SHELTON - Winning a football game on the road is never easy, especially in a league like the SCC that historically has several teams fighting for CIAC playoff berths.
Hand picked up a quality win Friday night at Shelton, winning 35-12 at Finn Stadium. A quick start and a solid finish helped make up for a shaky middle portion of the game.
"This is a huge one. Our team played amazing, battled the whole game, a great two weeks of practice leading up to this game," sophomore Tom Pshybyshefski said.
Hand, ranked fourth in the GametimeCT Top 10 poll, moves to 6-0.
"Any win over Shelton is a huge win," Hand football coach Erik Becker said. "... That's a phenomenal program, he's (Shelton coach Mike DeFelice) a great coach. That's a great team, they're always tough, they're well-coached. I can see them being a playoff team easily."
Shelton (4-2) is one of those SCC teams in the fight for December games in Class L. The Gaels fell behind 21-0, but was able to score right before halftime and then in the third quarter to climb within 21-12.
Cole St. Pierre (game-high 102 rushing yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions) scored on a 1-yard touchdown with 6 seconds left before halftime. The play was set up by a 39-yard reception by Evan Bouteiller down to the 1. St. Pierre's interception helped set up the possession.
"We just saw something our receiver saying felt he could get by that kid and he did.
"He made a great catch and a great throw by our quarterback," DeFelice said. "I told them I'd go to battle with them against anybody because we fought."
Then the Gaels scored on their first possession of the second half. But that was all they were going to get.
Lucca Boyce (92 yards, 16 carries) scored on a 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to put Hand in control up 27-12. Boyce jumped to third all-time in program history with 2,655 yards, passing three players.
Pshybyshefski, a receiver who caught a touchdown pass in the first half, threw for one in the fourth quarter, hitting a wide-open Tom Cahill (seven catches, 85 yards, two touchdowns) for the 22-yard touchdown. Pshybyshefski put the Tigers in good position with a 35-yard return off an interception.
"Just a fade there, hit him, he's open. Great play call," Pshybyshefski said.
Nate Kessell had a 5-yard return in the first half off a bad snap on a Shelton punt for Hand's second touchdown. Andrew King added a fumble recovery.
Player of the Game
Tom Pshybyshefski, Hand: Receiver caught a touchdown pass for Hand's third touchdown and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Cahill in the fourth quarter. Pshybyshefski also returned an interception 35 yards.
Quotable
"There's a lot of rivalries within the SCC. Everybody always asks, who's your rival? Who's your rival? I think in the SCC, it's week in and week out who your rival is." – Shelton football coach Mike DeFelice
Hand 35, Shelton 12
(at Shelton)
HAND 14 7 7 7 - 35
SHELTON 0 6 6 0 - 12
H-Thomas Cahill 27 pass from Jacob Rusher (pass failed)
H-Nate Kessell 5 run off bad snap on punt (Rusher run)
H-Tom Pshybyshefski 7 pass from Rusher (Ryan Vincent kick)
S-Cole St. Pierre 1 run (kick failed)
S-St. Pierre 1 run (run failed)
H-Lucca Boyce 3 run (Vincent kick)
H-Cahill 22 pass from Pshybyshefski (Vincent kick)
Records: H 6-0; S 4-2.
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This article originally published at Hand football team rises up for SCC road win versus Shelton, stays undefeated.