The 2017 fall season saw three Tigers’ teams win state titles and another claim a conference crown. Hand’s football, boys’ soccer and field hockey squads were crowned state champions this fall, while the girls’ soccer team brought home a SCC Tournament title.

Football

In Dave Mastroianni’s first season as head coach, the Hand football team finished with a 12-1 record and defeated Masuk 35-21 in the championship game of the Class L State Playoffs at Trumbull High School on Dec. 11. The victory marked the Tigers’ 12th state crown and first since 2012.

In the regular season, Hand finished 9-1 with a record of 5-0 in SCC Tier 2. The Tigers defeated Hillhouse (34-16), Hamden (28-7), Harding (37-6), Foran (40-7), Bunnell (34-6), Law (38-7), Cheshire (20-12), Cross (34-10), and Guilford (49-7). Their lone loss came to Shelton, 21-19. For the Class L State Playoffs, 2nd-seeded Hand defeated No. 7 seed North Haven 35-13 in the quarterfinals and then routed No. 3 Windsor 31-6 for the semifinals.

Making the All-SCC Tier 2 Team for Hand this year were Ben Corniello on the offensive line, Brian Casagrande and Ryan Coady at linebacker, plus defensive backs Ian Butler and Macken McDonald. Casagrande made the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) All-State Top 25, while Butler and Coady made CHSCA All-State Class L Team. Casagrande also earned a spot on the Walter Camp All-Connecticut First Team at linebacker with Butler making the Second Team as a defensive back. Casagrande was a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, and Mastroianni was a finalist for its Coach of the Year.

Boys’ Soccer

The Tigers’ boys’ soccer squad finished the fall season with a record of 19-3-2 after winning both the SCC Tournament and the Class L State Tournament.

The Tigers won four games in the Class L State Tournament to get back to the final for a showdown against Masuk. Hand won the Class L state crown for the second year in a row by posting a 2-1 victory at West Haven High School. In the SCC Tournament, Hand defeated Hamden 1-0 in the quarterfinals, bested Shelton 4-1 in the semifinals, and then topped Fairfield Prep 4-2 in the final to claim its first conference championship in seven years. The Tigers also won the SCC Housatonic Division title this fall.

Lee Wildermann, an All-SCC Second Team selection, was named the SCC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Owen McShane made All-SCC First Team. Anthony Mancini finished the season as interim head coach after replacing Stan Latkowski in October.

Girls’ Soccer

Hand notched a record of 20-2-1, won the SCC Quinnipiac Division title, and also claimed its first SCC crown since 2009. The Tigers later took on St. Joseph in the Class L State Tournament semifinals and dropped a 3-0 contest, marking Hand’s first defeat since its opening game of the season.

Riley Kokoruda and Taylor Scully were All-SCC First Team selections, while Kayla Howard made the Second Team. Kokoruda also made the All-State Team for Head Coach David Dikranian’s squad.

Field Hockey

Hand claimed its first SCC Tournament title in three years and then defeated New Canaan to take the Class M state crown this year. The team finished the year with a record of 20-1-2.

Head Coach Sue Leckey’s Tigers entered the Class M State Tournament as the No. 2 seed and won their first three games to make the final against two-time defending champion New Canaan. The Tigers scratched out a 2-1 victory over the Rams to give Hand its second state title in program history and first since 2014.

In the SCC Tournament, Hand defeated Hamden 3-0 in the quarterfinals, Cheshire 3-2 in the semifinals, and Branford 1-0 in the final by winning 4-2 on penalty strokes.

Taylor Leckey, Sophie Schreck and Abi Barry earned All-SCC First Team honors, with Erickson Richard and Kylie Gargiulo made the Second Team. Gargiulo was also an All-State Second Team honoree for Hand.

Girls’ Swimming and Diving

Head Coach Jen Lyman and the Tigers finished 8-3 on the dual-meet season, fourth at the SCC Championship, and seventh in the Class L State Championship.

At SCCs, Kayla Mendonca took first place in the 100 backstroke with a meet record time of 56.98 seconds. Mendonca also finished third in the 200 individual medley at 2:12.06. At states, Mendonca swam a time of 58.19 in the 100 backstroke and was the runner-up.

For the State Open, the Tigers tallied 86 points to finish in 19th place. Mendonca came in seventh for the 100 backstroke (58.67), and she also finished 24th for the 200 individual medley with a 2:17.09. Allie Mascia placed 13th for the 50 freestyle (24.54) and was 14th in the 100 freestyle (53.40). Hand’s 400 freestyle relay of Ruby Redlich, Ava Keane, Mascia, and Mendonca finished 13th (3:41.27), while its 200 medley relay of Mendonca, Gabby Wira, Case Porter, and Mascia came in 21st place at 1:54.93.

Mendonca made the All-SCC Team for the 200 IM and 100 backstroke, while Allie Mascia made it for the 100 freestyle. Mendonca also went All-State in the backstroke.

Girls’ Volleyball

Hand defeated Bullard-Havens 3-0 in the first round of the Class L State Tournament and then took a 3-0 loss to E.O. Smith in the second round.

Head Coach Ally Johnson’s team also made the SCC Tournament and took a first-round loss to Branford. The Tigers finished 9-13 on the season.

Boys’ Cross Country

Head Coach Tim Geary and the Tigers came in 12th place at the Class L State Championship. Jamie Calderon lad Hand by finishing 44th with a time of 18:17.

For the SCC Championship, Hand finished in 11th place. Calderon finished in 51st place at 18:20.

Girls’ Cross Country

Hand finished in seventh place at the Class L State Championship, where Anna Steffen placed 17th (21:16) for the Tigers.

Head Coach Steve Swift’s team also placed third at the SCC Championship. Emily Baker, Steffen, Madison Rotermund, and Rachel Parthasarthy made All-SCC Second Team for Hand.