Swimmers, Divers Look To Make A Big Splash In The Conference

By Andy Hutchison

Zach Gauvin isn’t hinting at it or alluding to the possibility it could happen. The Newtown High School girls’ swimming and diving head coach has made it clear he thinks the Nighthawks can win it all this year. Gauvin’s Nighthawks put together an impressive 10-1 campaign and finished runner up to Pomperaug of Southbury in the South-West Conference championships last fall.

“We had our best season around here in a long time. But this year we’re hoping to raise the bar a little bit more and maybe go undefeated, maybe win SWCs and do some really great things this season,” Gauvin said.

The confidence and belief are in place but by no means does Gauvin consider this a done deal.

“It’s going to be very difficult and I’ve told the girls up front how hard we’ll have to train,” the coach said as preseason wrapped up this past week. “We’ve been working really hard this season so far. The girls have been working their butts off, so hopefully we can continue to do that and put ourselves in position to have a chance to do all of those great things.”

The team lost nine swimmers to graduation, including one State Open qualifier, Kelsey McEvoy, but Gauvin believes his returnees and talented newcomers will be able to fill those voids — and then some.

Things were really, really close a year ago. Pomperaug edged out Newtown for its fourth straight conference crown last year, clinching the championship meet in the final event, the 400 yard freestyle relay. Gauvin said he wouldn’t be surprised if it came down to the last event once again.

“They’re always a great team. They’re a powerhouse every year,” he said of Pomperaug, adding that Brookfield is also a squad that could stand in the way of Newtown taking the top prize.

This year’s senior captains are Zoe Eggleston (individual medley and breaststroke), Sally Martinelli (butterfly), and Abby Fagerholm (distance freestyle).

Senior backstroker/sprint freestyler Kelley Baylis, sprint freestylers Amy Martinelli and Amanda Mele, and distance free/breaststroker Annika Fagerholm are among the other top swimmers whom Gauvin expects to lead the team.

The most notable in-pool strength of this team is in the sprint freestyle area, said Gauvin, adding: “We should be strong throughout.”

Diving is another event from which Gauvin expects big point totals. Returnees Noelle Benson and Natalie Poeltl and newcomer Gillian Eckwall are divers to watch this fall, the coach anticipates.

Because this could be the year for the Hawks, Gauvin is pulling out all the stops. He’s pushing the girls with more yardage early on than in years past, and holds simulated meets within practice with the hopes the extra efforts pay off when it counts.

“We have our work cut out for us. We, by no means, are just going to cruise through this. It’s going to be really, really difficult to do, but I think we’ve got a chance to do it this season,” Gauvin said. “We have a chance to win it so I really want to take advantage.”

The Nighthawks have a new coach, Jen O’Neil, who brings the background of having earned a degree in nutrition to the squad, so the swimmers are getting recommendations for healthy eating habits. O’Neil joins Gauvin and diving coach Ryan Cutler as Southern Connecticut State University alums; they were all swimmers/divers at SCSU.

Tough competition stands to come from not only Pomperaug and Brookfield (which was a mere point behind Newtown in the SWC finals last year), but also fellow SWC rivals New Fairfield, and Joel Barlow of Redding, Gauvin expects. The Hawks’ season begins in challenging fashion. Newtown took on New Fairfield on Tuesday and pulled out a 100-75 win, and was scheduled to battle Barlow on Thursday (after The Bee went to press). Brookfield visits for a 4 pm swim on September 18. NHS will visit Pomperaug on October 5.

The coach believes it will come down to the same trio of schools — Newtown, Pomperaug, and Brookfield — in the SWC meet.

“Everyone has their strength so it’s going to be a really, really intense meet,” Gauvin anticipates.