Whether it was during the fall football season, winter basketball campaign, or spring softball and lacrosse slate, athletes Mali Klorczyk and Jared Pearson have made their presence felt on the area playing surfaces.Newtown Bee's Newtown High School Athletes of the Year.Sacrifice Leads To SuccessPearson Does It All

For their efforts both this past school year and throughout their high school careers, standout multi-sport athletes Klorczyk and Pearson - both of whom played a key role in their spring team winning a conference championship last month - are the

Klorczyk and Pearson are among many athletes who competed and excelled while wearing the blue and gold, and both finished off successful high school careers in style. Klorczyk and the Nighthawk softball squad defeated Pomperaug of Southbury 11-0 in title game as the senior shortstop doubled and homered in an eight-run second inning. Pearson, on the same night, May 27, scored the game-winning goal - his third tally of the contest - en route to tourney MVP accolades, as the lacrosse team edged Weston 5-4 in a triple-overtime thriller.

Klorczyk played basketball all four years, and was on the softball team three of the four. She led the basketball team in scoring, and was a threat both from the outside and inside.

Jeremy O'Connell, Klorczyk's basketball coach at NHS, said she brings a lot of intangibles to the game that make her difficult to guard, but that her dedication to the sport is her biggest strength.

"She goes above and beyond to improve her craft as much as possible," O'Connell said. "She'll do whatever she needs to do on her own to make herself and the team better."

Klorczyk's dedication to basketball required that she miss a season of softball - her junior year, when the squad won its first of two straight South-West Conference championships. Klorczyk focused on her game on the hardwood, playing AAU basketball as she worked toward improving her skills.

Klorczyk participated in track and field last spring since the individual nature of track allowed for more flexibility with her schedule while playing basketball.

With college plans, a commitment to Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., under her belt this winter, Klorczyk put the softball uniform back on for her senior year, and helped the Nighthawks successfully defend their title.

"Honestly it was a difficult game to put down, but a better game to pick back up," she said.

Klorczyk earned All SWC and All State first team accolades in basketball this past year, and earned All SWC Colonial Division softball honors this spring.

She didn't let injuries slow her down, overcoming a pair of shoulder dislocations and torn labrum during her high school career.

Klorczyk's primary sport while growing up was soccer, and she played at the premier level her freshman and sophomore years, before joining the cross country team in her junior fall season.

Basketball, Klorczyk says, didn't come naturally to her and she had to work hard to succeed on the court.

"I think that's why I fell in love with the game," she said.

A three-year starter in basketball, Klorczyk scored 846 points, pulled down 421 rebounds and came away with 178 steals. In her senior campaign, Klorczyk had 272 points, 146 rebounds and 53 steals. She posted her career high with a 29-point effort in a win over Immaculate this past January.

Klorczyk earned All South-West Conference accolades in her sophomore, junior, and senior years, and was All State her senior season. Klorczyk was named to the Nike Junior National All Star Team in the summer of 2015 and was the recipient of the United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award as a senior.

On the softball field, Klorczyk finished off her career with a batting average of .393 in her senior year, during which she drove in 30 runs and scored 30 runs en route to earning All SWC accolades.

Now, it's on to Adelphi, where Klorczyk will lace up the basketball sneakers and is hopeful of continuing her softball career.

"I've very excited," said Klorczyk, adding that it will be a "huge adjustment," but that she's looking forward to the challenges of bringing her game to the next level. Klorczyk will study exercise science at Adelphi.

You name the position, Pearson played it.

Pearson, primarily a running back and free safety, also lined up as the quarterback, caught passes, and did a little of everything throughout his playing career on the gridiron. Steve George, coach of the NHS football team, said Pearson was extremely versatile as well as a very smart player.

"He played every single field position," George said. "When the ball was in his hands good things happened."

In his senior campaign, Pearson carried the ball 129 times for 779 yards, and racked up a dozen touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. In 11 games, Pearson averaged 128 all purpose yards. On defense, Pearson compiled 21 tackles and intercepted three passes. He contributed on special teams with a combined 297 punt and kick return yards.

Among the highlights of Pearson's high school career was in helping the football team defeat Glastonbury in the state playoffs this past campaign. Pearson scored the game-winning touchdown in a 21-20 victory. He also helped the Nighthawks to a pair of SWC championships.

On the lacrosse field, he led the Nighthawks in goals with 51, assists with 24 and points with 75.

He earned All South-West Conference First Team accolades in both football and lacrosse this year, and also took home Second Team All State accolades in lacrosse.

An all-around athlete, Pearson enjoys kicking around the soccer ball, hitting a baseball and swinging golf clubs recreationally.

Pearson will miss playing sports at Newtown High, something he did at the varsity level each of the past three seasons.

"It's been my life for the past three years and I've really become accustomed to it. I'm going to miss it a lot," Pearson said.

Pearson will attend the University of Delaware in the fall will attempt to walk on with the lacrosse team.

"I'm super-excited," he said of embarking on his collegiate career.