With state championship meets still ahead, the season may not be over, but all of the hard work and training members of the Newtown High School girls’ cross country team have put in this fall has already paid off. The Nighthawks raced to the South-West Conference title in the 12-school championship meet, at Bethel High School, on October 21. Runners were treated to a balmy-for-fall afternoon with temperatures in the low 70s, a backdrop of turning leaves serving as the only reminder it’s getting toward the end of October.

Newtown, with four finishers among the top seven — and its five scorers in the top 16 — made it a runaway. The Hawks scored 35 points and the next closest team, Pomperaug of Southbury, finished with 51.

“That’s what we worked for — that’s what we trained for,” said Newtown Coach Doug Russell, adding that his squad not only trained hard, but went into the meet knowing which runners they’d have to pass to make it a success. “That’s what you’ve got to do in a race like this.”

Sarah Mawdsley was Newtown’s fastest finisher, completing the scenic, hilly at times, 5K course in a time of 19:34.22, good for third place. Immaculate of Danbury teammates Angela Saidman and  Jenna Gasparrini took the top two spots with times of 19:13.85 and 19:22.05, but the one-two punch at the top wasn’t nearly enough to overcome Newtown’s depth and balance. Immaculate placed third as a team with a total of 59.

After Mawdsley crossed the finish line, teammates Erin Tressler and Lu Hage finished in fourth and fifth, with times of 19:56.00 and 20:03.68. Emma Bayuk came in seventh in a time of 20:34.52, and Madison Findley rounded out Newtown’s top five by placing 16th in 21:37.65.

Newtown’s Kelsey Miller came in 21st in 22:12.59, and Willow Pears was 23rd in 22:13.60. There were 82 finishers in the race.

“They did what they were supposed to do,” said Russell, adding that Newtown’s top three finishers  did as expected, and Bayuk and Findley stepped it up and ran great races to help bring down Newtown’s overall score.

“It was a really great feeling because this is what we’ve been working for,” Mawdsley said. “For so long.”

Boys Competitive

The Newtown High boys’ squad, with a score of 101, placed fourth in the 13-school, 91-runner race. New Milford, with 56, was first, and Pomperaug (86) and Brookfield (91) were second and third. Newtown finished 42 points ahead of fifth-place Joel Barlow of Redding. Brookfield’s Tommy Consalvo won the race in a time of 16:31.25.

Newtown’s best finisher was Riley Rising, who came in 15th in 17:32.90. Christian Lestik and Joel Duval were 19th and 20th with times of 17:43.44 and 17:43.68. Brenden Reeds placed 22nd in 17:48.78, and Ryan Escoda placed 25th in 17:52.84. Ethan Burg was 39th in 18:41.93, and Dylan Lew placed 42nd in 18:48.92.

The fact all of Newtown’s five scorers were in the top 25, and the team’s seven runners finished in the top 50 among 91 runners was an impressive feat in itself.

“That’s all we could ask for,” Newtown Coach Carl Strait said. “It’s a great performance — I’m very happy.”

Strait noted that his team placed accordingly in terms of how it finished in regular-season meets, but believed coming into the championship that his team members had a chance to shock some of the competition.

“Teams peak at different times, and I think we may have peaked a week or two early,” said Strait, added that he’s pleased with how his Nighthawks have done to overcome injuries throughout the season.

“Everybody’s been stepping up to carry the load,” said Strait, noting that different runners have been called upon and done well in each race.