Staples Boys Lacrosse Survives Scare To Reach Class L Semifinals

Next up for the Staples High School boys lacrosse team is perhaps the most important game in the history of the program.

The top-seeded Wreckers survived a scare Saturday in Wesport, holding on to defeat No. 9 Simsbury, 7-6, in the CIAC Class L quarterfinals.

Kip Orban scored the winning goal — his second of the game — with just 67 seconds remaining, as the Wreckers (18-1) advanced to a semifinal showdown against defending four-time state champion Fairfield Prep, one of the lacrosse standard bearers in Connecticut.

That game will be played Tuesday night at 7:15 at McMahon High School in Norwalk.

Fairfield Prep also had a battle on its hands Saturday, holding on for a 9-7 win over reigning FCIAC champion Greenwich, perhaps the state's most improved team.

The Wreckers (18-1), who blanked Newington, 12-0, in the first round on Thursday, may have been guilty of looking ahead to a possible meeting with the Jesuits.

The contest against the ninth-seeded Trojans on Saturday was tied, 3-3, after the first quarter with the Wreckers only managing a 4-3 lead at the intermission.

Simsbury (13-6) outscored Staples 2-1 in the third quarter, tying the contest at 5 heading into the final period.

Charlie Ross and Nate Greenberg also scored two goals apiece for the Wreckers, while Nick Maki added a goal and an assist.

Greenberg scored with 10:05 left in the game to give the Wreckers 6-5 lead, but Tom Woessner tied it for Simsbury with 5:19 remaining. Neither team led by more than one goal after the first quarter. 

Staples goalkeeper Austin Waiter recorded 11 saves, and Parker Burr stopped seven for Simsbury.