Competitive NHS Field Hockey Team Gets Confidence-Boosting Win

By Andy Hutchison

Despite some early-season struggles to get into the win column, there was no question Newtown High School’s field hockey team was capable of coming out on top. After all, the team was ultracompetitive in early-season nail-biting setbacks to Pomperaug of Southbury and Immaculate of Danbury, the latter coming in overtime, plus there was a scoreless tie with New Milford in the mix. It was just a matter of when the Nighthawks were going to pull through and get their first “‘W.”

The answer came this past Tuesday when the Nighthawks blanked visiting Watertown 5-0 in a nonconference game at Treadwell Park.

Nicole DeFelice scored twice, and Caroline Kingsley, Kayla O’Leary, and Erica Thill also found the back of the cage as Newtown got its first win in five games to start the campaign. Kelly O’Sullivan, O’Leary, and DeFelice all logged assists in the win as Newtown used strong ball movement, as well as good off-ball movement, to generate numerous scoring chances.

“It feels really good to finally get a win in the books. It’s a confidence booster,” Newtown captain Jess Haitz said.

The Nighthawks, after a season-opening 3-0 setback to New Fairfield, hung close with always-tough Pomperaug before falling 1-0 on September 20. The Hawks, in fact, outshot their foes 9-5 and Pomperaug’s lone goal came on a penalty stroke.

Then, in a battle with Immaculate on September 26, Newtown fell 2-1 in OT. Kingsley scored in the setback, and NHS goaltender Lauren Sarna made nine saves — including one on a penalty stroke. It just wasn’t enough.

The Nighthawks were held scoreless in their first three games, but hung close thanks to strong play on defense. “All season we’ve been so close to a win,” said Newtown Coach Amanda Hadgraft, adding that the members of the forward line began to lack confidence. “They just felt like they couldn’t finish in the circle. They felt like they weren’t doing their job and they finally found the chemistry. They got their passing under control — they’re finishing the ball.”

Hadgraft is hopeful her team can prevail in close games that transpire as the season unfolds.

“We play to the level of our opponent,” Haitz notes. “We look forward to the hard competitors. They really challenge us.”

The Nighthawks will face another of those tough opponents when New Milford visits Treadwell for a 3:45 pm game on Friday, September 30.

Newtown will get chances for redemption in rematches Pomperaug and New Fairfield later in the season, and will also get to see New Milford a second time.

In a scheduling quirk, the rematch with Pomperaug will count only as a nonconference game toward the state playoff standings. The second game was supposed to have been the one that counted in the South-West Conference standings but the rematch is actually a makeup of the scheduled first clash — what would have been Newtown’s season opener — and got postponed because of the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. Because teams didn’t get many practice days in before the start of the regular season, early-on games were postponed.

The Nighthawks will have plenty of time to hone their skills in games between now and then. The Hawks, after Friday’s clash with New Milford, will take on Weston in an October 5 battle at 7 pm at Blue & Gold Stadium.