The Newtown High School boys’ swimming and diving team is ready to hit the water and compete this winter. The Nighthawks will look for the quick emergence of some young swimmers.

“We are excited for this year. We lost some great front-end speed from last year and this year we will be a team of youngsters primarily, and good depth,” Coach Ryan Eberts said. “We will be strong in depth and team camaraderie.”

Newtown stands to face tough challenges from the usual suspects with Pomperaug of Southbury — which has won the last dozen South-West Conference titles — leading the way.

“Pomperaug will be the perennial tough meet and most likely conference champions, and Weston will also pose a real challenge,” Eberts said.

Captains are Oliver Clancy and Johnny Barzetti. Clancy will focus on backstroke and distance freestyle and Barzetti’s top events are the butterfly and sprint freestyle. Other key team members include Finn Clancy (breaststroke), Warren Ache (sprint free), Duncan Kolb (utility), and Trenton Story (diving).

Eberts and Assistant Coach Lisa Irving are looking forward to seeing what the Hawks can do.

“Lisa and I are very excited for what this year could bring. We see a lot of potential in our young swimmers and this could be a sleeper team that performs highly when it counts. We are also excited to have Keristen Raccio come over a few days a week coaching diving as she brings a great deal of experience and the athletes respond so well to her,” Eberts said.

The Nighthawks open the season Thursday, December 19, at Masuk of Monroe at 4 pm. They are not scheduled to have another meet until after the New Year when Bunnell-Stratford visits NHS Tuesday, January 7 at 4 pm. The Pomperaug and Weston meets are not until February.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.