Match Report: Staples vs. Wilton
A hyped-up Senior Night Wilton team, backed by a large, loud crowd, gave Staples a hearty battle tonight.
But the Wreckers rode 2 first-half goals another shutout victory. The 2-0 win ups the Westporters’ record to 14-0-1, heading into Friday’s regular season finale vs. Darien (Wakeman Field, 4 p.m.).
The FCIAC playoffs start next Wednesday, with a home quarterfinal (opponent and time TBD). Staples will be the first seed. They’ve already clinched the Ralph King, given to the team with the best regular season record. It’s their 6th since the award — named for the longtime Brien McMahon coach — began in 2000.
Besides a 0-0 draw with Stamford, the Wreckers not been tested much. But they had to work hard against a Warrior side that played more aggressively against them than any previous team this year.
Head coach Liam Witham tweaked the lineup a bit. With Alex Saleeb resting an injury, Peter Nelson moved from left back into an attacking role. It was an easy transition: He’s been overlapping dangerously all season. Spencer Derakhshan replaced him on defense.
Though it took them 2 minutes to cross midfield — a rarity — Staples once again struck early. Free kick specialist Lucas Alarcon launched a long ball from the right side into the box. Wilton’s keeper punched it out, but his backs failed to clear. Adrian Rodriguez pounced. He fired on target; the ball was deflected in by a defender, but he gets credit for the score.
Four minutes later, it was 2-0. Thomas Pretty played a long ball out of the back, to Rodriguez. A Warrior back tried to tackle, but the striker powered through, and finished. Rodriguez is on a hot streak: This was his 11th goal in 5 matches.
Had it not been for 2 outstanding saves, the score could have been 4-0 at halftime. Both Nelson and Nico Reyna were denied well.
The Wrecker defense did a good job holding the hard-running Wiltonites at bay. Pretty commanded the air, and made sure his teammates kept their shape. He, Derakshan, Ryan Allen and Ciaran Kennedy covered well for each other, and stepped up nicely to cut off danger. They ensured that though Wilton pushed forward well, keeper Luke Diederich had an easy night.
Quietly but effectively, Alarcon and Noah Rossoni ruled the middle of the field.
Kai Massicott, Jaden Waldman and Gus Reyna came on in the second half, maintaining the high level. The final 20 minutes got a bit sloppy and disjointed, with several breaks for injuries. But the outcome was clear. Wilton had given Staples all they had — and the Wreckers prevailed. FINAL SCORE: Staples 2, Wilton 0. SEASON RECORD: 14-0-1.
QUICK KICKS: The junior varsity tied Wilton 1-1. Loewe Epstein scored ….
The freshmen downed Wilton 3-1. Ben Britten tallied twice, Santi Rozo once. Alex Jiang and Jake Fishman added assists.
