s goal is do better in the states, but as long as we get there, that’s the thing.”

The Nighthawks still remember being bounced from the state tournament a year ago by Trumbull High School, a powerhouse in Connecticut soccer, and wouldn’t mind seeing them again.

To settle old scores.

“If we’re lucky we’ll see them again,” said coach Kostelis, “because if you’re going to win a state championship, you’ll have to go through Trumbull.”

DATE     OPPONENT      TIME

Sept. 16     at Weston              11 am

Sep. 19      New Fairfield            7 pm

Sept. 21     at Brookfield       3:45 pm

Sept. 23     Immaculate             11 am

Sept. 26     at Stratford         3:45 pm

Sept. 28     Joel Barlow              5 pm

Oct. 3        at New Milford    3:45 pm

Oct. 6        Notre Dame         3:45 pm

Oct. 10      Bethel                      7 pm

Oct. 12      at Bunnell                7 pm

Oct. 14      at Jonathan Law       2 pm

Oct. 17      Foran                       7 pm

Oct. 19      at Masuk                  7 pm

Oct. 23      Lauralton Hall          7 pm

Oct. 25      at Pomperaug      3:45 pm