Staples Boys Soccer Opens State Title Defense With Easy Win

Defending state champion Staples was looking to make a statement at Albie Loeffler Field on Tuesday in the first round of the CIAC Class LL tournament.

The fifth-seeded Staples, helped by senior midfielder Mikey Scott's long throw-in, did just that, routing  No. 28 West Haven, 3-0, in a game postponed from Monday.

Staples (17-2-1) advances to the second round to face No. 12 Guilford in Westport on Thursday (2 p.m.). The Indians defeated No. 21 New Milford, which lost to Staples 4-0 in last year's  state championship game, in their first- round match.

Scott's long throw-ins accounted for assists on two of the three goals scored by the Wreckers.

 "A long throw isn't a good throw unless there's someone to finish it on the other end," Staples coach Dan Woog said. "Mikey's throw is big, but he's real important for a lot of other reasons, too."

Fifteen minutes into the first half, Scott displayed his on-field presence by earning a crucial free kick in the corner.

The kick, taken by senior Jake Krosse, looked initially to be cleared by the West Haven defense. But it wasintercepted by senior Greg Gudis,  who sent the ball into the corner of the net, scoring the first goal of the match.

Only 30 seconds later, a long throw-in from Scott over an out-stretched West Haven goalkeeper found Court Lake in position to score the second goal.

Senior defender Stephen Denowitz rounded out the scoring for the Wreckers in the first half with a header off another long throw from Scott.

With the first half leaning heavily in the Wreckers' favor, Woog made a few substitutions for a few key players at halftime.

"We  knew that we had another game in 48 hours, so we wanted to make sure that we got some players off and gave them a rest," Woog said. "The subs that I put in are many of the players that will make up the team next year, so it's good to see what they can do."

West Haven entered the second half facing a huge deficit, and played accordingly.

The second half was played much more aggressively than the first, with the  teams committing eigt fouls each, compared to only six calls being made in the entire first half.  

Despite strong play from substitutes sophomore Lorenz Esposito, sophomore Dylan Hoy, junior Alex Tonsberg, and junior Dylan Evans, the Wreckers recorded no shots on goal for the second half.

West Haven posted four shots, most of which occurred in an offensive rally in the last 15 minutes of the game.

Junior defender Taylor McNair diffused the most threatening of the situations, when he caught up with a West Haven forward who was one on one with Staples substitute goalkeeper Connor Walsh and made a saving tackle.

Although West Haven challenged late with dangerous free kicks and numerous corner kicks, the Wreckers' defense held them scoreless and extended a two game shutout streak in states which began last year.

"We did exactly what we needed to do in a first-round game," Woog said. "We wanted to show people what we had. In the past we haven't always put the nail in when we could, but today we did."