Newtown High School’s girls’ indoor track and field team overcame much more than the competition to come out on top. The Nighthawks won the South-West Conference Championship at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven on February 11. Make it two straight and three of the last four indoor crowns for the Nighthawks who, this year, overcame myriad of obstacles throughout the season to repeat as the best in the SWC.

The meet, originally scheduled for February 8 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center, was rescheduled because of the snowstorm and the start time was also pushed back a couple hours, making for a late-night celebration (and return to Newtown).

“It was definitely a trying year, a trying season,” said Newtown Coach Becky Bourret, noting that the combination of ongoing illnesses that sidelined competitors throughout the campaign and the SWC Championship scheduling change took a mental and emotional toll on the competitors who, when it mattered most, rose to the occasion.

“It was the season of curveballs. Luckily the girls were able to put it together,” the coach added.

Getting athletes healthy enough to compete was a challenge throughout the SWC qualifying season and many of the competitors were not able to meet their personal goals. That said, the team was super-successful given the circumstances.

The Nighthawks rolled to victory with 103.5 points; their closest competitor, Joel Barlow of Redding, had 66. There were 13 schools represented on both the girls’ and boys’ sides. Newtown’s boys’ squad came in fourth with 41 points behind Bethel (164), Bunnell of Stratford (64), and Weston (54).

In the girls’ competition, Newtown’s 4x800 relay team of Teegan Svendsen, Natalie delCampo, Rachael Albrecht, and Clare Csaszar was first in 10:36.08. The Sprint Medley relay comprising Abigail Manka, Jessie Moore, Albrecht, and delCampo was first in 4:31.44.

Those were the only two firsts but the Hawks piled up numerous top-ten, even top-five finishes to rack up points.

“It’s kind of our go-to,” Bourret said of the team’s depth.

Grace Lyons took third in the 300 meter race in 43.49 and was fourth in the 600 in 1:43.53. Natalie McLean was second in the 1000 with a time of 3:10.79; McLean also earned third in the 1600, clocking in at 5:25.05. Aashni Shetty placed third in the 55 hurdles in 8.97.

Abigail Ihlefeld came in seventh in the 600 in 1:54.49. Amelia Boissio-Dotolo (3:33.21) and Anabelle Foley (3:33.23) were eight-nine in the 1000. Svendsen was sixth in the 3200 in 12:51.30.

The 4x200 relay of Manka, Lyons, Summer-Rose Chaljub, and Lola Kessler came in fourth in 1:53.13. The 4x400 team comprising Albrecht, Csaszar, Kelsey Brennan, and Kessler was second in 4:20.50.

This meet was close between Newtown, Barlow, and Weston (third with 61 points) until the field events. The relays played a key role in the Hawks compiling big points and the throwers and jumpers sealed the win.

In the shot-put event Faith Weir was third with a throw of 29-foot-4.75 and Jamie Humphreys came in fourth with a 28-9.25. The Hawks had two more in the top ten in the shot-put as Alexa Gonzalez (25-11.25) and Lily Tullis (25-1.5) took seventh and eighth.

Marcela Corral was fourth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 4-foot-6. Kessler took second in the pole vault with a 9-6, Bridget Gioffe came in fourth with an 8-6, and Csaszar was fifth clearing 7-6.

Newtown finished two-three in the long jump with Shetty earning runner-up with a 17-1.25 and Violet Assante-LaBash next with a 16-0.25. Rachel Hugo came in eighth in the long jump with a leap of 14-0.25.

Bourret noted that some of her team members made notable sacrifices for the better of the team. Albrecht and delCampo missed out on some individual races to help the relays come out on top and McLean did not do relays to help the team score important points elsewhere. Shetty, Kessler, and Grace Lyons each had outstanding performances, and the entire team came through, Bourret noted.

This marks the end of an era with the program. Bourret, who has coached at NHS since 2018, started coaching cross country and track at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury late this past fall. She is moving into her role there while helping make the transition smooth in Newtown. Bourret will stay on board as an outdoor track assistant during the spring campaign.

The boys were led by high jumper Owen Sullivan with a 6-foot leap for first place and Elias Brady with a 22-foot-7.5 long jump first-place effort.

Ubay Dissa took fifth in the 1000 with a time of 2:48.05 and Aarav Shetty placed seventh in the 1000 in 2:55.49. Orion Lowery was sixth in the 3200 in 10:35.55; Dissa was eighth in 10:53.20.

The 4x200 relay of Danniel Teixeira, Bryce Maddox, Tanner Smith, and Brady came in third in 1:38.83. The sprint medley relay of Teixeira, Maddox, Brady, and Lowey was third in 3:56.12. Newtown’s 4x400 comprising Derek Jopp, Gabriel Marques, Reid Karnas, and Teixeira was sixth in 3:57.35.

Smith was fourth in the long jump with a 19-1.5, and Sullivan came in sixth in the event with an 18-8, and Maddox was tenth with an 18-4.

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