By Steve Bigham

STRATFORD – The second installment of the TRILOGY which encompasses the 2001 Newtown High School boys’ soccer season has now been accomplished with the workmanlike 3-0 win over Brookfield in the South-West Conference championship game at Penders Field in Stratford last week.

It was the first league championship for Newtown since 1993 – and the first ever as a member of the South-West Conference. The Nighthawks’ performance may also go down as one of the most dominating in league history . . . and no one seemed surprised.

The 18-0 Nighthawks have been pummeling opponents all season and they made quick work of the Bobcats, scoring three first half goals and never looking back. They were determined not to look too far ahead toward the CIAC Class LL state tournament, which began this week.

Newtown – Connecticut’s top-ranked team, according to the latest Hartford Courant poll – was scheduled to face 17th-seeded Bulkeley of Hartford Thursday night in the second round after receiving a first round bye.

A state title would complete the third leg of the so-called trilogy and would put the finishing touches on a perfect season – one of the best ever in the history of Newtown High School sports.

“We’ve been saying this is a trilogy here – regular season, SWC tournament and now the state tournament. This is the third part here that we’ve got to try to clinch,” said head coach Brian Neumeyer, who took Newtown to a state tournament final in 1998, a 2-0 loss to Wilton.

The SWC Championship featured the league’s first- and second-seeded teams. It was clear from the start, however, that Newtown was playing at an entirely different level, one that not even (14-3-1) Brookfield – which averages nearly five goals per game – could handle.

Freshman Marcus Tracy scored the opening goal on a header just 10 minutes in when he beat the Brookfield goalie on a slow roller set up by Jake Rouse’s free kick. That was followed 15 minutes later by Mike Troy’s punch shot that bounced off the right goal post and into the back of the net. The Tracy brothers – Ryan and Marcus – were each credited with an assist on the play.

Troy (40 goals) put the game out of reach late in the first half off a fine pass from junior Derek Miles who placed the ball deep in the box.

“We got the goals and then we didn’t need to press. We just wanted to defend the rest of the way,” said coach Neumeyer, whose four-year career record at Newtown now stands at 57-13-6.

Newtown – which has now outscored its opponents 84-6 this season – advanced to the finals after defeating arch rival Joel Barlow in overtime. Troy scored the game-winner off a breakaway in the extra session’s 10th minute.

Newtown’s all-state goalie Matt Pachniuk was named the championship game’s Most Valuable Player for his dominating play between the pipes, but the senior tri-captain is quick to point out that individual awards mean little.

Coach Neumeyer agrees, pointing out that it takes more than just a couple of players to reach a ranking of 19th in the country.

“The team goal come first here. There’s no MVP. It’s not about Mike Troy or Matt Pachniuk or Colin Armstrong. Guys like Jake Rouse and others work their butt off at midfield. They know it’s a real group thing here. It’s not about individuals and that’s why we’re successful.”

Senior Ian Walker had another big game at midfield, dictating the tempo and setting up almost all of Newtown’s runs.

As for Pachniuk, who allows .33 goals per game, what else can Neumeyer say about his team leader. “He just dominates the box. He prevents a lot of stuff that could possibly be trouble by dictating the defense and by stepping up and picking off balls early and catching everything in the air. He doesn’t let anything brew into something that could become big.”

To win a state title, the Nighthawks would need to win four games. A win Thursday would put Newtown into the quarterfinals. Barring an upset, Newtown would host a quarterfinal game on Saturday.