When the players’ gaze returned to the field, the expressions would turn to a collectively wide-eyed state, amazed with the pounding inflicted by Hand in virtually all facets of the game as the Tigers improved to 11-0, reinforced their number two ranking in the latest New Haven Register Top 10 poll, secured their 13th date in a state championship game, and buried Berlin 41-14 that leaves the Redcoats still searching for their first-ever post-season victory.

Hand controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, averaging 7.9 yards per carry in the first half while Berlin could only garner a trio of first downs in the game’s first 24 minutes.

Berlin’s chances for an upset took a major hit when senior Jon-Jon Morales re-injured his shoulder on the second play of the game, causing the ambulance’s arrival on the sidelines at Madison Surf Club’s Strong Field.

"We lost our best player," Berlin coach John Capodice. "When he went down, it had an effect on our game plan, and we had some trouble with our personnel with injuries."

Hand coach Steve Filipone had little trouble, simply calling for runs up the middle of the Berlin defense, a scheme that worked well on the Tigers’ first two possessions. Junior Tommy Lee surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season on the play that he scored the first of his three touchdowns; a two-yard run with 6:37 left in the first quarter to cap a seven-play, 60-yard drive that was all running plays.

After holding Berlin to a three-downs-and-out, in which the Redcoats (who incurred nine first-half flags, compared to Hand’s one) received their first of three first-half 15-yard penalties, Hand drove to the Berlin 20 before Lee picked up another six yards, and was struggling for more when the ball popped loose, recovered by Tom Liberda.

But Berlin could only garner one first down - a 32-yard run off left tackle by Jon Brummell (12 carries, 72 yards), and Hand took over on its own 42 (after a 15-yard penalty against Berlin). Here, Filipone decided to pass the ball, and Hand scored, but not without quarterback Ryan Fodor’s 42-yard scramble on the drive’s third play to set up the one-yard strike to James Eckinrode that made it 14-0, and Filipone explained his decision to open up the offense.

"In the second quarter, I started (calling) passing plays because I wanted to loosen up (Fodor’s) arm," Filipone said, then credited the offensive line that allowed the Tigers to average 31.6 pointsper-game in one of the state’s most formidable conferences (SCC Division I East). "Our offensive line is very good, and we’re very proud of the conference we play in, and how we match up with those teams."

Hand would stretch the lead to 20-0 when Lee scored a two-yard run, but the five-play drive’s biggest gain came when Fodor’s pass slid through Lee’s hands, and ended up in Stephen Orts’ for a 31-yard gain to the Berlin two.

Meanwhile, with Morales (who Filipone had said Monday was a key figure in Hand’s defensive scheme) sidelined, and Chris Laroche, who injured his hamstring ten days ago, Capodice was forced to constantly shuffle key personnel for play-calling, resulting in the Redcoats burning all three of their first-half timeouts before the first quarter ended.

Berlin would lose another key two-way weapon on the next series as Eckinrode fielded Tom Liberda’s one-hop punt on his own 31, cut left, and received a black-shirted escort in front of the Hand bench en route to a 69-yard backbreaking touchdown that stretched the lead to 27-0, and Liberda became unavailable after the play, in which Berlin received its third major foul of the half.

"There’s a reason they’re ranked number two in the state," Capodice uttered. "They’re solid. They have a good quarterback, a good line. They’re well coached. My hat is off to them."

Berlin, however, played a game second half, and despite the Tigers adding a pair of third quarter touchdowns, Berlin quarterback Dan Madey engineered a pair of lengthy drives, the first a 62-yarder that culminated with the quarterback’s five-yard run with 10:29 left in the fourth.

Berlin attained another milestone with 5:23 left in the game when Eckinrode was forced into his first punt of the night, one that Laroche fielded at his own 7. After an offensive penalty put the ball at their own four, the Redcoats drove 96 yards, scoring with 16 ticks left when Madey hit Brummell in the end zone for a five-yard score.

"We talked at halftime about coming out and playing together," Capodice said, crediting the players and coaching staff for the successes in Capodice’s rookie head coaching season. "We’ll be back."

Hand 41, Berlin 14

Berlin (9-2) 0 0 0 14 - 14

Hand (11-0) 7 20 14 0 - 41

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

H - Tommy Lee 2 run (Andrew Davis kick), 6:37

Second Quarter

H - James Eckinrode 3 pass from Ryan Fodor (Davis kick), 8:06

H - Lee 2 run (kick failed), 5:20

H - Eckinrode 69 punt return (Davis kick), 2:43

Third Quarter

H - Lee 1 run (Davis kick), 8:30

H - Albert Belmont 23 run (Davis kick), 1:05

Fourth Quarter

B - Dan Madey 5 run (Robert Dornfried kick), 10:29

B - Jon Brummell 5 pass from Madey (Dornfried kick), 0:16

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING: Berlin - Tom Liberda 1-0, Jon Brummell 12-72, Dan Madey 12-24, Chris Laroche 2-2;Hand - Tommy Lee 14-58, Albert Belmont 12-96, Ryan Fodor 2-42, Michael Bagnoli 6-14, Justin Lindahl 2-17, Josh Garrita 2-7, Michael Pasqualoni 1-(1).

PASSING: Berlin - Dan Madey 13-24-1, 173 yards; Hand - Ryan Fodor 9-10-0, 171 yards.

RECEIVING: Berlin - Greg Balinsas 1-15, Chris Laroche 3-39, Nick Catalano 3-43, Chris Schroder 1-26, Bryan Hackett 1-14, Jon Brummell 4-36; Hand - Jack Sheehan 1-2, James Eckinrode 3-18, Stephen Orts 1-31, Kevin Filipone 3-102, Albert Belmont 1-18.