Newtown High School's Joe Accousti won the 170 pound division championship at the State Open Wrestling Championships, at New Haven's Floyd Little Athletic Center, on February 25. The Nighthawks placed second as team, scoring 90 points; Danbury, with 212.5, won the team title.Dancers ShineGymnasts Compete

Accousti scored two victories via pinfall, and won a 15-2 decision in the semifinals before pinning Granby's Benjamin Kibby in 5:51 in the pinnacle bout.

Tom Long reached the finals at 220 before suffering a hard-fought 6-5 loss to Danbury's Andrew Marquis.

Ed Lovely placed third at 145. Lovely won two bouts via pinfall after a first-round bye before falling in the semifinals, then won an 8-2 decision over Trumbull's Michael Mirmina in the third-place match. Aaron Occhipinti earned a pair of victories at 132.

The NHS dance team was runner-up in the Jazz category and placed third in the Hip Hop division at the state championship competition, at Shelton High, on February 25.

Newtown's gymnastics team participated in the Class L State Championships at Pomperaug High in Southbury, on February 25, and placed seventh as a team with a score of 127.475. Greenwich, with 142.575, was first.

Allyson Kenny had scores of 8.5 on vault, 8.15 on bars, 8.25 on the balance beam, and 8.65 on the floor. Maddie Jannott scored an 8.25 on vault, a 7.0 on bars, an 8.350 on the beam, and an 8.525 for her floor exercise.

Sarah MacMullan had an 8.2 on vault, a 6.8 on bars, a 7.25 on the beam, and an 8.225 on the floor. Olivia Brosnan had an 8.075 on vault and an 8.1 on the beam. Mary Locke had a score of 7.0 on the bars, and Sam Olah scored an 8.150 for her floor performance.