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11/16/2016 11:00 PMBoys’ Soccer
The Hand boys' soccer team beat Barlow 1-0 in overtime to win the Class L State Tournament championship at Middletown High School on Nov. 19. Junior Liam Akers headed home the winning goal with just more than five minutes left in the first overtime for the Tigers. Hand held Barlow off the scoreboard the rest of way through the first OT and the second OT to claim the program's first state title since 1997 and its first outright crown since 1995. The Tigers finished the season with a record of 15-2-4. Barlow was the No. 13 seed and went 10-5-5.
Previously in the tournament, Hand took on No. 14 Guilford in a Class L semifinal on Nov. 16 at Willow Brook Park in New Britain. It was the fourth meeting between the two schools this fall and the Tigers were victorious by a 3-0 score to advance to their first state final since 1999. Hand had lost its three prior state semifinal appearances since 2012.
Brendan Wray assisted Jake Brown for the first goal on Hand’s first shot on goal of the game with 22:18 before halftime. The Tigers increased their lead to two when Wray assisted Lee Wildermann’s goal about eight minutes into the second half. Wildermann added another with 10:50 to play to complete the victory. Guilford outshot Hand by a slim 10-8 margin with Matt Parker making four saves.
Girls’ Soccer
No. 7-seeded Hand faced off against No. 3 St. Joseph in a Class L State Tournament semifinal and took a 1-0 defeat on Nov. 16 at Willow Brook Park in New Britain. The Cadets broke the scoreless deadlock by scoring with 15:18 to go in regulation and hung on for the win. The Tigers finished the year at 16-3-3, winning the SCC Quinnipiac Division and making their first SCC Tournament final appearance since 2009.