Newtown High School’s girls’ and boys’ indoor track teams will lean on the experience and stamina of their distance runners, the development of sprinters, and skill of the throwers as they strive to succeed this winter.

Coach Doug Russell has more than 100 competitors in the program and, given the numbers and what he’s seen from returning athletes, the potential is there for the Nighthawks to be strong across the board.

The distance events are Newtown’s strongest area, Russell believes. The coach expects newcomers to bring a lot to the table, and he looks forward to seeing what the relay runners can do, and to the emergence of sprinters.

Girls’ captains are distance runner Brianne Moulder, hurdler Jill Vazquez, sprinters Brooke Newton and Taylor Zingaro, and school record-setting spring season pole vaulter Jenna Calandro. The boys’ captains are hurdler Sam Boland, sprinter Jimmy Leidlein, middle-distance runner Matt Mossbarger, distance runner/hurdler Kevin Gorman, and distance runner Nate Steinebrey.

Throwers who stand to provide points in the shot put event are Amy Anyoha and Eli Klorczyk.

Last year, the boys were third in the South-West Conference championships, and the girls placed sixth. In state competition, the girls and boys were 13th and 14th, respectively, in the Class LL meet.

“We’re going to be pretty competitive on both ends this year,” Russell anticipates.

Tough competition should come from Weston on the girls’ side, and the Brookfield and Bunnell of Stratford boys, Russell expects. The first SWC developmental meet is slated for December 28 at the Danbury Sports Dome as the Nighthawks work toward the championship season, which gets going with the February 1 SWC finals.

“It’s going to be a competitive season,” he said.