Boys’ Booters Strive To Perform On And Off The Field

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s boys’ soccer team members and coaching staff enter into the 2011 campaign with high hopes, as always, for success in the postseason.

The goals of the team are to win South-West Conference and state titles. “That’s always put out there every single year because it’s the Newtown soccer program,” NHS Coach Brian Neumeyer said.

If ever there was a team that had reason to be thinking about the postseason even before the regular season started it’s this one. The Nighthawks had a strong regular campaign in 2010 but were knocked out of both the SWC and Class LL state tournaments in heartbreaking fashion … in overtime.

Neumeyer liked what he was seeing as preseason practice wrapped up and gave way to the start of the season this past week.

“The training, when we’ve been able to train, it’s been very, very good — it’s been focused. We don’t have guys that are really taking it easy or cruising and that’s helping with the competitiveness within the group, and the depth,” said Neumeyer, alluding to the four days the team missed in the first week of preseason because of the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.

The Hawks will have to overcome the loss of a half-dozen graduates from a year ago, but many underclassmen had to step up in a season following the loss of almost all of the 2009/senior-heavy starting lineup. Newtown won’t lean on a standout scorer, or a stingy defense for that matter. Whatever level of success the team has this fall is expected to take a full team effort, up and down the lineup, and from the goal line on up to the forward line.

“I think we’re going to be balanced offensively and defensively. I don’t think either one of those things we’re going to hang our hat on or rely on,” the coach said.

The Nighthawks went 9-3-3 in the regular season a year ago. Seeded fourth in the last year’s SWC tourney, NHS advanced to the semifinals and fell 2-1 in OT to top-seeded Bunnell of Stratford. Newtown earned the No. 15 seed and fell to 1-0 in extra time to No. 18 Ridgefield in the first round of the state tourney.

“The goal this year is to raise the bar,” senior captain and center midfielder Ryan Dunnigan said. Dunnigan, and fellow senior captains, goaltender Austin Puleri and center defender Josh Barrett, say the team is aiming to do so on and off the field. The Nighthawks have set out to give back to the community by volunteering at area soccer clinics and spearheading in-school recycling efforts, for example.

“We’re really trying to be that model program. I think we’ve done it with wins and losses and in terms of winning percentage. But there’s always more you can do,” Neumeyer said. “These guys know they’re role models.”

Tough teams NHS will math up include Joel Barlow of Redding, Pomperaug of Southbury, Brookfield, and Bunnell.

Newtown opened the season against visiting Pomperaug on Tuesday. and fell 1-0 Newtown will host Bethel on Monday, September 19, at 3:45 pm at Treadwell Park. The Hawks will host Barlow and Bunnell, October 4 and 11, respectively –— both at 7 pm at Blue & Gold Stadium, and will entertain Brookfield on October 15 at 11 am, also at Blue & Gold.