Printer Friendly Version - Hand Boys’ Lax Earns Program’s 500th Win During Solid Start

Following a 93-point campaign in 2022, senior tri-captain and attacker Sam Sisk is leading the Hand boys’ lacrosse team in total points with 27 through the Tigers’ 6-1 start, which included the program earning its 500th victory on April 11. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Source

Senior midfielder Alex Cushing and the Tigers’ boys’ lacrosse squad secured the 500th victory in program history back on April 11 with a victory over Conard. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Source

The Hand boys’ lacrosse team is coming off yet another pair of deep conference and state tournament runs. Now, while the Tigers are looking to make history at the end of the campaign by hoisting hardware, they have already crossed a major milestone for the program only in the infancy stages of the season.

Last spring, the Tigers finished with an overall record of 15-5 while earning semifinal berths for both the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) and Class M State Tournament. In SCCs, third-ranked Hand dispatched No. 6 Foran 18-3 in the opening round before a tight 13-12 loss to No. 2 Cheshire in the semifinal round.

The No. 5 seed Tigers kicked off the state tourney by claiming a 15-9 win against No. 12 St. Joseph in a first-round game at the Surf Club. Then, Hand was on the road to face

No. 4 seed Wilton in the quarterfinals and lost the contest by a 10-9 score in overtime.

Through their first two weeks of action for 2023, the Tigers, led by Head Coach John Orlando, had worked themselves to a perfect 4-0 start. Then this past week, Hand fell by a 16-3 decision at Fairfield Prep on April 18. Facing Amity two days later, the Tigers edged out the Spartans with a 12-11 road win and prevailed 16-4 at home vs. Brien McMahon on April 22 to run the Tigers record to a lofty 6-1. Hand also earned a piece of history for the squad, as the program nabbed its 500th victory when it scored a 14-12 road win over Conard on April 11.

“It is a great milestone for our program reaching 500 wins since its first varsity season in 1977,” said Orlando. “There are multiple generations of players in the program through the years, and it’s a testament to the commitment to athletics and lacrosse that the people in Madison have.”

Leading the charge for Hand to continue and add to that triumph tally this spring are captains in seniors of attacker Sam Sisk (First Team All-SCC with 40 goals, 53 assists for

93 points in 2022), Ryan Xeller on defense, and midfielder/face-off specialist Spiro Maniatis, who had six goals last season. The trio brings a total of seven years of varsity experience, with three seasons from Sisk and two apiece from Xeller and Maniatis.

“All three captains lead by example and are hard-working players. They do the right things on and off the field and are good role models for the underclassmen,” said Orlando. “Sam plays attack and leads, often takes charge, and scores key goals or assists when our team needs it. Ryan often covers the top offensive players on the other team and is a vocal leader on the field. Spiro is a very competitive midfielder that takes faceoffs and never quits on any play and is fierce on ground balls. Last season he won 60% of his faceoffs; for this current season, he has won 68%. That trait inspires all the players to go hard all the time.”

Orlando pointed out additional key pieces across the turf in his senior class with Will Kleine (coming off a 100-point 2022 campaign with 64 goals and 36 helpers to garner Second Team All-SCC accolades) on attack, Matt Ciampini on defense, Alex Cushing (seven goals, three assists a year ago) manning the midfield, along with Nick Lombardi (four points for 2022).

While the Tigers have already secured several crucial decisions thus far in 2023, they have many more five-star matchups down the regular season road, including a showdown with rival Guilford on Thursday, May 11 at the Surf Club, along with non-conference clashes against the likes of Ridgefield, Fairfield Ludlowe, and Weston.

The Tigers compete in Division I of the SCC again this season, along with the likes of Fairfield Prep, Guilford, Xavier, Cheshire, Notre Dame, and Amity.

Hand has certainly seen itself in the conference and state championship conversations, having tussled with several eventual title contenders over close to the past decade. Orlando and the Tigers would certainly like to get over the hump this spring and would like to hold a crown at the end of the season, rather than being a squad another club climbs as a ladder rung to the top.

“Our goals are to win a SCC championship and Class M State Championship,” said Orlando. “In the last eight seasons, not counting COVID, we have lost to the eventual state champion in the playoffs six times in the final, so we are looking to get that elusive win. We have competed well early in the season, but the schedule ramps up and gets a lot tougher as we move on.”

In terms of point leaders for Hand thus far in 2023, Sisk has netted 27 points on 11 goals and 16 assists, while Kleine has produced 24 tallies on 19 goals and five assists. Sophomore midfielder PJ Ohanlon, Lombardi, and senior attacker Jameson McParland have eight each.

Orlando has now been the head coach for Hand for six seasons, and he is assisted this campaign by Jim Rinere, who is in his third season, and newcomer Cal Baughn.

The 2023 Hand boys’ lacrosse team roster includes seniors Jon Ciarcia, Kleine, McParland, Sisk, Ciampini, Donovan Mortensen, Wesley Selmani, Xeller, Cushing, John Hayden, Lombardi, Maniatis; juniors of Jack Barrett, Owen Hardy, Cal Walker, Jack Wiesbrock, Dillon Diprospero, Bryce Malary, Nicholas Platanos, Connor Balletto, Owen Preskar, Jack Rourke, Sean Lynch, Jack Orlando, Chase Docker, CJ Morgan, Trip Rizzo, Jack Shay; plus sophomores of Ken Pompilli, Jack Healy, Tyler Naracci, Ohanlon, and Jay Pinover.