Ruden Sports News

FAIRFIELD — Staples boys soccer coach Dan Woog, a stranger to hyperbole, started trumpeting praise about his team’s potential not long after practices started up late summer.

Woog liked the talent, he liked the soccer IQ, he just liked the kids.

The Wreckers lived up to expectations with a 10-1-4 regular-season, earning the third seed, two points outside of first. But having skill and drive is not always the advantage expected because, most years in the FCIAC, there are four or five sides with comparable ability.

And sure enough one of them, Fairfield Warde, avenged a loss in the opening round of the FCIAC playoffs.

The Staples players shared their coach’s optimism, and during the break before the start of this week’s Class LL playoffs vowed to make the most of a possible final fortnight together.

All the varied components merged this afternoon at Rafferty Stadium on the Fairfield University campus. As the temperature dropped about 15 degrees from start to finish, the Wreckers just got hotter. They played smart, they executed well and they got the one needed finish to come away with a 1-0 win over Fairfield Prep in the quarterfinal round.

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If not for outstanding goalkeeping by the Jesuits’ Nicolas Vittoria and strong defense, the margin would have been different because the Wreckers got the best of play.

“This is what a state tournament game should be, as was the Conard match,” said Woog, referring to a second round win. “One-nothing, you grit it out, you find a way to score and you play great defense and you hope for the best. This is one of the most talented teams we’ve ever had, and perhaps also one of the smartest.”

Staples (13-2-4), the No. 6 seed, will face tonight’s Hall-Farmington winner next week on a neutral site. The Wreckers had all the right moves today. Balls were usually played to feet, often in sequences of three, four, five passes. Space was created and there were times to give attackers the chance to take on defenders. The defense was unyielding and knew when to build from the backfield and when to just clear balls out of trouble.

“I think we’ve played a lot of good games at this point,” said Jackson Hochhauser, one of the defensive leaders. “It’s just coming in and playing hard, playing together and getting the job done. It was about communication, working together, trusting each other.”

Staples has outscored opponents 6-0 this week. The sixth goal came with 29:25 remaining. Reese Watkins delivered a perfect header off of Matt Jordan’s corner kick.

“It was a beautiful cross from MJ, he’s really good at that,” Watkins said. “He whips it in super fast and I was just in the right spot and put it in. I do it for my team.”

The Wreckers had been denied by Vittoria to that point, but there was no panic that could lead to ill-afforded or rushed chances. Just patience.

“I trust my defense, so I knew we could hold them off first of all,” Watkins said. “I knew it was coming. We have a thing for second-half goals and once we got it I had to trust our defense.”

There were chances late for an insurance goal that were denied.

The Wreckers were not tested that often, largely because of the back line, though goalkeeper Jacob Greenberger robbed the third-seeded Jesuits’ John Reidy in the second half, punching a hard shot over the crossbar.

“Prep is such a well-coached team,” Woog said. “They’re keeper was great — great instincts and great hands. They had a great season, a really worthy opponent.”

The Wreckers’ last trip to the final was against Farmington, in 2010, a year after their last title. They are a win away from playing for the championship and two from realizing one of the goals they all felt could be within their grasp with the right attitude and aptitude.

“Whoever we play is going to be a worthy opponent,” Woog said. “I couldn’t be prouder of this group. Right from the start I was high on them and they’ve gotten better and better. They understand, they get it, they know what this is all about.”