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12/16/2017 11:00 PMGirls’ Basketball
The defending Class L state champion Hand girls’ basketball team started its season by facing SCC rival Mercy last week. The Tigers hosted Mercy on Dec. 14 and took a 50-40 defeat to begin the year.
Hand was led by Emma Sullivan, who totaled 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Halle Freund added nine points, five rebounds, five blocks, and three steals. Sara Wohlgemuth chipped in with nine points and four assists for the Tigers. Mercy out-rebounded Hand 50-28 in the victory.
Hand jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, but Mercy battled back to get it down to 11-8 after one. Hand shot an efficient 5-of-8 from the floor in the second quarter and led 23-17 at the half. Mercy came out firing in the third quarter by hitting three shots from long range to outscore the host Tigers 16-12 in the period. Still, Hand hung on to a two-point advantage entering the final frame. The game went back and forth for the majority of the fourth quarter. With Mercy up one with 1:57 to go, Hand was unable to capitalize at the foul line. Mercy immediately moved down the court and converted old-fashioned three-point play by hitting a basket and the subsequent free throw. Hand never got closer than three the rest of the way as Mercy shot 9-of-12 from the line to seal the deal.
“This was a tremendous environment for an opening game. The crowd was electric and the kids were excited to compete,” said Hand Head Coach Tim Tredwell. “We’ve met up with Mercy in each of the last three SCC championship games, so we’re familiar with each other’s styles. Mercy is one of the top teams in the state for a good reason. They’re long and talented at every position, and they can make your life miserable if you’re not prepared. I was extraordinarily proud of the heart and toughness we showed. The kids battled all night and were right in the game until the final minute. We obviously have some things to fix, but I was very pleased with the effort.”
Boys’ Ice Hockey
The Hand boys’ ice hockey team ushered in its new head coach by posting a big victory last week. The Tigers, who are in their first year with Luke Galvin at the helm, notched a 6-5 win over Barlow in their season opener on Dec. 16. Hand is competing in Division III this season.
Girls’ Ice Hockey
The Tigers kicked off their 2017-’18 campaign by splitting a pair of recent contests. In its first game with new Head Coach Ray Lilley, Hand-Coginchaug-Old Lyme defeated East Catholic-Glastonbury-South Windsor 2-1 in overtime on Dec. 13. Hand then lost 1-0 against West Haven-Sacred Heart Academy on Dec. 16 to move to 1-1.
Wrestling
Hand traveled to East Haven for its 2017-’18 season opener and emerged victorious against the Yellowjackets. The Tigers defeated East Haven 58-17 on Dec. 13 to start their year.