A trio of standout Newtown High School athletes, on November 13, signed National Letters of Intent to compete in college.

Layton Harrell will play lacrosse at Stony Brook University in New York, Sara Kennedy will play softball at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, and Sarah Houle will play golf at The College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Va.

"My coach put me in the right position," Harrell said of Newtown lacrosse team Coach Scott Bulkley, who led Harrell and his teammates past Weston in the 2016 South-West Conference championship game.

Harrell had the game-tying goal in that pinnacle battle, helping Newtown defeat Weston 5-4 in triple overtime.

The Stony Brook-bound athlete also has also been a strong swimmer for the Nighthawks.

Kennedy is a standout pitcher for the softball team that won the 2015 and 2016 SWC championships. Kennedy also plays on competitive travel team, the Newtown Rock Gold coached by Joe Garvey, which competes in national showcases across the country.

"I'm really excited. This is my dream school and I'm really excited to be playing softball in college," Kennedy said of heading to Villanova.

Houle claimed the Connecticut golf championship and was the only golfer among 104 to finish under par in the competition, at Tashua Knolls Golf Course in Trumbull this past spring. Houle, also a strong soccer player at NHS, says attending William and Mary will elevate her golf game.

"I chose it because it's a very competitive atmosphere. It will put me in position to be better - my golf game and academically," Houle said.

This marks the end of an era at Newtown High for Harrell, Kennedy, and Houle, but with their final spring sports seasons ahead there are sure to be some more thrilling moments on the athletic fields and golf courses for these Nighthawks.