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SCC Field Hockey Semifinal Notebook (Nov. 5)

2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of the SCC field hockey playoffs.

Semifinal Schedule

#3 Branford at #2 Amity Regional - 3 p.m.

#4 Daniel Hand at #1 Guilford – 7 p.m.

The semifinal winners will meet in Thursday’s championship game, 6:30 p.m. at Guilford High School’s Kavanaugh Field.

Branford/Amity Regional: 

* Amity Regional won the 2019 regular-season meeting between the two teams, 2-1, on October 7.

* It is the fourth time Branford and Amity Regional have met in the SCC playoffs. Branford has won quarterfinal games over Amity in 2013, 2017 and 2018.  Last season, Branford defeated Amity, 3-2, in the quarterfinals.

* Branford is making its league-record 10^th semifinal appearance.  The Hornets are seeking their third SCC championship game berth (2017 and 2016).  Branford won the 2016 SCC title.

* Amity Regional is making its first-ever semifinal appearance.  The Spartans’ 3-0 victory over Sacred Heart Academy on Sunday, Nov. 3 was their first-ever SCC playoff victory (in six tries).

Daniel Hand/Guilford:

* Guilford won the 2019 regular-season meeting with Daniel Hand, winning 4-2 on Oct. 1 at Kavanaugh Field.

* It is eighth time the two Shoreline rivals have met in the SCC playoffs.  Daniel Hand holds a slight 4-3 advantage, including a 3-0 victory in the first-ever SCC title game in 2010.  The two teams have meet four times in the SCC semifinals (tied 2-2), including a 2-0 Guilford victory last season.

* Guilford is making its eighth appearance in the SCC semifinals, and seeking its fourth SCC championship game appearance.   The Indians are the defending SCC champion, having beat Cheshire, 3-1, in the 2018 final.

* Daniel Hand is making its ninth semifinal appearance.  The Tigers are seeking their seventh SCC title game berth.  Daniel Hand has won three SCC titles (2017, 2014 and 2010).

Guilford - 2019 SCC Field Hockey champions (Steady Photography photo)

2019 SCC Field Hockey Playoff Results

Quarterfinals – Saturday, Nov. 2

#1 Guilford 7, #8 Hamden 1

#2 Amity Regional 2, #7 Sacred Heart Academy 0 (Nov. 3)

#3 Branford 3, #6 Mercy 0

#4 Daniel Hand 2, #5 Cheshire 2 (Daniel Hand advances via penalty strokes, 6-4) (Nov. 1)

Semifinals – Tuesday, Nov. 5 @Higher Seeds

Guilford 2, Daniel Hand 1

Amity Regional 3, Branford 1

Championship Game – Thursday, Nov. 7 @Guilford HS – 6:30 p.m.

Guilford 1, Amity Regional 0

Most Outstanding Player:  Maddie Epke, sophomore, midfielder, Guilford

At halftime of the SCC Championship Game on Nov. 3 at Guilford HS, the members of the 2018 All-SCC First and Second Teams were recognized as well as the 2018 COS Now/SCC Player of the Year, Mikayla Crowley of Cheshire, and Coach of the Year, Sara Hale of Amity Regional.

2018 SCC Field Hockey All-Conference Teams - as voted by the league's head coaches

First Team:Tess Csejka (Amity Regional), Molly Zaffino (Branford), Jacqui Sandor (Daniel Hand), Taylor Dostie (Sacred Heart Academy), Mikayla Crowley (Cheshire),  Emily Torre (Guilford), Claire Boncek (Hamden), Annie Eddy (Cheshire), Lexie Hemstock (Cheshire), Leah Cogguillo (Lauralton Hall), Janie Danaher (Guilford), Erickson Richard (Daniel Hand)

Second Team: Ciara Halloran (Daniel Hand), Celia Mariconda (Guilford), Maggie Martin (Branford), Ari Martin (Hamden), Ella Stanley (Guilford), Hannah Tillier (Guilford), Carly Shea (Branford), Julia Arsenault (Lauralton Hall), Morgan Rahn (Amity Regional), Alivia Celentano (Lyman Hall), Francesca Criscuolo (Sacred Heart Academy), Kathryn Donahey (Daniel Hand), Jade Barnes (Cheshire), Olivia Salamone (Cheshire)

Guilford - 2018 SCC Field Hockey Champions (Steady Photography photo)

Quarterfinals - Friday, Oct. 26

#1 Cheshire 6, #8 Lauralton Hall 0

#5 Branford 3, #4 Amity Regional 2

#2 Guilford 4, #7 Sacred Heart Academy 0

#3 Daniel Hand 3, #6 Hamden 0

Semifinals - Tuesday, Oct. 30 @Higher Seeds

#2 Guilford 2, #3 Daniel Hand 0

#1 Cheshire 5, #5 Branford 0

Championship Game - Saturday, Nov. 3 @Guilford HS 

Guilford 3, Cheshire 1

Tournament Most Outstanding Player:  Ella Stanley, Guilford 

Click here for the championship game story on GameTimeCT.com

Click here for the championship game story from Meriden Record Journal

Daniel Hand - 2017 SCC Champions (Steady Photography)

Quarterfinals - Monday, Oct. 30 @Higher Seeds

#1 Branford 5, #8 Amity Regional 1

#2 Cheshire 2, #7 Lauralton Hall 1

#3 Daniel Hand 3, #6 Hamden 0 (Oct. 31)

#4 Guilford 4, #5 Sacred Heart Academy 0

Semifinals - Wednesday, Nov. 1 @Guilford HS

#1 Branford 1, #4 Guilford 0

#3 Daniel Hand 3, #2 Cheshire 2

Championship Game - Saturday, Nov. 4 @Guilford HS

#3 Daniel Hand 0, #1 Branford 0 (3 OT, Daniel Hand wins 4-2 via penalty strokes)

Click here for SCC championship press coverage - New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com ; Shore Publishing

Tournament Most Outstanding Player:  Taylor Leckey, midfielder, Daniel Hand

Branford - 2016 SCC Field Hockey champions (Steady Photography photo)

2016 SCC Field Hockey Playoff Results

Quarterfinals – Saturday, Oct. 29 @Higher Seeds

#1 Cheshire 7, #8 Mercy 0

#2 Lauralton Hall 3, #7 Sacred Heart Academy 0

#3 Branford 6, #6 Hamden 1

#4 Guilford 1, #5 Daniel Hand 0 (2 OT)

Semifinals – Tuesday, Nov. 1 @Higher Seeds

Cheshire 3, Guilford 0

Branford 2, Lauralton Hall 1 (3 OT, Branford won 4-1 via penalty strokes)

Championship Game – Thursday, Nov. 3 @Lyman Hall HS 

Branford 2, Cheshire 1 - 1st title for the Hornets

Congratulations to head coach Sue Leckey and the Daniel Hand Tigers, who won the Class M state field hockey title with a 2-1 win over Wilton on November 16 at Wethersfield High School.  

It was the first state title for the Tigers, who also captured the SCC title on October 30 (a 2-1 overtime win over Lauralton Hall).

Click here for the championship game story on GametimeCT.com

Click here for the 2014 SCC Field Hockey Final Standings

Daniel Hand - 2014 SCC Field Hockey Champions (photo by John Steady)

2014 SCC Field Hockey Playoff Results

 Quarterfinals – Saturday, Oct. 25

#1 Daniel Hand 7, #8 Amity 1 (Oct. 26)

#2 Lauralton Hall 6, #7 Sheehan 0 (Oct. 24)

#3 Cheshire 3, #6 Guilford 0

#5 Branford 1, #4 Hamden 0

Semifinals – Monday, Oct. 27 @Daniel Hand HS

Daniel Hand 3, Branford 0

Lauralton Hall 4, Cheshire 0

Championship Game – Wednesday, Oct. 29 @Daniel Hand HS – 7 p.m.

Daniel Hand 2, Lauralton Hall 1 (OT) - First title since 2010 for the Tigers

Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Erin Mammele, midfielder, Daniel Hand

The Branford field hockey team with head coach Cathy McGuirk following her 500th victory (photo by Bill O'Brien)

Branford field hockey coach Cathy McGuirk won her 500th game on September 9 as Caroline Murphy scored twice and Megan Shea added two assists in a 3-0 SCC win over Sacred Heart Academy.