BETHEL — Newtown High School's wrestling team scored a 56-12 victory over host Bethel on December 19. The Nighthawks got three wins via pin and a pair in major decisions, with the rest all by way of forfeit. James Tibolla won his 113-pound weight division bout in a 17-5 major decision — racking up ten points in reversals along the way — and Fritz Maurath was a 12-3 major decision victor at 145, combining nearfalls and reversals to pile up the points.

Andrew Sayers won his 152-pound competition via pinfall in 3:33; Sayers had a pair of first-period reversals and a three nearfall points before another reversal for two points andclinching the win in the second period. Steven Vournazos won at 170 with a pin in 1:01; Vournazos scored a pair of points on a takedown before earning the first-period win. Sebastian Vona pinned his 195 opponent in 1:19; Vona had a reversal before the pin.

Newtown's losses were hard-fought. Ayden Kasbarian scored two points on a first-period reversal before falling 3-2 to Bethel's Nikita Redmond in the 138 division. Redmond came back with a two-point reversal in the third period. At 160, Steven Leuci dropped a 7-5 decision to Byron Menendez.

"These are learning opportunities for our guys," Newtown Coach Ron Chivinski said. "Overall, everybody worked hard for six minutes out on the mat. That's all you can ask for."