By Kim J. Harmon

A lot of people knew about Tania Domingos long before she arrived at Newtown High School last year.

An ODP (Olympic Development Program) starter for Connecticut and an ODP regional selection who earned, Domingos – while still in eighth grade – was named Most Valuable Player at a U14 PDA College Showcase tournament last year.

Newtown head coach Rupert de los Reyes knew all about her and though he had to bid farewell in the fall of 2004 to an outstanding midfielder, Mary Anders, he was comforted by the knowledge that Domingos would be there to fill the void.

“Tania Domingos is a very special kind of player,” he said, “and as a sophomore she ranks right up there with the Chelsea Morin, Mary Anders, Alex Konneker, Tara Gaston and Casey Frobey’s of the world. She has all the tools.”

Domingos was recently named to the NSCAA All-New England team along with 44 others from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. Domingos was also one of only two sophomores selected.

“I’m really excited,” said Domingos, who made the transition from her Yankee United travel program to high school so smoothly she scored twice in her first varsity contest in 2005. “(Coach de los Reyes) said I’d be nominated, but I never thought I would be picked for the team.”

Domingos scored 14 goals (second on the team) and registered a team-high 11 assists as the Lady Nighthawks posted a 17-3-1 record while advancing to the South-West Conference tournament championship for the first time ever.

That gives the sophomore 25 goals and 16 assists for her brief career.

“I would have loved to score a lot of goals,” said Domingos, “but not only that I wanted to be closer with my team and be more of a team leader. That was my biggest goal this year.”

Coach de los Reyes added, “Tania is very coachable, likeable and a born leader. In my mind, she is one of the best play makers to come out of Connecticut in a long time and I will raise the bar for her at every opportunity.”

Domingos benefited on the field with the presence of another star sophomore, Kasey Schulz, who had a team-high 24 goals this past fall and, in all likelihood, will find herself on an NSCAA All-New England – if not All-American – team somewhere down the line.

“We’re really good friends and it’s great to be on the same field with her,” said Domingos. “Playing with her can give you a lot of confidence in yourself.”

With skills like hers, though, confidence comes easily.

“She is technical, fast and plays with tremendous poise for a kid so young,” said coach de los Reyes. “Her tactical awareness, agility and ability to see the whole field is also way ahead of kids in her own grade. She is on the radar for many top Division I programs right now and with two more years at Newtown, the sky is the limit.”