By Steve Bigham

A bid to return to the CIAC Class L state championship game began Thursday night as the Newtown High School boys’ soccer team was scheduled to take on Torrington in the second round at Bruce Jenner Stadium.

Newtown, coming off a 3-2 semifinal loss to Joel Barlow in the league playoffs, entered the tournament as the seventh seed. It received a first-round bye. Torrington, seeded 10th, advanced to play Newtown after defeating 23rd-ranked Branford Tuesday. Newtown enters the tournament with an 11-3-2 ledger.

For Rich Engel and Bret McEvoy, as well as the 10 other seniors, the state tournament marks the end of a solid run. Engel and McEvoy have been starters since their freshman seasons.

“This is what it all comes down to,” Engel said earlier this week. “We were disappointed with the outcome last week. It was difficult to swallow, but we have a chance to go far in the states.”

It certainly won’t be any easier than the 1998 tournament, which saw Newtown ride the wave all the way to the finals where it eventually lost to Wilton, 2-0. If Newtown can get by Torrington, it will likely have to face second-seeded East Lyme (15-0-1) in the quarterfinals. After that, powerhouses Daniel Hand and Lyman Hall, who Newtown beat in last year’s quarters, wait in the wings.