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12/25/2017 11:00 PMThe 2016-’17 winter campaign for the Hand Tigers saw many major milestones achieved, including state championships for girls’ basketball and gymnastics squads. Elsewhere, Teddy Zeng capped off his diving career with some record-setting performances, while Caroline O’Neil also piled up the postseason victories.
Girls’ Basketball
One year after winning its first SCC championship and reaching the Class L State Tournament quarterfinals, the Hand girls’ basketball team got back to the conference final and then won the state title this winter.
Head Coach Tim Tredwell and the Tigers finished 17-3 for the regular season. Along the way, Hand claimed its fourth consecutive division title by winning the SCC Quinnipiac crown. Hand then defeated Shelton and Hamden as the top seed in the SCC Tournament before losing to No. 2 Mercy in the third straight meeting between the teams in the conference final.
In states, the 2nd-seeded Tigers defeated Law, Windsor, Woodstock Academy, and Pomperaug to reach the title game, where they used a dominating second-half comeback to beat top seed Holy Cross 50-45 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The victory marked the second state title in program history and first since 1999 for Hand, which finished with an overall record of 24-4 for the season.
The Tigers featured strong trio of seasoned seniors leading the way as their captains in Kaitlyn Martin, Gabby Martin, and Colleen Caruth. Gabby Martin reached the 1,000-point milestone for her career in Hand’s state semifinal win over Pomperaug.
Gabby Martin and junior Gabby Egidio both earned a spot on the All-SCC First Team and the New Haven Tap-Off Club All-Area Team. Martin was additionally chosen for the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Class L All-State Team. Colleen Caruth and Kaitlyn Martin were selected as New Haven Tap-Off Club Scholar-Athletes.
For New Haven Register All-Area Team honors, Tredwell was named Coach of the Year, Gabby Martin was named the All-Area Most Valuable Player, and she was also the Register’s Female Athlete of the Year. Egidio was also named to All-Area Team, Martin made the Register’s All-State First Team, and Egidio made the Third Team.
Boys’ Basketball
The Tigers finished 1-19 in their first year with Head Coach Jim Economopoulos. Hand picked up a 58-48 home win over Lyman Hall for its victory.
Gymnastics
The Tigers’ gymnastics squad added to its stockpile of titles by taking first at the SCC Championship for the ninth year in a row and then prevailing at the Class M State Championship for the fifth straight year.
Head Coach Kelly Smith’s team went 16-2 for the regular season. Starting out the postseason, the Tigers won their ninth straight SCC title by scoring 137.15 points to defeat runner-up Mercy, which scored 133.11. At the Class M State Championship, Hand netted a score of 137.3 to claim its fifth consecutive crown and 18th state title in program history.
A trio of gymnasts led the Tigers as their captains this year in Olivia Finke, Noelle Bergere, and Sam Mayhew. Making the All-SCC Team for the Tigers were junior Erin Naclerio, who was the all-around champion at the SCC Championship, along with Bergere, Finke, Lily Spencer, and sophomore Schylar Saliba. First Team All-State went to Naclerio, Bergere, and Spencer, plus sophomore Grace Rogers made the Second Team. Naclerio qualified for the New England Championship on beam and made the All-American Team for all five events. Also garnering All-American status were Bergere for beam and floor, plus Spencer for vault, bars, floor, and all-around. Making the Academic All-American Team were Finke, Mayhew, Bergere (who was also Academic All-State), Naclerio, junior Marisa Padelli, junior Delaney Skelly, sophomore Mary Huminski, and Rogers. Spencer also reached the National Senior Showcase Invitational as a Connecticut National Team qualifier.
In terms of the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team, Smith was named Coach of the Year, Naclerio was named the MVP, plus Bergere, Finke, and Spencer also made the squad.
Boys’ Swimming and Diving
Hand’s Teddy Zeng finished his high school diving career with victories at the SCC Championship, the State Championship, and the State Open Championship in each four of his seasons, setting the meet record at all three competitions.
Zeng captured his fourth SCC diving title behind a record score of 637.80 to help Hand post its all-time best finish at the SCC Championship as the Tigers came in third place at the conference meet. Chris Wu was the runner-up in the 100 backstroke with a time of 53.79 seconds for Head Coach Christina Forristall’s team.
Zeng recorded his fourth victory at the State Diving Championship in as many years by winning the Class M crown with a score of 636.25 points. Zeng’s mark broke the previous state record of 612.15 points. Wu claimed first place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.03 seconds for the Tigers, who finished in third place at the Class M state meet.
In the State Open Championship, Zeng claimed first place with a score of 619.25 to break his own meet record of 608.25. As a team, the Tigers scored 136 points and finished in 14th place at the meet.
Zeng and Wu made the All-SCC Team. For New Haven Register All-Area Team accolades, Forristall was named Coach of the Year, Zeng was selected as MVP, and Wu also made All-Area.
Wrestling
The Tigers finished fourth at the SCC Championship and then took third place in the Class L State Championship. Head Coach Mike Docker’s squad also finished tied for 19th place at the State Open.
Michael Burchell finished third in the 285-pound weight class at the Open, while Mark Hartmann was fifth in the 120 bracket. Zakery Santoemma won two bouts in the 145-pound weight class, Christian Westphal claimed a victory at 220, and Dylan Brochard and Adam Hendrick competed in the 113- and 160-pound weight classes, respectively.
For the New England Championship, Burchell finished third in the 285-pound weight class, while Hartmann competed in the 120-pound bracket.
Previously, Hand took third place at the Class L State Championship. Hand boasted a state champion in Burchell, who captured the crown in the 285-pound weight class by defeating Jasper Stone of Simsbury by a decision 3-1 in the final. Also placing in the top six were Hartmann (2nd, 120), Santoemma (3rd, 145), Westphal (5th, 220), Brochard (6th, 113), and Hendrick (160, 6th).
Hand finished fourth at the SCC Championship with Burchell placing second in the 285-pound weight class. In the 120 ranks, Hartmann came in third. Santoemma finished third at 145, and Hendrick placed third in 160.
Burchell was named All-SCC Second Team and made the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team.
Girls’ Ice Hockey
The Tigers finished the year with a record of 11-8-2 in Tad McGwire’s final campaign as the team’s head coach. Hand qualified for the SCC Division II Tournament and took a 4-1 loss to Amity-North Haven-Cheshire in the semifinals.
Boys’ Ice Hockey
Hand went 9-10-1 in its final season with Ken Mitchell as head coach. The Tigers then took a 5-1 loss to Cheshire in the first round of the Division II State Tournament.
For All-SCC/SWC Division II Team honors, Matt Rice was First Team and Ryan Hilton Second Team. Hilton also made All-State Second Team for Division II, while Rice was a New Haven Register All-State Team Honorable Mention.
Boys’ Indoor Track
Head Coach Tim Geary’s team finished in second place at the SCC Championship this year. After winning both events at the West Sectional Championship, Troy Lefler prevailed in the 55 hurdles (7.82) and the long jump (21-7.25) at the SCC meet. Devon McShane took the pole vault crown by clearing 14-6.25.
The Tigers finished seventh at the Class L State Championship. McShane reached 14 feet-6 inches in the pole vault and was the runner-up. The 4x400 relay of Matt Parker, John Lisi, Warren Hartmann, and Max Veth finished third (3:35.50).
Hand tied for 18th place by scoring eight points at the State Open. McShane placed third in the pole vault by reaching 14 feet, while Lefler took fifth in the 55 hurdles (7.89). Lefler also took eighth in the long jump at 20-6.25, while McShane and Quincy Heinrich tied for 14th in high jump by clearing 5-8.
Lefler and McShane made All-SCC First Team, while the Tigers’ 4x400 and 4x800 relay squads were Second Team. Lefler and McShane were also New Haven Register All-Area Team selections.
Girls’ Indoor Track
The Tigers finished eighth at the SCC Championship, where Caroline O’Neil posted second-place finishes in the 55 (7.25) and the 300 (40.29). The 4x400 relay of Megan Phillips, Gabrielle Harmon, Abby Walton, and O’Neil placed second (4:13.49) for Head Coach Steve Swift’s team.
O’Neil then claimed first place in both the 55 (7.27) and the 300 (40.56) to lead Hand to a fourth-place finish at the Class L State Championship. She also won both events at the SCC East Sectional Championship. Hand’s 4x400 relay placed second (4:13.22) in the state meet.
The Tigers recorded seven points and came in tied for 25th place at the State Open. O’Neil finished third in the 300 (40.35) and sixth in the 55 (7.38).
O’Neil and the Tigers’ 4x400 relay were All-SCC Second Team. O’Neil was additionally a New Haven Register All-Area Team honoree.
Cheerleading
Head Coach Licia Ciotti’s team finished third in the Co-ed Division of the SCC Championship and then came in fourth place at the Co-ed State Championship. Izzy Carusone made the All-SCC Team for the Tigers.
Boys’ and Girls’ Fencing
Chloe Moulin finished second in the girls’ foil competition at the Individual State Championship for Head Coach Rich Fisler’s club. Moulin garnered All-State First Team honors by virtue of her performance.