A 3-0 start is pretty nice, especially when you’ve knocked off perennial powerhouse Brookfield in the process.

That’s the feeling surrounding the Newtown High School’s girls’ swimming and diving team, which defeated Brookfield, always among the top teams in the South-West Conference and state, 97-84 in the season opener on September 9. The outcome was not even as close as the final score indicates, given the final two events were exhibitioned after the Nighthawks locked up the win following a one-two-three outcome in the 100-yard backstroke event.

After defeating host Joel Barlow of Redding 101-77 at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury on September 11, the Hawks bested the Immaculate of Danbury/Bethel squad 84-62 at The Dive Shop in Brookfield on September 16, a meet in which Newtown went one-two-three in almost every event and was exhibitioned from about the midpoint on.

Now comes what Coach Zach Gauvin believes will be the toughest test of the young campaign: A clash with Weston, which, in addition to Brookfield and Pomperaug of Southbury, has been among the conference’s elite teams — and also among the best in the state — in recent years. Newtown will host the Trojans at 4 pm on Friday, September 13. Gauvin notes that both teams have strengths and said he expects a back-and-forth meet from race to race.

“I’m pretty happy with the progress the team has made this season, starting off 3-0. However, we have one of the bigger tests of the season coming up on Friday night when we swim the Class S State champions and reigning SWC champions, Weston High School,” Gauvin said. “This meet will show how well we match up in the state of Connecticut overall, and show how mentally and physically tough our girls really are. It should be an exciting meet and we can’t wait to compete against a great team on Friday night.”

Results from Newtown’s first two meets of the campaign are as follows:

Newtown earned first-place finishes in six of the first ten events against Brookfield. The meet started off with the 200 medley relay team of Megan McDonald, Annika Fagerholm, Eliza Eggleston, and Amy Martinelli earning first in a time of 1:57.51.

Newtown’s best result in the 200 freestyle relay was Mary Hufziger’s second-place finish in 2:06.58. McDonald was first in the 100 individual medley, making her final touch in 2:19.09. Martinelli was second in the 50 freestyle in 25.54.

The break for diving saw Newtown earn a one-two finish behind the efforts of Kari Djonne and Gillian Eckwall, respectively. Out of the break, Newtown didn’t record firsts in either of the first two events, but depth in the lineup gave the team big points. Eggleston (1:04.67), Casey Klein (1:07.72), and Amanda Berry (1:18.43) had a two-three-four finish in the 100 butterfly. Martinelli and Mady Mele were second and third in the 100 free, finishing with times of 55.49 and 57.93. In the 500 free, Emily Payne was first in 5:39.82 and Bridget Duero was runner-up in 5:42.03.

The 200 free relay contingent of Hufziger, Eggleston, Mele, and Martinelli were first in 1:43.46. In the 100 backstroke race, McDonald (1:03.95), Klein (1:08.23), and Hufziger (1:08.70) led the way.

Newtown had first-place finishes in each of the first eight events against Barlow before exhibitioning the final four.

McDonald, Fagerholm, Eggleston, and Mele won the 200 medley relay in a time of 2:01.39.

Marinelli was first in the 200 with a time of 2:02.70. Fagerholm won the 200 IM in 2:24.61. Mele won the 50 free 25.78, and teammates Cecilia Schoeni (28.80) and Emma Brantl (29.20) were second and third.

Keeping with the trend, the divers also logged first, second, and third as Djonne, Emma Wolfman, and Sarah MacMullen earned the top scores.

Eggleston (1:06.38) and Klein (1:07.21) were the top finishers in the butterfly race. In the 100 free, Duero (58.72), Payne (59.05), and Schoeni (1:04.30) gave NHS another one-two-three punch. In the 500 free, McDonald was first in 5:36.07.