Hawk Grapplers Start Season With Win Over Rebels And Strong Tourney Showing
Newtown High School’s wrestling team got tested from the start, and passed with flying colors.
The Nighthawks defeated visiting New Fairfield, among the top teams in the South-West Conference as well as in the state, 45-34 in the season opener on December 15. The Nighthawks then placed second among 17 teams in the Guilford Invitational two days later.
Against the New Fairfield Rebels, the Hawks had seven pins, including big wins from Kenna Gioffre (113), Henry Terifay (138), Luca Manfredi (152), Fisher Stites (170), Acea Shaham (182), Thomas Morgan (195), and Charlie Dunn (220). Tommy Milligan (106) won an exciting match 6-4 in sudden victory overtime.
The Hawks doubled in size from last year, which enabled the program to have seven junior varsity matches with new wrestlers.
In the Guilford Invitational, state powerhouse Fairfield Warde was the tournament champion. Newtown beat Xavier of Middletown, which took third place. Xavier was ranked the No. 1 team in the state at the end of last season. Newtown had nine place winners: First — Gioffre (113), Manfredi (152), Stites (170), Jon DaSilva (heavyweight); second — Marc Maurath (145); fourth — Chris Rice (220); fifth — Milligan (106), Morgan (182), Dunn (195).