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12/14/2018 11:00 PMThe Hand boys’ soccer squad had plenty of pressure on its shoulders when the Tigers entered the 2018 season as the two-time defending Class L state champions with a new head coach at the helm. Backed by a commitment to excellence from every member of its tight-knit roster, Hand embraced the challenge of aiming for the three-peat and came away from the campaign with its third straight state title.
Hand posted a record of 12-1-3 during the regular season, after which the Tigers took a 1-0, double-overtime loss versus Shelton in the SCC Tournament quarterfinals. However, that setback only fueled the Tigers’ fire when they opened play in the Class L State Tournament.
Hand was the No. 3 seed in states, starting off the draw by earning a 2-0 victory over No. 19 seed North Haven in the second round and a 5-2 win versus No. 22 Bristol Central in the quarterfinals. The Tigers then defeated No. 7 seed Wethersfield by a 3-2 score in double overtime in the semis to advance to face No. 17 Maloney in the final. Hand notched a 1-0 win to claim the Class L crown for the third consecutive campaign, finishing the year with an overall record of 16-2-3.
First-year Head Coach Greg Cumpstone said the Tigers enjoyed both the daily grind and being around each other throughout the recent season. Cumpstone believes both of those aspects played big factors in helping Hand continue its reign atop the state.
“Both on the field and off the field, the boys had a really strong bond. They were a great bunch to be around on the training pitch, because they worked so hard and with such intensity and focus, but they also had a lot of fun,” said Coach Cumpstone. “They were always having a joke and a laugh on bus trips and after training, and you could tell it was a group that genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. This certainly helped improve the team dynamic on the pitch...and, in the really difficult moments in games, having that close-knit togetherness and brotherhood helped get us over the line.”
The Tigers featured a deep and talented cast of seniors this year. Hand was piloted by senior captains Tom LaTorre, Charlie Sullivan, and Lee Wildermann; along with fellow seniors Dan Wehrle, Clayton Knibbs, Zach Cifarelli, Trey Doktorski, Matt Cifarelli, Finn Sheehan, Greyson McGeary, and Ethan Gulcicek. Coach Cumpstone said his captains served as ideal leaders for a senior class that achieved an unprecedented level of success.
“The seniors capped off an unbelievable career by winning their third straight state championship,” Cumpstone said. “The three captains were all excellent in how they led the team. They each brought their own brand of leadership. Lee gave us quiet assurance on the field. He also put the team on his back in big moments to drag us out of difficult situations. Charlie was the organizational leader off the pitch and the positive communicator on it. Tommy gave us the fire that was infectious to the rest of the players. He was constantly up for any battle, and his ability to rally his teammates through actions on the field rather than words were crucial throughout the season.”
Cumpstone believes that switching up the offensive scheme proved pivotal in Hand’s championship journey this year. The coach said there was an adjustment period, but he was happy that the Tigers put in the necessary work to get into their groove.
“We had an idea for the team to play with a bit more possession, with a bit more patience in the buildup, and a bit more through the middle,” he said. “The previous team played a very vertically oriented formation with lots of counter-attacks, long balls to the strikers, and crossing from the flanks. The team was very open to the new style, but it was not always easy to get the boys to play consistently in the way we wanted, because they had been so used to the previous style. It took a lot of positional play drills in training and shadow play to work on automatisms, and there were some bumps along the way.”
One of those bumps—a 1-0 defeat against Xavier—actually turned out to be a blessing for Hand. Coach Cumpstone said the defeat made the Tigers realize they could never tread lightly, and needed to attack with intensity for all 80 minutes of a matchup.
“We were coming off of two straight victories in non-conference games. The boys were probably overly confident going into the Xavier game, and we were taught a very stern lesson in that game. You have to be 100-percent focused and show passion and intensity in every single game. In the league we play in, there are no easy games, and we used this defeat as a learning experience and a catalyst for the rest of the year,” said Cumpstone. [Versus Shelton in the SCC Tournament], we arguably played our best match of the year, but we lost the game in double overtime with 30 seconds to spare on an own-goal. The defeat felt a bit harsh, but we again used the defeat to fuel our desire to win states.”
Wildermann, Doktorski, and goalkeeper Knibbs earned All-SCC Housatonic Division honors this season, as did sophomores Scott Testori and Jason Wallack. Testori also made the All-SCC First Team with Wildermann and Knibbs sealing spots on the Second Team. Additionally, Testori garnered All-State distinction and was selected as Hand’s Most Valuable Player. Wildermann made the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team, and Testori was named the Register’s All-Area Most Valuable Player.
For Hand’s team awards, Wildermann was named the Tigers’ Most Valuable Player, Testori earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, Knibbs was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, and Doktorski was named the Most Outstanding Player. Junior Jack Green earned the Most Improved Player Award, Wallack received the Playmaker Award, Sullivan earned the Coaches’ Award, and sophomore Jack Wildermann won Rookie of the Year.
The Tigers will have to reshuffle their personnel a bit in 2019 after parting ways with 11 seniors from this year’s team. However, Coach Cumpstone thinks that it will be a pretty smooth transition for a program that he feels extremely thankful to be a part of.
“We will be losing 11 seniors, so we will need the underclassmen to step up next year. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. The disadvantage will be the loss of numerous key players. The advantage will be the coaching staff knows the players next year, unlike this past year. The team will be more accustomed to the style we want to implement,” said Cumpstone. “It was an absolute pleasure to coach here and work with this year’s team and oversee the growth and development of the JV and freshman teams. I am looking forward to continuing to work hard for the boys, for the program, for the school, and for the community in my second year as head coach.”
From the Sidelines
The Hand boys’ soccer team’s varsity roster consisted of senior captains Tom LaTorre, Charlie Sullivan, and Lee Wilderman; fellow seniors Dan Wehrle, Clayton Knibbs, Zach Cifarelli, Trey Doktorski, Matt Cifarelli, Finn Sheehan, Greyson McGeary, and Ethan Gulcicek; juniors Cole Finke, Ethan Coe, Jack Green, Miller Salvo, and Spencer Hartmann; sophomores Sean Burke, Matt Luongo, Scott Testori, Chris Porte, Jason Wallack, and Jack Wildermann; and freshman Lucas Vest.
Head Coach Greg Cumpstone finished his first season as the Tigers’ head coach. Cumpstone was assisted by varsity assistant Liam Isleib, JV Head Coach Doural Scott, freshman Head Coach Ryan Wallack, and goalkeeper coach Matt Thomas.
In the regular season, Hand finished with a record of 12-1-3, earning wins against Coginchaug (5-0), Prince Tech-University (9-0), North Haven (8-1 and 1-0), Notre Dame-West Haven (3-0 and 2-1), Shelton (2-0 and 3-2), Cross (2-1 and 3-0), Guilford (2-1), and Cheshire (2-0). The Tigers tied Cheshire (1-1), Xavier (2-2), and Guilford (1-1), while taking a 1-0 defeat to Xavier