Nighthawk Swimmers Keep Winning

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s girls’ swimming and diving team improved to 6-0 with a pair of road wins this past week — a 104-80 victory over Weston on September 30, and an 86-66 triumph over Stratford on Tuesday evening.

The meet with Weston was a close one for much of the way. Newtown’s lead was in the single digits after the diving event, 43-35, but the Nighthawks capped off the competition with four first-place finishes in the next six events to pull away.

“This is definitely some of the toughest competition we’ve had this year and the girls stepped up again and swam really well,” Newtown Coach Zach Gauvin said. “We’re going to be swimming them in [South-West Conference championships] so this is a perfect opportunity to get them used to what they’re going to be swimming against.”

Newtown’s first- and second-place finishers from the Weston meet are as follows: 200 medley relay, second, Kelley Baylis, Kelsey McEvoy, Zoe Eggleston, Amy Martinelli, 1:54.37. 200 free, first, Abby Fagerholm, 2:11.66; second, Amanda Mele, 2:12.32. 200 individual medley, second, Zoe Eggleston, 2:25.44. 50 freestyle, first, Martinelli, 26.23. 100 butterfly, first, McEvoy, 1:03.67. 100 freestyle, second, Martinelli, 57.29. 500 free, first, Abby Fagerholm, 5:51.12; second, Megan McDonald   ,5:59.07. 200 free relay, first, McEvoy, Mele, Martinelli, Eggleston, 1:47.22. 100 backstroke, first, Baylis, 1:05.59. 100 breaststroke, second, Annika Fagerholm, 1:14.32. 400 freestyle relay, second, Mele, Eliza Eggleston, Abby Fagerholm, Baylis, 4:05.89.

Against Stratford, the Nighthawk swimmers took home ten first-place results.

Highlights from the Stratford meet are as follows: 200 medley relay, first, Kelley Baylis, Annika Fagerholm, Bianca Solano, Amanda Mele, 1:57.66. 200 free, first, Eliza Eggleston, 2:13.49; second, Megan McDonald, 2:14.97; third, Jane Sclafani, 2:20.61. 200 IM, first, Kelsey McEvoy, 2:24.44; second, Amy Martinelli, 2:28.76; third, Michelle Isabella, 2:40.08. 50 free, first, Mele, 27.97; second, Claire Bassett, 31.11. 100 fly, first, Bianca Solano, 1:13.50; second, Shannon McDonald, 1:20.78; third, Megan Milano, 1:22.32. 100 free, first, Zoe Eggleston, 1:00.18; second, Eliza Eggleston, 1:00.60; 500 free, first, Abby Fagerholm, 5:43.19; second, Megan McDonald, 6:09.22; third, Clare Donnelly, 7:00.88. 200 free relay, first, Baylis, Martinelli, Mele, McEvoy, 1:51.07. 100 back, first, Charlotte Gray, 1:12.51; second, Kim Gates, 1:12.63; third, Kate Martinelli, 1:15.40. 100 breast, first, Michelle Isabella, 1:17.94; second, Jane Sclafani, 1:18.95; third, Ellen Atkinson, 1:24.97. 400 free relay, first, Abby Fagerholm, Zoe Eggleston, Eliza Eggleston, McEvoy, 4:03.47.

“I feel we’ve been swimming really strong in the last two meets. Weston was a team that beat us pretty good last year, and this year the girls stepped up and had some great races against them,” Gauvin said. “I’ve seen improvement from all the girls in terms of career bests, but we have to keep working hard if our goals set in the beginning of the season are to happen. The next couple weeks will be the toughest test of the season, and I’m confident our girls will be ready to compete.”

This season’s goals include a top-three finish in the South-West Conference.

Newtown, after hosting Lauralton Hall of Milford on Friday, October 7, at 4 pm, will visit Bunnell of Stratford, host Pomperaug of Southbury and New Fairfield, and visit Masuk to close out the regular season.