SCC > News Releases

12/7/04

The Daniel Hand football team, the SCC Division I East and Class M state champion, finished as the number-one team in all three state polls.

In the New Haven Register media poll, Hand (12-0) received 16 first-place votes and 616 points. New Britain (11-1) had five first-place votes and was second with 596 points, while Greenwich (12-1) was third with 514.

In the New London Day Coaches Poll, the Tigers received nine of 13 possible first-place votes.

And, in the Hartford Courant poll, Hand again finished ahead of New Britain and Greenwich.

On December 4, quarterback Ryan Foder completed 15 of 20 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers, under the direction of head coach Steve Filippone, won their second straight Class M title with a 35-6 victory over Brookfield. Hand previously defeated Berlin, 41-14, in the semifinals. The Tigers now hold the state's longest current winning streak (17 games).

It is the second time that Hand has finished as the top-ranked team in the state (1997). That season, Hand finished 13-0 on its way to the Class L title. Since joining the SCC in 1994, Hand has won three state titles (1997, 2003, and 2004). Overall, SCC teams have captured 13 state titles in those 11 seasons.

Branford, which finished 11-1 and lost to Pomperaug, 30-7, in the Class MM final, finished eighth in all three polls. Branford captured the SCC Divison II West title.

Four other SCC teams were listed in the final rankings: Shelton (13th in Register; 14th in Courant and Day), SCC Division I West champion Xavier (20th in Day; 25th in Register); Notre Dame (21st in Day; 26th in Register); and West Haven (24th in Day; 27th in Register).

#