Two seasons ago, Newtown High School’s hockey team raised a Division III state championship banner. Last winter, inexperience — ten players graduated from that title-winning bunch — led to a four-win campaign, and no playoffs. That brings us to the 2015-16 season, one that begins with new hope, and optimism, on the ice.

Although Newtown went just 4-16 last winter, the Nighthawks didn’t graduate anybody and Coach Paul Esposito is confident his lineup — loaded with sophomores and juniors — will thrive with the past year of experience and growth under its belt.

“I think we’ll contend. If everything falls into place, and the kids do their part, and we get a few lucky bounces here or there, we should do well,” said Esposito, who says his team should vie for both conference and state championships.

Newtown competes in the Southern Connecticut/South-West Division III Conference, and is a Division III state team again, three years removed from its Division II status. The top teams in Connecticut D-III, according to Esposito, should include his group, along with conference rival New Fairfield-Immaculate of Danbury, and a trio of nonconference foes: Staples-Weston-Shelton, Westhill-Stamford, and Woodstock Academy.

Junior centerman Scott McLean missed half of last season because of injury, and still registered ten goals and eight assists. Esposito expects a big season from McLean.

Junior winger Domenic Cartelli is a playmaker who logged 16 goals and 11 assists. After a breakout freshman year in which he had eight goals and eight assists, Devin Marsh returns and brings physicality in addition to a scoring touch. Sophomore Jack Hanley also brings a season of varsity experience to the offense.

Newtown returns several defensemen, two of whom are strong two-way players: Junior Sean Ferris, who provides a big shot, and senior Matt Pelisson, whom Esposito notes covers a lot of space. Ferris had ten goals and six assists, and Pelisson added four net-finders and five assists last year. Additionally, stay-at-home defensemen Ben Harrison, a sophomore, and Scott Bauer, bring experience to the blue line.

In net, a trio of goaltenders all come into the campaign competing for the starting role: Senior Nick Chaloux, and juniors John McCann and Kyle Murphy.

Esposito is excited to see what some of the freshmen and sophomores, who are new to varsity, will bring to the ice. He’s expecting some nice surprises from newcomers who bring depth to the 32-player program. Newtown’s junior varsity squad will play 16 games this winter, giving those who don’t stick on the varsity roster, yet, with ample opportunity to make strides.

The key to Newtown’s season, Esposito says, is establishing a team identity quickly. The coach wants his players to buy into the systems implemented on the power play, penalty kill, and forecheck, for example. Staying healthy, too, will be important for the Nighthawks to thrive, the coach notes.

Newtown is slated to begin its season with a pair of road contests, December 21 at Wilton (in Ridgefield, beginning at 5:10 pm) and December 23 at Sheehan of Wallingford (at Choate Rosemary Hall, at 6 pm). The first home game is slated for December 26, when Hall-Southington visits Danbury Ice Arena for a 2 pm faceoff. That’s the first of three straight home tilts as the Eastern Connecticut Eagles and Joel Barlow of Redding skate into Danbury December 28 and 30, respectively, both for 5 pm contests.