Printer Friendly Version - Nighthawks Girls’ Hoops Acted Unselfish in State Semis Berth

Senior captain Ava Johnson earned Second Team All-SCC honors and made the CHSCA Senior All-Star Game, as the North Haven girls’ basketball team finished with 18 wins and secured the program’s first state semifinal berth since 1989. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Senior Damaria Williams-Davis earned herself the Most Improved Player award for the North Haven girls’ basketball squad, which finished 18-9 overall as a SCC Tournament quarterfinalist and Class MM State Tournament semifinalist. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

For the North Haven girls’ basketball team, its race into the middle of March may have shocked some outside observers of the high school basketball landscape in Connecticut. Yet the Nighthawks themselves were never stunned, as they certainly formulated a formidable state title contending team with selflessness, diligence, and a driving will to win.

As the No. 7 seed in the SCC Tournament following a 13-7 regular season, North Haven first beat No. 10 Amity 54-38 in the first round before falling to 2nd-seeded Sacred Heart Academy by a 76-56 decision in the quarterfinal round. Still, it was only the beginning for the Nighthawks’ postseason story, because for the Class MM State Tournament, the girls had a much lengthier stay in that draw.

11th-ranked North Haven defeated No. 22 Killingly 50-41 in the first round prior to the Nighthawks upsetting 6th-seeded Suffield 53-40 in the second round. In the quarterfinal round of 8, the Nighthawks raced past No. 30 RHAM by a 65-43 score prior to seeing their magical run come to an end with a 59-43 loss to No. 2 seed and eventual champion Northwest Catholic in the semifinals to finish 18-9 overall.

Head Coach Jessica Neuweiler detailed that she was certainly amazed and pleased by the girls’ run to the Final Four of the state. Yet what she can marvel more at from her coach’s perspective on the bench was how each victory told a unique story with a different individual stepping up to pen the chapter with unwavering dedication.

“This season, one of our main goals was to compete and win by committee, meaning every player in our program contributes the best they can to help our team be successful,” said Neuweiler. “We knew that to compete, and win, we would need everyone working hard, doing their part, and contributing everyday in practice and in games.”

The surge to the Class MM State Tournament semifinals marked the Nighthawks' first berth in a state semifinal in 35 years. North Haven also started off the year with a solid feather in its collective cap by capturing its Holiday Tournament for the second consecutive December.

When delving deeper into the story of the campaign, the Nighthawks did not have one solo standout that rose above the others. More so, the senior class truly stepped up and put their own goals and gains aside for the betterment of the squad and enhancement of the up-and-coming contributors.

“This season our team truly developed. Every player on our team played a very important role in our success,” said Neuweiler. “It was great to see the players work so hard, and the results truly showed, especially in the postseason. We had five seniors who really helped our underclassmen, especially our freshman class. It was great to see how they mentored the freshmen and really led by example.”

Senior captain Ava Johnson highlighted postseason award honorees for the Nighthawks. She was selected to the All-SCC Second Team and earned herself the opportunity to play in the CHSCA Senior All-Star Game.

Johnson also received the Team MVP Award. Fellow senior captain Ava Papa was bestowed with the team’s Sportsmanship Award, marking her second year in a row receiving that honor. Senior Damaria Williams-Davis received the Most Improved Player distinction.

While a smaller senior class, North Haven will have five sizeable shoes to fill on the floor next winter. With that being said, the mission for the next eight to nine months before the next season tips off will be for the girls to continuously and consistently sharpen their skills.

“We are graduating five seniors,” said Neuweiler. “We will look for our returning players to continue to develop their game in the offseason in preparation for next season.”

Neuweiler could only use the strongest superlatives when it came to commending the efforts of her senior leaders and captains in all facets of the program. Their energy and positivity flowed throughout the remainder of the roster–leading to the squad seeing the finish line of two deep playoff pushes and crossing it.

“Our seniors and captains had a tremendous impact on our program. Our five seniors really led by example this season. They were dedicated, hard working, and great teammates,” said Neuweiler. “They set the bar for how hard we worked and competed every day. Each of the five seniors played a unique role for our team. Everyone was important to our team's success. They mentored our younger players, especially our freshman class. Our success this season was truly a team effort, and this senior class believed in our team and what we were working to achieve, and together they helped lead us to the state semifinals.”

The 2023-2024 North Haven girls’ basketball team roster is comprised of seniors Alyssa Collins, Ava Halovatch, Johnson, Papa, Cameron Ryan, Williams-Davis; juniors with Olivia Ball, Christa Colonis, Brooke LaPierre; sophomore Ella Couture; plus freshmen Chloe Belcher, Lia Calderon, Alexis Ori, Chloe Perito, Emerson Rooney, Bianca Watts, and Addison Whitcomb.

Neuweiler has now completed her second season at the helm with the Nighthawks. She was assisted by Paul Olivia and Caroline Lacy, also both in their second campaigns with the team.