Friday, November 1, 2013
The Daniel Hand Tiger Football Team (6-1) will host the Xavier Falcons (5-2) tonight at the Surf Club, 7pm. The situation does not compare to last year's battle at Palmer Field, won by Hand 40-20. In that game Hand broke the Falcon's 30 game win streak and took over their #1 ranking for the remainder of the season. Unlike the past few seasons, both teams are not competing for the #1 or #2 slot, instead they're just trying to qualify for the post-season. A third loss for Xavier could end their chance compete for a fourth straight LL title. Additionally, Xavier will be looking to avenge the sting from last year's loss and try to become the first team to get a win at the Surf Club in the last three years.
Xavier's two losses this year came in week two at North Haven 42-28 and at West Haven two weeks ago where they lost in OT 35-34. Sr. RB Andrew Meoli and Sr. QB Joe Carbone lead the offense for the Falcons. See a pre-game capsule from GametimeCT.com here.
Patch Player of the Week
Last weeks' 44-41 win against Shelton had a little something for everyone... except defense. There were 15 kickoffs, a missed extra point, fireworks from a malfunctioning light tower, a winning 29 yard field goal by Tyler Phan, a fourth down scramble and touchdown pass from Nick van Dell to Jake Mirando, another 100+ yard rushing performance by Conor Dowd and a last play interception in the end zone to seal the win by Reid Sweitzer.
Our Player of the Week is Nick van Dell. He matched the Shelton offense score for score and kept the team in the game so that they could kick the winning field goal. He went 19 of 28 for 224 yards with three TDs and two INTs and ran 14 times for 63 yards and two TDs.
Check out the highlights here.
Around the SCC
West Haven coach Ed McCarthy became the all-time career wins leader for Connecticut HS Football at 322 when his Westies defeated Hamden 49-7. Expect to see Coach McCarthy on the Surf Club sidelines tonight as his team will be in action today looking for #323 against Wilbur Cross at 3:30pm at East Haven HS.
Who's Number One?
Ansonia has held the #1 ranking since the beginning of the season, but a lot of eyes will be focused on the #2 New Canaan vs #3 St. Joseph game at Dunning Field tonight. If New Canaan can do to them what it has already done to other perennial powerhouses, then I think the votes will swing. And rightly so. New Canaan has scored 50 on Hand, 66 on Greenwich and 43 on Staples. No one has come close to stopping them. Ansonia is a great team, but knocking over another NVL cupcake each week is not comparable to what New Canaan has done this year.
Gametime Weather - It looks like the rain will stop by afternoon, high forties and breezy. It will be chilly on the shore!
