Field Hockey Squad Shoots For Winning Season

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s field hockey team begins the season with hopes for a winning season. Based on the way the players looked throughout the preseason, Coach Amanda Hadgraft think she has good reason to believe her squad can improve on last year’s 6-6-2-2 (wins, loses, ties, overtime defeats) mark.

“The girls obviously worked harder between last year and this year,” Hadgraft said. “They came back stronger this year.”

What’s more, despite the fact the Nighthawks lost nine players to graduation, a large number of players are back having played their share of varsity field hockey. “We’re fielding a huge returning squad. We have a lot of experience coming back on the team,” said Hadgraft, who has 16 seniors on the roster.

Then there’s the fact that, in addition to the ties and OT losses, Newtown fell in four one-goal decision in regulation a year ago.

The Nighthawks were eliminated from the South-West Conference playoffs by Joel Barlow of Redding in the first round, then fell to Greenwich in the qualifying round of the Class L state tourney.

The SWC had been dominated, for the most part, by Pomperaug of Southbury and New Milford, but New Fairfield, which lost to New Milford in last year’s conference title game, along with Barlow and Lauralton Hall of Milford, are all tough foes. Newtown expects to have to work hard to have a strong campaign, but Hadgraft is confident in her team. “I definitely see more wins,” she predicts. “They have to want it and that’s half the battle.”

One of the strengths of this team is depth, Hadgraft said. The coach anticipates being able to keep fresh legs on the field at all times — while maintaining a high level of play — by going to her bench and calling on substitutes when necessary.

The senior captains are center midfielder Caroline Kingsley, left inside forward Kelly O’Sullivan, and center defender Olivia Phenix. Among the other key players in the mix are senior defenders Molly Arneth and Grace Winans. Sophomore Caroline Chocolak is new to the offense and should help bolster the team’s scoring chances. Senior goaltender Lauren Sarna is back to guard the cage.

The Nighthawks, following Tuesday’s opener with nonconference foe Woodstock Academy, a 7-0 win, get into SWC action with an early tough test, a Friday, September 14 visit to Barlow. The Nighthawks, after visiting Lauralton on September 18, will entertain Immaculate of Danbury on September 20 at 3:45 pm at Treadwell Park. Among the games to circle on the schedule are a September 28 visit to New Milford, an October 9 rematch with Barlow (in Newtown), and back-to-back games with Pomperaug and New Fairfield, October 16 and 19.