Chemistry, Hard Work Help Newtown High Booters Succeed

By Andy Hutchison

It doesn’t come down to just sheer talent. Winning takes hard work and teamwork, among other characteristics, and those have been strong attributes that have carried Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ soccer teams to the winning ways they have had in 2010.

The girls’ soccer team overcame its first loss of the season with a well-played win, and the school’s boys’ team continues to improve as the campaign draws near a close. Entering the final 11 days and five games of the schedule, the girls stand at 5-2-3 and the boys are 6-2-3

Coaches and members of both teams have been encouraged by the results and are confident the teams will have success in the postseason.

The NHS girls fell 4-0 in the pouring rain at Masuk in Monroe on October 5, but bounced back with a 2-1 win over Weston two days later. Senior captain Lauren Meyer and Maddy Keane scored in the win.

“That was huge — it’s not just that we won. It’s the way we won,” said NHS Coach Marc Kenney, adding that the Nighthawks overcame a tough opponent on the road on a fast turf surface.

The coach said his team was outplayed by Masuk in all areas of the game and that the girls rebounded nicely to put forth a solid all-around effort to get back on the winning track.

Senior captain Sarah Attanasio said the team members learned from the Masuk game and set out to have a strong performance in the next game.

“It’s great. We bounced back really well,” added fellow senior captain KellyAnne Brophy, who has been sidelined since preseason with an ACL injury but continues to support her team every day.

It is that sort of team spirit, displayed by Brophy, that has been a staple of this squad.

“We’ve been playing like a team this year, which is key,” Meyer said. “When you get along with everyone on the team it makes playing so much easier.”

“It’s a lot of fun — especially on days before games,” said Keane, adding that the team has fun while preparing for the next day’s opponent.

The Nighthawks believe they will continue to have fun and success the rest of the way through the regular season and into the playoffs. Newtown lost only its second game, 4-0 at home to Joel Barlow of Redding on October 12, but will try to bounce back again and return to those winning ways as the playoffs approach.

“I don’t see anyone not working hard,” senior captain Ali Korchman said.

Boys Winning

The NHS boys’ team has not had as many wins as it might prefer to have but, all in all, things are going well for the booters. What is most important for the team is that they are playing their best soccer of the fall of late.

Following two losses and a tie in their first four contests, the Hawks reeled off five wins and a tie in their next six.

“We’ve obviously had our ups and downs this year, but this recent stretch of games we’ve been playing really well,” senior captain Hank Helgren said.

Newtown overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to salvage a 2-2 tie with Masuk on October 5 then held on for a 2-1 win over Weston on October 7. Josh Engler and Nick Barretto both scored in the win over Weston.

“We’ve been showing some pretty good character — to battle back two times against Masuk and to protect the lead against Weston,” senior captain and goalkeeper Ishan Tatake said.

At Barlow on October 12, Newtown won 2-0. The team got early goals from Engler, on a high shot from outside the 18-yard box, and Andre Capozziello, who sprinted up the left wing past a few defenders and buried a shot into the far, lower corner of the goal.

The Nighthawks are striving to continue to improve and reach their peak level of play come playoff time.

“We have the potential to really be at the top of the conference if we keep on improving the way we expect to,” Coach Brian Neumeyer said. “The guys have been fantastic as far as work ethic — they’ve been great.”

Like the girls, the boys attribute their success, in part, to team unity.

“We’re a close-knit group. We hang out a lot together,” Helgren said. “It brings a lot of chemistry.”

“We work hard for each other,” Tatake added.

The Hawks will have to continue to work hard to get the results they are seeking. NHS hosts New Fairfield Friday, October 15, at 7 pm at Treadwell Park before playing three straight on the road and closing out the regular campaign against Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport at home on October 25. The October 15 game will coincide with the annual SoccerFest, which begins at 6 pm.

“We have a tough slate of games ahead,” Tatake said. “If we can keep playing like we can play, and like I’ve seen us play at stretches, we can beat any team in the SWC.”