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06/03/2017 12:00 AMBoys' Lacrosse
The Hand boys' lacrosse squad is going back to the Class M State Tournament championship game following a 7-4 win over 2nd-seeded North Haven in the semis at West Haven High School on June 7. The Tigers, who are the No. 11 seed, improved to 14-7 and will face No. 4 seed New Canaan (14-3) in the Class M final for the third straight season at McMahon High School in Norwalk at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 10. New Canaan has won the two previous meetings against the Tigers, who will be making their fourth state final appearance. Hand had defeated Newington, Berlin, and Weston prior to beating North Haven in the semifinals.
The Tigers opened the Class M State Tournament by hosting No. 22 Newington for a qualifying round game on May 27 and prevailed 17-1. Hand's goals came from Liam Gottlick (5), Tom Swank (4), Nate Palumbo (2), and Kevin Flanagan (2), as well as Christian Jibilian, Teg Cosgriff, Zach Santoemma, and Jack Santoro, who each had one. Santoemma had four assists, while Santoro and Swank added one helper each. Griffin Fitzmaurice made four saves in net, and Mason Feiner stopped two shots.
In the first round at No. 6 Berlin on May 31, Hand won 12-2. Goals came from Santoro (3), Swank, Gottlick, and Palumbo (2 each), along with Tom Ferrick and Santoemma. Gottlick had two assists, while Palumbo, Santoro, Santoemma, and Kevin Hughes also had an assist apiece. Fitzmaurice made three saves.
After that, Hand won 4-3 versus No. 3 seed Weston in the quarterfinals on June 3. Gottlick had a pair of scores, while Palumbo and Santoemma added one tally each. Palumbo and Cosgriff also assisted on goals for the Tigers. Fitzmaurice made seven saves.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
Caroline O’Neil took first place in three events to help the Hand girls’ outdoor track team finish third with 63 points at the Class L State Championship at Manchester High School on May 30.
O’Neil won the 100-meter dash in 12.56 seconds over runner-up Teyah Floyd of Farmington (12.88). She took the 200 in 25.41 to edge out Windsor’s Camille McHenry (26.28) and won the 400 by running 57 seconds to defeat Kailey Laprise from Bristol Eastern (59.49). The Tigers’ 4x400 relay of Megan Phillips, Abby Walton, Heather Whelahan, and Gabby Harmon prevailed in 4:06.16 over Windsor (4:06.40).
Also, Gabby Egidio finished second for the 800 (2:19.74) to New Milford’s Mia Nahom (2:18.76), with Phillips in sixth (2:25.62); Harmon was fourth in the 400 (1:00.22) and seventh in the 200 (27.09), Erin Naclerio placed fourth for the pole vault (9-0).
Boys’ Outdoor Track
The Tigers finished as the runner-up for the Class L State Championship, scoring 77.5 points, while Middletown won with 80 points.
Michael Burchell took first place in the discus with a throw of 152 feet-10 inches, beating out Jude Sampson of Kennedy (148-11). Burchell was also second for the shot put (48-9.5) to Jack Conley of New Canaan (49-2). Devon McShane finished second in the pole vault to Simsbury’s Terence Cook, with both athletes clearing 15 feet. McShane also took third for the high jump (5-10), while Quincy Heinrich was fifth (5-10) and Michael Healy tied for seventh (5-8). McShane additionally finished fifth in the javelin at 156-4. The Tigers’ 4x400 relay of Ethan McMahon, Liam Akers, Matt Parker, and Max Veth was the runner-up (3:26.12) to Middletown (3:23.13).
Troy Lefler finished third in the 110 hurdles (15.89) and was fourth in the long jump (20-7.5). Max Veth was third for the 400 (48.90) and seventh in the 200 (22.86). The Tigers’ 4x100 relay of KJ Richmond, Parker, McMahon, and Steven Kao took fourth place (44.33). Parker placed sixth for the 300 hurdles (41.57), while Greyson McGeary finished eighth (41.95).
Softball
Hand won its first two games in the Class L State Tournament, including a perfect game performance by Abby Geshwind in its opener, before losing to Pomperaug in the quarterfinals. Hand went 17-7 on the year.
The 8th-seeded Tigers hosted No. 25 Naugatuck in the first round on May 30 and saw Abby Geshwind throw a perfect game in a 10-0 victory. Sophie Schreck got things started in the first when she walked and was hit home by a Geshwind single. The second inning saw four Tigers reach base to make it 2-0. Christina Coric drilled a line drive hit and scored when Hannah Martin followed with a single. In the fifth, the Tigers exploded with five runs on four hits. Lily Geshwind quickly got into scoring position after a walk and a wild pitch, after which she scored when Caroline Schreck doubled. Kaitlyn Martin singled and then she and Caroline Schreck came home on a hit by Hannah Martin. Kelly Cody roped a liner to score both Hannah Martin and Christina Coric to make it 7-0. Abby Geshwind (2-for-4, RBI) kicked off the bottom of the sixth with a double. With two outs, Martin (3-for-4, 4 RBI, 1 stolen base) and Cody (3-for-4, 3 RBI) both singled to bring in Gina Ciotti and Caroline Schreck. An RBI hit by Wivell (2-for-4, 3 stolen bases) scored Martin for the 10th run. Abby Geshwind struck out 14 of 21 batters on her way to the perfect game.
Hand then defeated No. 9 RHAM 3-1 on May 31 in the second round. Lily Geshwind and Wivell combined for three runs and recorded four of the team’s five total hits, including a late-game home run by Geshwind to break the 1-1 tie. A strong performance by Kaitlyn Martin at first base contributed to seven of the 12 total defensive put-outs. Abby Geshwind pitched a five-hitter, striking out nine.
The Sachems went up 1-0 in the first inning. Wivell led off the fourth with a bunt single and stole second. Sophie Schreck dropped a sacrifice bunt to move her to third. A wild pitch scored Wivell, evening the score at 1-1. The Tigers allowed only one base runner in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the game tied. In the sixth, with RHAM’s right fielder playing on the infield, Wivell tripled into an unoccupied right field. Two batters later, Lily Geshwind blasted the seventh pitch of her at-bat over the left-center field fence to make it 3-1. Hand’s stellar defense held the Sachems scoreless for their last at-bat in the seventh. A ground-out to the shortstop was followed by a strikeout for two quick outs. The next batter reached on a single, but was forced out when Wivell made a diving stop on the following batter’s hard grounder up the middle and then dove to tag second base for the final out of the game.
On June 2, Hand lost 16-1 against No. 1 seed Pomperaug in the Class L quarterfinals.
Baseball
The Tigers lost to Watertown in the first round of the Class L State Tournament to finish the year at 13-9. No. 13-ranked Hand hosted No. 20 Watertown for its states opener on May 30 and dropped a 3-2 decision.
Girls’ Golf
Hand finished third with a score of 196 at the SCC Championship at Racebrook Country Club on May 30.
The Tigers’ Gabby Martin earned medalist honors for the tournament with a low score of 38, and she was also named the SCC Player of the Year. Also competing for Hand were Erickson Richard (51), Angie Balzano (53), Emma Boey (54), and Josie Anderson (54).
The Tigers notched a 191-192 win over Lauralton Hall the next day to finish 8-6 for the regular season. Martin shot a 40, and was joined on the scoreboard by Balzano (46), Boey (50), Anderson (55), and Richard (60).
Boys’ Golf
Hand closed out the regular season with a matchup against Morgan last week and took a 174-176 defeat.
Michael McKeon shot a 40, while Matt Pellatt and Aidan Stuart both scored a 45 for the Tigers, who finished with a record of 5-13.