Field Hockey Team Begins Defense Of Title

By Andy Hutchison

For the first time in the program’s history, the Newtown High School field hockey team takes the field to start a campaign as the defending conference champions. Newtown, coming off a dramatic overtime win over rival Pomperaug in last fall’s South-West Conference finale, has high hopes for a repeat performance in 2009.

“They all want it. They want the championship,” Coach Amanda Hadgraft said.

Whether or not competing teams will try even harder than ever to beat the Hawks since they are, after all, the new team to beat, Hadgraft is confident her players will maintain a high level of play and at least contend for another crown.

“They play really well off each other,” said the coach, adding that the Nighthawks will strive to improve on finishing scoring chances this season.

The Nighthawks lost five players to graduation after the championship season. Among them were All-State defender Jackie Isabella and All-SWC honoree and midfielder Linda Magliocco.

Newtown’s returning corps is led by a trio of captains: center back Annie Fletcher, center midfielder Lisa Vendel, and goalie Jessica Balsano. Junior forward Hannah Koch and senior defender Sara Phenix, up from the junior varsity ranks, will be looked to as other key contributors, Hadgraft said.

Although the Hawks did win the SWC title they still have some unfinished business to tend to. Newtown was surprised in the Class L State Tournament with a first-round exit at the hands of Ridgefield a year ago and the Hawks would love to improve on that finish this time around.

“They were disappointed with how far we got in states last year,” Hadgraft said.

Newtown’s biggest foes in the SWC include Pomperaug, New Milford, and Class S state champ New Fairfield.