Another OT Loss Ends Season For NHS Boys’ Booters

By Andy Hutchison

Coming off an overtime defeat to Bunnell of Stratford in the South-West Conference Tournament semifinals, Newtown High School’s boys’ soccer team had a chance to bounce back in the Class LL state tourney. Newtown, however, fell to Ridgefield — 1-0 in overtime — in Monday’s first round game at Treadwell Park, ending an overall impressive campaign for the young Nighthawks.

It was a rematch of last year’s first round state game, but a much different outcome. Newtown was an on-paper underdog last year, seeded 21st, and knocked off No. 12 Ridgefield 3-0. This time around, the No. 15 Nighthawks had home field advantage and a slight seeding upper hand on the No. 18 Tigers, but could not pull out the win despite some chances.

Ridgefield ended it when Joseph DeVivo got behind the NHS defense and kicked the ball into the upper right side of the net with about 1:30 remaining in the first ten-minute overtime to advance to play in the second round on Wednesday. The Nighthawks nearly tied the score to force a second OT stanza, but Josh Engler, who had been robbed of a goal earlier, was denied by Ridgefield goalkeeper Matthew Knizeski when he followed up a rebound of Josh Barrett’s shot in the waning seconds.

Newtown goalkeeper Ishan Tatake made a key save, then got help from defender James Mooney, who blocked a shot while standing on the goal line, to keep things scoreless during a great Ridgefield chance in regulation.

Newtown Coach Brian Neumeyer thought his team could have come out stronger.

“I don’t think we played up to our ability. I think our effort was just slightly lacking. In a state tournament game you’ve really got to give everything. I think that we really didn’t come out with that urgency tonight,” the coach said. “The game could have gone either way and we let it happen that way.”

Both teams compiled more than a handful of decent to high-quality scoring chances, but the Hawks didn’t control the ball, or get to the loose balls, as well as they do when they’re on their game.

The Nighthawks posted nine wins and reached both postseason tourneys despite a mostly revamped roster following the graduation of almost all of last year’s starters. Newtown will lose several key graduates, including Engler, Tatake, Hank Helgren, and Andre Capozziello, but many sophomores and juniors got valuable experience that stands to pay off in the future.

“I’m proud of the guys for the season — for sure,” Neumeyer said. “But disappointed that we’re not playing on Wednesday.”