Newtown High School Lacrosse Players Receive Post-Season Recognition

2010 was another banner year for the Newtown High School girls and boys lacrosse teams.

Coach Maura Fletcher's girls team finished with a record of 19-2, won their sixth straight South-West Conference Championship and went into the state tournament as the #1 seed.

The boys team finished 13-7 under new head coach Glenn Adams, with four of those losses by a single goal. Unable to defend the SWC Championship they won in 2009, the boys were still able to contend in a highly competitive SWC, battling to the semifinals as the third seed in the conference tournament and making it to the state quarterfinals for the third year in a row.

After posting such highly successful seasons, Nighthawk lacrosse players were recently recognized with individual post-season awards and honors.

For both teams, the awards were bountiful – and appropriately for student-athletes, the recognition was evenly split between on-field and off-field accomplishments.

Leading the way for the girls was senior midfielder Lisa Vendel (Bryant University; 99 goals, 26 assists), who was named to pretty much everything she could have been named to - All SWC First Team , All State First Team and the ultimate athletic honor for a high school athlete, All American.

Joining Vendel on the All State First Team and All SWC First Team were senior attacker and Tri-Captain Meghan Bridges (University of New Hampshire; 65 goals, 57assists) and junior midfielder Kaitlin Brophy (70 goals, 18 assists).

Senior defender and Tri-Captain Annie Fletcher (Vanderbilt University; 28 ground balls, 10 interceptions, 28 caused turnovers) was named to the All SWC First team and the All State Second Team.

Maura Fletcher is ecstatic to see these players recognized for their excellence. About the All-Everything Vendel, Fletcher gushes, "Lisa is probably the most athletic girl I have ever coached.  Her speed is second to none.  She is as important on the defensive end as she is on the offensive end."

When asked to describe Bridges, the coach was quick to point out that "Meghan is an extremely focused and hard worker.  She is so balanced and unselfish - just look at how many assists she had."

The coach also knows she has a top talent returning in Brophy, "a phenominal shooter and our draw specialist.  Kait is a smart player and fights on the circle for posession."

The coach took a moment to reflect upon the excellent career of her daughter, a four-year varsity defender and acknowledged team leader in 2010.

"Annie's strength is her smarts and anticipation", Fletcher said.  "She is able to think one step ahead and make the play before anybody else can react."

The SWC also names an "All Division Team" that recognizes athletes competing for schools in either the Colonial and Patriot Divisions for excellent seasons. Nighthawk girls named to the All Colonial Team were junior attacker Katie Canavan, senior defender Samantha Dinnan (University of New Hampshire), junior defender Kelly O'Connor, and senior defender Stephanie Suhoza (Clemson University).

It's certainly worth noting here that Newtown's ENTIRE defensive unit was recognized with some level of post-season honor.

Newtown's girls excelled in the classroom as well – Fletcher, Bridges and Brophy were honored as Academic All Americans, and Fletcher was named the CIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for girls lacrosse. All three girls were joined on the SWC All Academic team by Dinnan, Canavan, junior goalie Jill Jagoe, and freshman midfielder Erin Kenning.

Vendel, Bridges, Dinnan and Suhoza were also chosen to play in the Senior All Star Game.

For the Nighthawk boys, junior midfielder Colby Summerlin (30 goals, 12 assists) was rewarded for his all-around excellence in a breakout year by being named to the All State Second Team and the All SWC First Team.

Also named as All SWC First Team players were widely feared and physically punishing junior defender Max Nacewicz, and junior attackman Lewis Thompson (23 goals, 41 assists), the team's leading scorer.

Adams reflected on the season and the honors bestowed upon the three junior standouts. When talking about the versatile Summerlin, the coach cited his steady hand at midfield: "Colby was one of our most consistent players this season - he scored some very big goals for us. He had a point in every game we played."

Adams sees Nacewicz as an intimidating presence on the field that had to be dealt with by opposing offenses.

"He guarded the other team's #1 attackman all season and in most cases, made it a very tough day for them," Adams said.

Thompson, whom the coach views as the offensive leader, "was the quarterback of our offense. Lewis always looks to pass first - that makes him a great asset when attacking from behind the cage."

Several boys lacrosse players were also honored with recognition on the All Colonial Division Team: senior attackman Tim Dalton (Eastern Connecticut State University; 34 goals, 5 assists), senior defender and Co-Captain Connor McNamara (Bryant University; 66 ground balls), junior midfielder Will Northrop (19 goals, 13 assists), junior defensive midfielder Dan Sclafani (61 ground balls), and senior defenseman Ralph Sergiovanni (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs).

Senior midfielder and Co-Captain Kyle O'Connor (University of Pennsylvania) added to his already gaudy haul of student-athlete accolades with the Academic All-American and All SWC Academic team honors.

Joining him on the All SWC Academic Team were Northrop, junior defensive midfielder Tom Murphy, and senior defender Dana Hansen (University of Maryland).

O'Connor and Sergiovanni were also chosen to play in the Senior All-Star Game played in Guilford on June 21.

Looking forward, 2011 looks to be another solid year for the NHS laxers, as both teams return significant talent.

Brophy, Northrop and Nacewicz were named to the Connecticut Super Junior teams and will be team leaders in their respective senior years.

Despite the loss of key seniors, the return of goaltenders Celeste Cheung (a rising junior) for the girls and Brandon Body (a rising senior) for the boys bodes well for the Newtown defense.

For the girls, additional scoring punch will come from rising senior girls Emma Kingsley and Erin Brown as well as rising junior Meredith Bridges.

For the boys, rising sophomore Dan Hebert looks to step up to a full-time role at attack, while rising Juniors Justin Brophy and Trey Trudell combine with rising senior Ryan Korth to bolster the offense.

See you next spring!