By Kim J. Harmon

STRATFORD – With just three matches left in the regular season, the Nighthawks are on the verge of qualifying for the South-West Conference playoffs and only one win against either Immaculate, Masuk or Bunnell will do it.

The Immaculate match was Wednesday, after press time, while the match against Masuk was on Thursday, also after press time. The ‘Hawks will host Bunnell at the Newtown Country Club on Tuesday, May 23.

The ‘Hawks put themselves in position to need just one win with a great performance against Stratford on Monday at Oronoque Orchards in Stratford. Mark Werbeck and Mike Rostafin shared the medalist honors with blistering rounds of 39.

Taylor Gunn chipped in with a 44 and Joe Ziemann added a 47.

“That was easily our best round of the year,” said coach Jim Casagrande. “It is a very tough, very tight course and the kids shot very well.”

It was a nice turnaround from the 175-183 loss the ‘Hawks suffered to Pomperaug last week at Heritage Village in which their low round of the day was turned in by Mike Troy at 43. That day, Ziemann carded a 45, Gunn added a 48, and Rostafin shot a tough 48.

But that has been the story of the Nighthawks’ season – a season of ups and down and a season of taking some lumps.

“We shouldn’t have lost to Brookfield,” said coach Casagrande. “We didn’t have Rostafin that day and that didn’t help. Plus Brookfield always shoots very well against us (at Sunset Hills).”

The ‘Hawks will be heading into the South-West Conference tournament on Tuesday, May 30, at Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury.