The boys’ soccer team at Newtown High School possesses key characteristics Coach Ryan Lyddy believes can carry the Nighthawks to a winning campaign.

“The team this year is very disciplined, goal-oriented, and players are willing to work for each other for the common goal of the team,” said Lyddy, adding that goals are to successfully defend the South-West Conference’s Colonial Division title, win the SWC championship, and make a deep run into the state tournament.

The Nighthawks were the top seed overall and reached the conference title game last fall. It was anybody’s game with NHS narrowly edging No. 8 Immaculate of Danbury in the quarterfinals, beating No. 5 Brookfield in the semis, then falling 1-0 to No. 6 Pomperaug of Southbury in the pinnacle game.

NHS stands to have plenty of good in-conference challenges and will face Newington and Xavier of Middletown in a pair of nonconference matchups that Lyddy said will be fantastic tests.

The boys are led by captains Luke Kellerman, Brady Lavell, Kyle Ruddy, and Connor Muir. Other key players back are Gjin Abazi, Johnny Celli, Gaberiel Petertonjes, Curtis Verdi, Ryan Payne, and Woodson Morris, along with Yarema Stasyshyn in the goal.

“This year’s team will have a lot of depth. We want to dictate the game and play a possession style game using our depth,” the coach said.

“We the staff are very excited for this year’s squad,” said Lyddy, describing his team members as hard-working, respectful, and dedicated to each other and their school. “All their parents should be very proud of what a nice group of young men they are and are becoming.”

The Hawks hope they have plenty to be proud of once late October and the postseason roll around. The season gets started against Newington at the Farmington Sports Arena on Saturday, September 9 at 10 am. Newtown faces its first SWC competition with a visit to Joel Barlow of Redding Tuesday, September 12 at 5 pm. After a visit to Bunnell of Stratford on Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 pm, the Hawks have their first home contest when last year’s SWC regular-season runner-up, Weston, visits Blue & Gold Stadium at 6 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.