Woodland Regional boys basketball has just rewritten the history books of the Naugatuck Valley League. This past Saturday, the Hawks soared to a breathtaking 26-0 record, dismantling the Waterbury Career Academy Spartans 78-50 to capture the first NVL championship in program history. 

The Hawks have made a habit of overwhelming their competition this year, turning the court into a highlight reel, with 15 of their victories coming by a staggering 20 points or more. Consistently adding to the point total are seniors John Napiello and James Scampolino, both of whom have surpassed 1000 career points; a rarity that hasn’t happened on the boys team since 2019.

“It felt pretty wild leading up to hitting 1000 points; I was nervous,” said Scampolino. “Which makes absolutely no sense because I’ve been playing basketball for a really long time, and 10 points is like nothing to me.” 

The momentum for this historic run reached a fever pitch last Wednesday, February 25th, during a highly anticipated “battle of the unbeatens.” Woodland faced off against the 20-0 North Haven Nighthawks, a team that had handed the Hawks a bitter 63–52 loss in January 2025. This time, the Hawks claimed their revenge with a 77–63 statement win. Senior captain John Napiello put on a masterclass, shooting 10-for-15 to finish with 25 points, six assists, and six steals. 

Complementing Scampolino and Napiello’s veteran leadership has been the high-efficiency play of junior Aiden Pringle. In the win over North Haven, Pringle was nearly perfect, shooting 89% from the field to chip in 20 points. 

Against Waterbury Career Academy, the Hawks’ depth was on full display as they dismantled a Spartans team that had been on a four-game winning streak. While the Spartans saw 13-point efforts from both Juel Robinson and Alex Turner, they were no match for a Woodland defense that has specialized in converting pressure into transition points all season long.

The Hawks roster is anchored by a core of upperclassmen who have played together for years; the Hawks’ execution has remained remarkably consistent. Currently sitting at 7th in the CT GameTime Top 10, Woodland enters the postseason with the eyes of the state upon them. For the Hawks, the mission remains unchanged: protect the undefeated record and turn this landmark regular season into a state championship run.

“We just have to do exactly what we did in the NVL final,” said Scampolino. “In states, we are ranked 1st in our division; we just have to do what we do best.”