Girls’ Lacrosse Begins Defense Of SWC Title

By Andy Hutchison

The three-time defending South-West Conference champion Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse team will rely on some new faces to keep its winning tradition going in 2008.

The Nighthawks, who went 16-1, face voids left by six graduates, four of whom went on to play college lacrosse, NHS Head Coach Maura Fletcher said.

“We still expect to be a strong team, even with the losses,” Fletcher said. “We’re still very strong defensively.”

Among the players Fletcher and Assistant Coach Mark Feltch will turn to as the Hawks begin defense of their SWC crown are goaltender Lisa Isabella, defender Libby Feltch, and attack player Courtney Gleason — all captains — in addition to fellow seniors: attack player Stephanie Paproski and defenders Jen O’Connell and Colleen Thornberg (a newcomer to the team this spring), along with Tina Sanchez and Stephanie Soder.

Sophomore midfielder Lisa Vendel and her sister and junior attack player Betsy Vendel are among the other key returnees. Sophomore defenders Annie Fletcher and Sam Dinnan, along with freshman midfielder Caitlin Brophy, are players to watch, Fletcher said. Brophy, although only a first-year high-schooler, does have some lacrosse experience under her belt and brings speed to the lineup.

The injury bug, which overtook a chunk of the boys’ roster a year ago, has hit in the form of one preseason injury for the girls this year.

The Hawks will feel the loss of sophomore Meghan Bridges, who tore her ACL on the first day of practice, Fletcher said.

In addition to striving to win another SWC title, the Hawks are looking to improve on last year’s early exit from state tourney play. The Hawks, despite a nearly perfect campaign and being the Division I tourney’s No. 3 seed, were upset by No. 14 seed and SWC rival Joel Barlow, 8-7, in a first-round shocker.

The Nighthawks, who were scheduled to open their season Wednesday at Immaculate before hosting Cheshire on Thursday, will get a crack at avenging that state tourney loss to Barlow at home on April 17.

Other opponents to circle on the schedule are New Fairfield, Brookfield and out-of-conference schools Wilton, Glastonbury, East Lyme, and Cheshire.

Although the girls’ teams in recent years have set the bar high and this year’s team is shooting to continue that success, Fletcher won’t overlook some of the most important goals for school sports teams.

“We want to develop the young players so we have a cohesive group, and to have the girls leave Newtown High loving lacrosse,” the coach said.