STRATFORD — Newtown High School’s girls’ swimming and diving team kicked off the regular season with an 84-76 win over host Stratford, at Flood Middle School, on September 13. The Nighthawks had seven state championship and 22 South-West Conference qualifiers.

The Hawks earned first and second place in each of the first seven events en route to seizing an 84-26 lead and exhibitioned the last four races. There was no diving competition.

The 200-yard medley relay team of Shayna Millard, Olivia Renkert, Cate Fischer, and Caroline Mahoney was first in a time of 1:58.27. The team of Maura Daly, Natalie Barden, Lily van der Kroef, and Riley Burns was second in 2:15.73.

In the 200 freestyle race, Payton Bradley was first in 2:05.13, and Mopsey Seaver came in second in 2:06.18.

Renkert and Fischer gave Newtown a one-two result in the 200 individual medley with times of 2:23.88 and 2:32.35.

Bradley and Mahoney finished one-two in the 50 free, racing to times of 25.84 and 25.99.

Renkert was first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:06.62.

In the 100 free, Millard came in first in 57.42, and Mahoney placed second, clocking in with a time of 1:01.69.

Seaver and Daly earned the top two spots in the 500, with Seaver finishing in 5:56.81 and Daly making her final touch in 6:25.78.

The 200 free relay contingent of Barden, Isabel Cadoff, Rachel Arena, and Olivia Grant was first in 1:59.78.

Millard took the top spot in the 100 backstroke race with a time of 1:05.38, and Madeline Larson came in second in 1:24.04.

Fischer had the best time in the 100 breaststroke event, completing the race in 1:14.20.

The 400 free relay team of Seaver, Daly, Cadoff, and Bradley came in first in 4:15.90, and the team of Burns, Madeline Larson, Grant, and Arena was runner-up in 4:45.90.

In their second meet of the campaign, a return to the Flood pool to take on Bunnell of Stratford on September 17, the Nighthawks defeated the Bulldogs 94-68. Newtown had nine more SWC meet qualifiers and a couple more state qualifiers. They exhibitioned after the backstroke event.

The 200 medley relay team of Millard, Cadoff, Fischer, and Mahoney was first in 1:59.66.

Seaver won the 200 free in 2:07.23. Mahoney and Millard went one-two in the 50, with times of 26 seconds and 26.49.

Cadoff won the 100 butterfly race in 1:09.53. Bradley took first in the 100 free with a time of 56.71.

In the 500 free, Grace Bertsche was first in 6:21.25, and Daly came in second in 6:27.29.

Newtown had the top two teams in the 200 relay. Millard, Alexa Unger, Mahoney, and Kolb were first in 1:52.08. The team of Avery Landgrebe, van der Kroef, Grant, and Rachel Arena was second in 2:02.51.

Millard and Bradley were first and second in the backstroke event in times of 1:04.47 and 1:09.77.

Fischer had the fastest time in the breaststroke race, completing it in 1:14.91.

The fastest group in the 400 relay comprised Kolb, Seaver, Unger, and Bradley with a time of 4:01.10.

Newtown Coach Becky Osborne said she is pleased with the start of the season, especially given the circumstances. With their home pool not available until early October, the team has been fortunate enough to practice in town at the new Community Center pool but did not get the chance to train using blocks to dive into the water and first used blocks in the opening meet.

“I’m happy that we’re starting where we are,” Osborne said.