Regardless of the outcome of meets, there is a lot Coach Adam Fielding can glean about his Newtown High School boys’ swimming and diving team and the prospects for success in the postseason.

Prior to its 111-45 win over visiting Bunnell-Stratford on January 22, the Nighthawks lost 99-84 at Masuk of Monroe on January 16, but Fielding said his squad remains in a good position to make a run overcoming both the Panthers and Brookfield, the only other school to defeat Newtown this campaign, in the South-West Conference championships.

“Dual meets are not made for a 17-member team,” said Fielding, alluding to his thin roster resulting in lack of depth hurting the team in events. Newtown claimed first place in seven of the 12 events against the Panthers. “The kids are in the right spot going toward SWCs and states.”

The top five swimmers score in dual meets, and Masuk racked up points with runner-up and third- through fifth-place finishes. The top 17 score in the conference meet, but the wealth is spread between representatives of eight conference teams, meaning depth is less of an issue in terms of event scoring.

"The depth gets hidden a little bit at SWCs because it's limited entry," Fielding said. "It's not as big a strength at a championship meet as it is in a dual meet."

While having a bigger and deeper lineup creates flexibility in moving swimmers into off events to maximize point-scoring opportunities, Fielding likes his group’s chances of battling for the number two spot in the championships.

Six-time SWC champion Pomperaug of Southbury is the far-and-away favorite, according to Fielding. Weston, traditionally the next-best contender, and the runner-up squad each of the last three winters, is down a bit this year following significant losses to graduation. Newtown has seen Brookfield, which it lost to by just one point back in mid-December, and Masuk improve from a year ago, but both rivals are well within reach given the proper approach for the next month so, Fielding believes.

“We’ve got to have a good taper and good end of the year to get ready for SWCs and states,” Fielding said. “They’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of them, and they work hard. I beat them up every day in practice,” Fielding said.