UPDATE Staples senior Matt Kelly scored a second quarter touchdown in tonight’s 34-0 win over Trumbull that sent the Wreckers into the FCIAC championship game for the first time in two years. Staples, which improved to 9-0 on the season, scored 17 second-quarter points to break open an early defensive struggle. The Wreckers will meet Bridgeport Central (8-1) Friday night at Trumbull High School for the title, which they last won in 2003. The game was originally set to be played at Wilton High School. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dan Gelman for WestportNow.com

Brothers Sam Leopold, 5, and Aaron, 9, of Westport look over World Series Yankee shirts while at Westport’s Olympia Sports on Post Road East wth their mother Suzanne. She said Aaron is very enthusiastic Yankee fan who never misses watching the games on television and has been to about six games at the new stadium. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

UPDATE It wasn’t easy – but Westport’s Staples High School boys soccer team today won its state tournament round of 16 match 3-2 against Newtown. The next round has been postponed until Monday at 2 p.m. at Amity-Woodbridge.

Goalkeeper Michael McCarthy initiates a Staples attack against Newtown today. McCarthy made a penalty kick after the teams tied during regulation and overtime, helping the Wreckers to a 3-2 victory in their state round of 16 match. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lisa Krosse for WestportNow.com

Leading 2-0 at halftime, on goals by Mike White and Matteo Marzoli—off assists from Brendan Lesch and Andrew McNair—they let Newtown back in the game. 

The Nighthawks’ two second-half goals woke the Wreckers up Despite ferocious attacking throughout the rest of the match, and two 10-minute overtimes, the match remained tied.

Each team took five penalty kicks. Michael McCarthy,Marzoli, Greg Gudis and Alan Reiter all struck true.  The third Newtown shooter hit the goalpost, and the final kicker sent his ball over the goal.

Two goals by Mike White, and one each from Alan Reiter and Steven Denowitz, powered Westport’s Staples High Schools boys soccer team to a 4-1 win over Conard today in round one of the state LL tournament.
A Conard attacker tries whatever he can to get past Staples defenders Sean Gallagher and Mikey Fitzgerald today. Staples won 4-1, and advances into the state tournament round of 16. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lisa Krosse for WestportNow.com

This victory—enjoyed by an enormous Loeffler Field crowd—advances the Wreckers into the state tourney round of 16. That match will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Staples’ Loeffler Field. The Westporters host Newtown, 3-0 victors over Ridgefield in round one.

White’s two goals—the first of the game—were opportunistic. The first came after a free kick from Andrew McNair was flicked on by Brendan Lesch. Conard tried to clear it off the goal line, but White’s header was true.

Four minutes before halftime, another McNair free kick bounced once. White ran on, and finished hard.

Westport’s Staples High School varsity girls soccer team easily defeated Manchester High School 3-0 in the first round of the Class LL state tournament today at Manchester.
Junior Kelly Bohling controls the play in today’s Class LL match against Machester. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Staples took advantage of a strong run by sophomore Abbey Lake in the opening seconds of the game. Lake dribbled down the left flank and beat a Manchester defender to the end line, finishing with a cross to Jaclyn Katz who scored from point blank range only 55 seconds into the match.

The remainder of the first half was dominated by Staples. Possession, shots and corner kicks were all heavily in favor of the Wreckers, but the Indians withstood the pressure and forced Staples to the intermission with only a 1-0 advantage.

Looking to expand their halftime lead, Staples pressured Manchester repeatedly after the break, including an Abbey Lake breakaway that was spectacularly saved by the Manchester keeper early in the second half. 

Matt Kelly looks for daylight as he runs 74 yards to score the first Staples touchdown today in the opening minutes of the first quarter against Wilton on the Wreckers home field. The 37-6 victory saw Staples improve to 8-0 on the season. The powerful Staples offense, behind backup quarterback Keith Gelman, gained 328 yards to Wilton’s 132 yards. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Staples junior Ryan Burke breaks away from a Wilton defender as he scores from seven yards out with 6:16 still left to play in the first quarter of today’s 37-6 victory over the Warriors at Westport’s home field. It was one of his two touchdowns of the day. The Wreckers improved to 8-0 on the season and next take on Trumbull on Friday at 7 p.m. at Trumbull. Wilton, which has not played the Wreckers in five years, fell to 2-6 on the season. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo