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10/09/2014 12:00 AMFootball
The Tigers traveled to North Haven on Oct. 2 and suffered a 28-19 loss to drop their mark to 2-2 on the year. Nick Van Dell finished 19-of-35 passing for 305 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. He also rushed for 86 yards on 12 carries, but Tommy Wilson was Hand's leading ball carrier with his 102 yards on 10 attempts.
Hand's offense got out to a swift start as it scored on its opening four-play, 66-yard drive, which was capped off by Ryan Whelahan running it into the end zone from four yards out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead at 4:23 into the evening. Yet the Indians answered seven snaps later with a 4-yard scoring scamper of their own with 4:24 to play in the opening frame to even things after a quarter.
Almost three minutes into the second, Hand had a chance to lead by three, yet it missed a 30-yard field-goal attempt. Nearing halftime and down 14-7 after a 1-yard TD rush by the home side 4:44 before the break, Hand found itself deep in North Haven territory at the Indians' 5-yard marker following an interception made by Kyle Freiman as the second quarter clock was winding down, but time ran out for any scoring opportunity by the visitors.
To start the third, Wilson fumbled at the Hand 21 and the Indians took advantage of the giveaway five plays later with a 7-yard TD dash to go ahead 21-7 only 2:40 into the period. The Tigers did respond six minutes later when Van Dell and Andrew Fitzgerald (6 catches for 103 yards) hooked up on a 38-yard pass to cut their deficit to eight following a missed extra point.
In the fourth, Hand made it a two-point contest with 10:19 left to play when Wilson raced his way to the end zone on a 64-yard run before a failed two-point conversion attempt. Van Dell and the Tigers had one last shot to take a late lead with less than three minutes to go, but he threw an interception, and North Haven clinched the victory as 1:23 remained thanks to a 40-yard TD rush.
Mark Hill also reeled in four receptions for 92 yard as Hand produced 510 yards of total offense.
Field Hockey
Hand (7-2 overall) defeated Hamden at home on Sept. 29 before a 4-1 victory at Guilford on Oct. 2.
Hosting Hamden, Hannah Leckey got the Tigers on the board at 27:30 with a goal following a Sam Pavano assist to give Hand a 1-0 lead at the break. At 4:55 in the second, Pavano scored with a feed from Katie Omdahl. Mel Rennie stopped all six Green Dragon shots she faced as the Tigers outshot Hamden 19-6.
Girls' Volleyball
Hand swept division rival Guilford on Sept. 29 and also Cross on Oct. 1 before a 3-2 loss to Amity on Oct. 2 to bring its mark to 6-4 (3-1 in SCC Hammonasset Division play).
Facing Guilford, the Tigers prevailed (25-22, 25-21, 25-21) while Ryann Cornellio had seven kills; Krissy LaSance added seven kills, 12 digs, and seven aces; plus Cassidy Wygonik chipped in with five kills and a dozen digs.
Versus Cross, the set scores were 25-4, 25-19, and 25-19 in Hand's favor as Kennedy Hye tallied seven digs and 10 aces; Cornellio had 10 kills and three aces; and Chika Ogbejesi dropped in 10 assists and four aces.
Girls' Swimming and Diving
Hand took on Lauralton Hall on Sept. 30 and suffered a 102-84 loss to bring its mark to 3-2. In that meet, Allie Mascia won the 50 free (28.7) while she also won the 100 butterfly (1:05.27). Also victorious for the Tigers were Lauren Ladraplle in diving and Callie Weiler for the 100 breaststroke (1:16.32). Second-place finishers included the 200 medley relay of Mascia, Weiler, Case Porter, and Gigi Jensen (2:06); Noelle Bergere for diving; the 200 free relay team of Sammi Crans, Porter, Grace Lawton, and Emma Connolly (1:56.81); Alex Wagner in the 100 backstroke (1:11.63); Caroline Genther for the 100 breaststroke (1:18.40); and the 400 free relay group of Mascia, Jensen, Wagner, and Genther (4:00.25). Coming in third were Porter in 100 butterfly (1:07.50); Genther for the 500 free (5:33.76); Wagner with the 200 free (2:11); and Kelly Doktorski in 100 backstroke (1:15.07).
Boys' Cross Country
On Sept. 30, the Tigers swept a tri meet against Xavier (26-29), Law (16-47), and Notre Dame-West Haven (15-48). Hand's teams top five runners finished within 24 seconds of each other with Colin Roth (3rd; 17:34), Kevin Clarke (4th; 17:44), Adam Taylor (5th; 17:55), Sean Collins (6th; 17:56), and Connor Roth (8th; 17:58) forming the pack.
Prior to that on Sept. 27, the boys traveled to Wappingers Falls, New York to participate in the Bowdoin Park Classic and finished 13th out of 29 teams. The Tigers' top seven varsity runners were Colin Roth, Garrett Noonan, Clarke, Collins, Ryan Johnson, Connor Roth, and Owen McGeary.
On Sept. 23, Hand suffered its first loss of the season in a dual meet against a strong Cheshire team (ranked in the top 10 for the State Coaches' Poll) by a 17-40 final. Outstanding performances were turned in by brothers Colin (4th in 17:27) and Connor (placed 7th in 17:54) Roth.