Grand Marshal Team Named For Fourth Of July Parade

By Ashton Edwards

The Grand Marshal for the Fourth of July Parade in 2012 has a bit of a different twist this year… with Hand High School Athletics and its exemplary Programs as its primary focus.  From a total contingent of 1397 student athletes competing in 36 sports this year, Madison Exchange Club’s “Grand Marshal Group” will be led by Craig Semple, Hand’s Director of Athletics, and Steve Filapone, Head Coach of Varsity Football along with a supporting cast of featured student-athletes from foot- ball, boys and girls soccer, and girls basketball teams.

It seems particularly timely that this year’s Fourth of July Parade would adopt as its theme the honoring of Daniel Hand High School and its outstanding athletes.  With so many commendations earned by DHHS participants who stepped up and earned “their stripes” on many Divisional and State Championship teams, “it seemed to be the appropriate time to honor achievement and success of those Tigers and Tigresses who excelled on the playing fields”, remarked Parade Chairman Michael Catalano. 

Although each sport boasted its own set of major accomplishments, there were unquestionably some outstanding performances most deserving of mention.  Of 495 Hand High student-athletes participating in 10 fall sports, The Hand High Football Team going undefeated and winning the Class L State Championship was a remarkable feat.  Registering its 10th State Title, the Football Team ended the season ranked #2 in All-State Writers and Coaches Polls.

Of major mention in the Coaching ranks was Sue Leckey, DHHS Varsity Field Hockey Coach, being voted CIAC Class M Field Hockey Coach of the Year.  Also at the player level, Vance Giarrantano was named the New Haven Chapter of the Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete for 2011-2012.  (Special Note:  DHHS has received this Award every year since its inception).

Of the 381 students competing in 14 winter sports, deserving special commendation was the DHHS Wrestling Team both as SCC and Class L State Champions as well as being Runners’ Up in State Open and New England Championships with 5 All-State Wrestlers and 2 Student All-American Athletes.  Of special mention as student-athletes, both Gus Manke and Renata Diotalevi were named Hand High School CIAC Scholar-Athletes for 2012, and were recognized at a May 6th Banquet. 

With 540 athletes competing in 13 sports this spring including Unified Track and Field, Hand High School was competitive in nearly every contest.  Its most successful teams were Boys’ Golf who won the Division II State Championship for the first time in School history while becoming the SCC Runners’ Up.  Both Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse Teams advanced to SCC Semi-finals as well as qualified for the CIAC State Tournament.  And atop the pinnacle of the Tennis Rung, the DHHS Girls’ Tennis Team won the SCC and State Championship for the 2nd year in a row.

Truly, this has truly been a year of unprecedented achievement for Hand High School Athletics; the Fourth of July Parade takes great pride in its recognition of all student-athletes who worked so diligently, played so hard, and gave their all in the course of trying to be the best they could on their respective fields of endeavor.  As always, the Madison Exchange Club expects to have a large turnout of townspeople.  Come early to select your personal vantage point: The Parade route starts at 11 AM on Wednesday July 4th in the Super Stop and Shop parking lot, winds through the center of Madison, and concludes at the Surf Club. 

To register your youth group for a prime spot in this year’s Parade, please either contact Mike Catalano at mcatsr@yahoo.com or 203-645-2147; or access either the Madison Exchange Club (www.madisonexchange.org) or Eventbrite (exchangeparade.eventbrite.com) websites.