Surging Staples Boys Soccer Rolls Over Greenwich

Senior midfielder Greg Gudis notched two goals Tuesday afternoon to help propel the Staples boys' soccer team to an impressive 3-0 victory over Greenwich in Westport.

Staples, which improved to a 10-2-1 overall, snapped Greenwich's six-game winning streak and tied for the Cardinals for second place in the FCIAC with 28 points. Greenwich had won its last four games via shutouts.

First-place Norwalk stayed five points ahead of the Wreckers and Cardinals, who are each 9-2-1 in league play, with a 3-0 victory over New Canaan on Tuesday night. The win enabled the Bears to clinch a berth in the eight-team FCIAC playoffs.

Greenwich challenged right from the opening whistle with an early shot from outside of the 18-yard-box by senior forward Phil Collins that forced Staples goalkeeper James Hickok to make a tremendous save.

Shrugging off the momentary defensive lapse, Staples  looked to execute its game plan. Utilizing the speed they have in the wings positions, the Wreckers' midfield looked to lob the ball over the defense during the counter-attack, springing junior Max Hoberman and senior Mikey Scott into the open on numerous occasions.

During one such instance, senior co-captain Brendan Lesch caught the defense on their heels with a nifty through ball that sent Hoberman into a one-on-one situation with the keeper. He played the angle adeptly, however, and thwarted
Staples' offense temporarily.

Despite a slight advantage in possession and a handful of good scoring chances, Staples went into halftime with no goals to show for its efforts as the game remained scoreless.

"It's always a chess match when it comes to playing [Greenwich]," Staples coach Dan Woog said.

The determination displayed by the Wreckers' defense reflected their coach's views. They played the game with such intensity that, at times, it proved detrimental.

Each player's willingness to challenge a Greenwich offender, though preventing the opposition from ever settling down, also provided Greenwich with opportunities resulting from free kicks.

Though the tenacious play by Staples had inadvertently created a few openings for the Cardinals, it ultimately proved beneficial for the Wreckers early in the second half.

Senior midfielder Court Lake wrestled for control of a clearance by the Greenwich defense near the top of the 18-yard-box. He trapped the ball from the air and evaded a defender's lunge with a quick move to the left, drawing a penalty and earning a free kick from about  20 yards out.

Midfielder Gudis elected to take the kick, curling the ball around the wall, low and hard, and slid it just between the goalkeeper's legs. He scored the game's first goal on what should have been a routine save.

"You get handed a lucky goal every once in a while," Gudis said. "It came at a good time, and it gave us a big advantage."

One goal wasn't enough for Gudis, as he further looked to solidify the Wreckers' lead. In a free kick about 35 yards out, he launched another well-struck shot, yet this time the Cardinal's goalkeeper was in a good position to make the save.

Moments later, Gudis received a layoff pass from forward Steven Smith and fired a lefty shot right into the upper right corner of the net for his second goal.

With the game seemingly out of reach and just 10 minutes left, Gudis was subbed out of the game, but not before he could receive an ovation from the Staples' fans.

Ending the offensive display with the final goal was Hoberman, who converted a corner from Smith that managed to squeak through a crowd of defenders.

"We still have three more games left in the season," Woog said when asked about the implications of their late-season surge. "Last year, we got a little ahead of ourselves toward the end and we lost our last regular season game against Central. That's something I want to avoid this year."

Staples, which extended its unbeaten streak to 10 games (9-0-1),  is back in action on Thursday, when it hosts St. Joseph (4 p.m.).