With more than 60 place-winning grapplers at the seventh-annual Nighthawk Classic, held at Newtown High School on December 15, Newtown Youth Wrestling Association (NYWA) continues to prove it is a well-oiled machine.

The not-to-be-missed annual competition, this year led by Tournament Director Matt Iacuone, attracted K-8 wrestlers from about a half dozen states, not including the 100 Newtown grapplers that showed up for the battle.

“As a team, we are stronger than ever,” said NYWA President Nick Veneziano. “As for the tournament, it is now even more clear that we host the best event in the northeast.”

Veneziano noted that the annual showdown attracts New England and state champions from throughout the northeast.

“With the brackets being round robin, where everyone wrestles everyone, it’s needless to say they were action-packed,” Veneziano said. “On top of that, the speed and efficiency in which we run is second to none. Starting and finishing early is unheard of in the wrestling world unless you’re in Newtown, Connecticut. The reason we can do it is the support, top to bottom, we get from coaches to wrestlers to parents. Thankful for everyone involved.”

Veneziano praised Head Coach Curtis Urbina’s mantra: “Many hands make light work.”

Despite many successful years under his belt, Urbina ha dstrong things to say about this year’s talent.

“The progress this year has been exciting to witness,” Urbina said. “From the intensity in training to the results on the mat, it’s clear that everyone is stepping up and striving for excellence. This tournament was a great test of our skills and preparation. I’m proud of the team’s grit and determination — they showed tremendous heart out there. While there’s always room for growth, I can confidently say we’re on the right track. These kinds of competitions help us sharpen our focus and push toward even greater success in the season ahead.”

Urbina was also reflective about the sport of wrestling itself and why more and more children — both boys and girls — keep the team in growth mode.

“Wrestling is one of the most demanding and rewarding sports, both physically and mentally,” Urbina said. “It teaches discipline, resilience, and the value of hard work in a way that few other activities can. It’s not just about competing on the mat; it’s about developing character, learning to push through adversity, and embracing the team and individual aspects of the sport. Wrestlers know that the work they put in directly impacts their performance. That accountability translates to success in every area of life.”

In an email to the team, Veneziano noted that some of the wrestlers had tougher matchups at the Newtown Classic than they will see at States and New Englands. When all was said and done 64 Nighthawks placed, with 18 taking first; 24 placing second; and 26 finishing third.

The following Newtown athletes placed at the tournament:

6U Co-Ed

First Place: Eli Fox and Michael Laake

Second Place: Eric Prosio, Liam Enright and William Stetson

Third Place: Donnie Scaglione, Kamden Kling, Kylo Filipek, Will Laake and Zack Kearney

8U Co-Ed

First Place: Cian Donoghue, Everett Worster, Hugo Borgerding, John Paul Laake, Lincoln Giannetta and Teague Oddo

Second Place: Ashton Sciarra, Declan Cavanagh, Joseph Guagliano, Matthew Braunagel, Nicolas Figueiredo and Patrick Enright

Third Place: Dean Macaluso, Elliott Augur, Gerard Oddo, Martino Figueiredo and Owen Sands

10U Co-Ed

First Place: Benjamin Atkas, Blake Cash, Joseph Skura, Luke Anderson and Sam Fregoe

Second Place: Clayson Jimenez, Dominic Silva, Emmett White, Evan Emard, Lucas Nunes, Matthew Gaudenzi and Roman Filipek

Third Place: Andrew Braunagel, Christian Olteanu, Drew Van Scotter, Emily Greene and Liam Fox

12U Co-Ed

First Place: Benjamin Atkas, Dallas Sanchez, Eli Metcalf and Luke Guagliano

Second Place: Ben Weintraub, Chase Ibbitson, Kaleb Quiles, Tiernan Donoghue and Vinny Franzago

Third Place: Eli Houston, Jared Freeman, Jose Bustamante, Matthew Iacuone and Noah Pape

Middle School Co-Ed

First Place: Noah Blair

Second Place: Christian Myers and Reilly Kling

Third Place: Camron Veneziano, Erich Metzker, Gregory Troiano, Nick Morelli, Rion Lena and Zachary Schwartz

Middle School Girls

Second Place: Reilly Kling