The Newtown Youth Wrestling Association had already made its mark with numerous place winners at the state championships, but now the entire region is on notice as the Nighthawks went to the Youth New England Wrestling Championships at Starland Sportsplex & Fun Park in Hanover, Mass. on March 12, and came away with the first-place team trophy, as well as a trio of individual wins and six place-getters.

Camron Veneziano (10U, 68 pounds), Antonio Arguello (15U 118 pounds), and Jake Maddox (15U, 136 pounds) all earned first. Veneziano also earned the Most Dominant Wrestler Award (see related story).

Second place went to Joey Cotter (10U 64 pounds) and Max Malitsky (12U, 86 pounds). Newtown had a pair of sixth-place finishers in Noah Blair (12U, 69 pounds) and Tristan Rosenschein (12U, 97 pounds).

“I couldn’t be more pleased to go to the premier wrestling event in our region and take home first place,” said Nick Veneziano, president of the Newtown program.

“This is something we built up for,” said Veneziano, adding that the team trophy was attainable each of the last couple of years but that the program missed out on opportunities when the coronavirus canceled postseason tournaments.

Veneziano said the younger wrestlers at Newtown High School who helped that program to a successful campaign, share in the success the youth program has achieved due to the work they put in at the youth level prior to moving up to the high school.

“In a way, this championship is part of them, too,” Veneziano said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.