MONROE — Newtown High School’s boys’ swim team competed with the best, and showcased some of the best, in the South-West Conference in the March 1 SWC Championship meet at Masuk High.

Connor Kwarcinski had a pair of first-place finishes, capturing the title in the 50 yard freestyle race in a time of 21.46 and winning the 100 free in 47.82. Kwarcinski won the SWC meet’s Outstanding Swimmer Award.

“He’s so determined, he’s focused. We had confidence he would take it knowing what he can do,” Newtown Coach Ryan Eberts said.

“I put in a lot of work. I guess I earned it,” said Kwarcinski, adding that it takes a lot to be ready to compete at a high level. “You’ve got to practice, hit the gym, stretch, and eat right. You’ve got to be on your game.”

He certainly was, as were many Nighthawks who helped compile points in this collective effort. NHS placed third as a team behind Pomperaug of Southbury and runner-up Weston. Pomperaug, traditionally the heavy favorite, won with 711 points; Weston had 376, and Newtown scored 320.50 while Masuk had 300.50 and Brookfield rounded out the top five with 293. With the top two teams expected to finish ahead of the rest of the conference the battle for third is what Newtown and other schools had in mind, meaning this was a satisfying outcome — a win of sorts — for the Nighthawks.

Newtown’s 200 freestyle relay team of James Guerrieri, Kwarcinski, Gabe Petertonjes, and Hayden Bobowick took second place in 1:32.25.

The 400 free relay of Guerrieri, Elias Kolb, Kris Luci-Bernard, and Bobowick finished third in 3:27.89.

In the 200 medley relay race, the first event of the meet, Newtown came in fourth as Oliver Clancy, Finn Clancy, Petertonjes, and Kwarcinski finished in a time of 1:45.90.

The 200 freestyle event featured a trio of Hawks claiming the tenth through 12th spots. Guerrieri was tenth in 1:59.60 and followed closely by Finn Clancy in 2:00.06 and Kris Luci-Bernard with a time of 2:00.70.

Petertonjes was seventh in the 200 individual medley race, making his final touch at 2:07.35. Brady Wennerholm came in 14th in 2:22.18, Duncan Kolb was 15th in 2:26.72, and Jeremiah Stone was 16th in 2:27.22.

In the 50, Bobowick was eighth in 24.00 and Warren Ache came in tied for 15th in 24.83. Petertonjes was fifth in the 100 butterfly race with a time of 55.16 and Johnny Barzetti came in 12th in 1:01.87. Bobowick was 12th in the 100 free in 53.71 and Elias Kolb finished 17th in the 100 with a time of 56.08.

Newtown had four among the top 13 in the 500. Wennerholm came in ninth in 5:29.08 and Barzetti (5:31.16), Oliver Clancy (5:31.96), and Luci-Bernard (5:41.95) finished in the 11 through 13 spots.

Oliver Clancy placed 11th in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:02.60; Guerrieri was 13th in 1:03.52, Elias Kolb 14th in 1:05.50, and Kyle Albrecht 18th with a time of 1:11.82. In the 100 breaststroke race, Finn Clancy finished 10th in 1:10.24, Duncan Kolb placed 12th with a time of 1:11.31, and Ache was 18th in 1:14.31.

The 400 free relay comprising Guerrieri, Elias Kolb, Luci-Bernard, and Bobowick came in fourth in 3:37.89.

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