Match Report: Staples vs. Ridgefield
The Wreckers capped off an excellent regular season this afternoon.
Their 1-0 victory over Ridgefield, at very windy Wakeman Field, gave them a sparkling 14-2-0 record, as the regular season drew to a close.
Coach Liam Witham’s quick, talented, strong and poised side finished second in the FCIAC, to Greenwich. The Cardinals won that regular season matchup 4-3, in a wild come-from-behind last month.
Staples could well see the Cardinals again — perhaps twice — in postseason play. The FCIAC tournament starts Monday, with a home quarterfinal match. Game time is 3:30 p.m. The state “LL” (extra large schools) tourney follows that.
The post-season is what Staples soccer is all about — and has been, throughout its 67-year history. The blue-and-whites are shooting for their 28th FCIAC title — the most by far in the league — and their 13th state crown. But there’s been a drought for over a decade since those last championships.
First, the Wreckers had to take care of business today. They did, against a determined and skillful Tiger squad. Like Staples, they keep the ball on the ground, and move it with pace and precision. Had either team favored a kick-and-run style, today’s gusts would have played havoc with their plans.
Instead the game was fairly even, for long stretches. The differences were the Westporters’ ability to step in and win most contested balls; the stalwart defense of Spencer Girling, Adriano Carpi, Dylan Shackelford, Gabe Hellman and Emmett Zahler — and an opportunistic goal, midway through the first half.
A long back pass from a teammate put the Ridgefield keeper in an awkward spot. When he could clear it to a defender, Josh Whitaker won it on the far left side. Without hesitation, and despite a near-impossible angle, he fired into the far corner.
The Wreckers secured their lead with relentless pressure. It kept their foes at bay — and ended the regular season on a strong note.
The “first” season is now over. As Staples has done for nearly 7 decades, they now get ready for the next 2. The FCIAC and state tournaments loom. And the Wreckers are ready. FINAL SCORE: Staples 1, Ridgefield 0. FINAL REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 14-2-0.
QUICK KICKS: For the 2nd time in 3 matches, referees halted action until athletic directors could remove a vocal parent from the sideline. Today it was a Ridgefield fan; last week, it was one from St. Joseph ….
The junior varsity rallied from a 1-0 deficit to top Ridgefield 4-1. Goals came from Spencer Derakhshan (2), Kai Massicott and Andrew Xu. Ciaran Kennedy notched an assist. The jayvees finish the season with a sparking 12-0-1 record ….
The freshmen also ended undefeated — and untied — at 13-0-0. Coach Luis Mandujan’s 9th graders downed Ridgefield, on tallies by Nathan Burtzlaff and Spencer Hollander. Congratulations to both the JVs and freshmen!
Adrian Rodriguez, Josh Whitaker, Ford Epstein and Gabe Duque. (Photo/Michael Cammeyer)
