By Kim J. Harmon

HAMDEN – A woman stood in the parking lot, her hands on her hips, and with her hand shielding her eyes gazed across the street at the park, where activity was beginning to take shape on three different fields.

“I don’t think we’re playing Newtown today,” she said.

A reporter, standing nearby, remarked, “Everyone is playing Newtown today.”

That’s right – be it Stamford (U10), Norwalk (U12) or Terryville (U14), everyone was squaring off against Newtown for a Babe Ruth state championship on Monday night at Bassett Park in Hamden. It is the first time ever that Newtown was fighting for a title in all three divisions.

“What a commentary on Newtown youth softball,”_exclaimed U12 coach Al Legros. “The U10, U12 and U14 teams all in the championship games - it’s just tremendous!”

And while the U12s and U14s were ultimately disappointed in their quests (they had a tougher road to travel, each needing to win twice), the U10s laid claim to their title with a thrilling, heart-thumping 3-1 win over Stamford.

“This is a huge accomplishment for Newtown softball,” said U14 coach Rich Van_Waalwijk. “We have a lot to be proud of.”

While coaches concentrated on their own games, some couldn’t help wondering what was going on elsewhere. In the top of the second of the U10 game between Newtown and Stamford, just seconds after Kaila Harrington smashed a line drive to the centerfield fence, coach Nancy Bowen asked, “Does anyone know the scores of the other games?”

For anyone that had to walk between the three fields – dealing with the hard drizzle and the manic squirrel defending his territory (or demanding food, no one was quite sure) – it was an exciting time all right and a great time to be a Newtown softball player.