The Staples Boys Cross Country team won the FCIAC Cross Country Championship today at Waveny Park in New Canaan. This is the first time Staples has done this since 1990 and the tenth time that a team coached by Laddie Lawrence has captured this title. Based on his success coaching cross country and track, Lawrence will be inducted into the Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame next month. Pictured in the front row are the runners who competed for the championship (l to r): Remy Ray, Kevin Petersen, Will Caffrey, Erik Fitzgerald, Cameron Marantz, Jason Hanrahan, Henry Kaplan, and Tyler Prince. Second row (l to r):  Coach Laddie Lawrence, Zach Kaiser, Rei Chiang, Cameron Gaylord, Darius Naficy, Matt McNees, Jon Crocker, Andrew Gentile, Charlie Lucas, Thomas Robson, Zach Wendler, TC Sargent, and Assistant Coach Kris James. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ted Sullivan for WestportNow.com

Staples soccer players celebrate one of their team’s two goals in today’s victory over nationally-ranked Central of Bridgeport. They are (l to r)  Matt Lamb, Dave King, Nick Renzulli, Matt Geringer and Ross McGibney. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Amy Lamb for WestportNow.com

A pair of second-half goals, a lockdown defense and smart, passionate play led the Staples boys soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Bridgeport Central today at Westport’s Albie Loeffler Field.

The win vaulted the Wreckers over the nationally-ranked Hilltoppers into first place in the FCIAC.

With two games remaining, Staples is 10-1-2; Central drops to 11-2-0. The Westporters’ next match is Monday (home, 3:45 p.m.) against Norwalk’s Brien McMahon.

Staples’ first goal, soon after halftime, came from Ross McGibney.  The junior controlled a long ball from Chris Meinke, then struck with authority.

Ross McGibney staked Staples to a 2-0 lead in the first 14 minutes today, but Norwalk rallied with two goals in the final 12 minutes at Albie Loeffler Field.

The two teams—tied for second in the FCIAC, with identical 9-1-1 records—then battled through a pair of sudden-death overtime periods, before settling for a 2-2 draw.

The Wreckers’ next match is Thursday, (3:45 p.m.) home, against Central.  The 11-1-0 Hilltoppers are the only team ahead of Staples.

McGibney’s two tallies came off assists by Charlie Reiter and Brendon Cristobal.

A fourth quarter Staples fumble was recovered by Darien today but the Blue Wave failed to capitalize on it and Staples went on to win 27-0. WestportNow.com photo

Junior Bryan Wrapp scores the final Wrecker touchdown of the game in today’s 27-0 romp over Darien at home. Staples is now 4-1 overall, 3-1 FCIAC East on the season.  WestportNow.com photo

Staples senior Nick Corona runs into a Darien tackle on this play, but it was the exception—he succeeded in scoring two touchdowns in today’s 27-0 win over the Blue Wave at home. WestportNow.com photo

Staples junior Brian Levine watches as a pass sails just out of reach during today’s Staples 27-0 rout of Darien. (CLICK TO ENLARGE)  WestportNow.com

Todays weather was a seasonal reminder that soccer is often a soggy sport. At Westport’s Wakeman Field today, the Staples girls junior varsity soccer team lost to Trumbull, 1-0. Here Wrecker freshman forward Aly Campbell grabs the ball. Emily Laux for WestportNow.com

The Staples boys soccer team ran its record to 9-1-1 with a 4-0 shutout of Fairfield Ludlowe tonight in the rain at the losers’ field. 

The win readies the Wreckers for Saturday afternoon’s huge match against unbeaten (as of today) Norwalk.  Game time at Albie Loeffler Field is 2 p.m., with a large crowd expected for both teams’ biggest game of the year.

Staples raced off to a 3-0 lead after 24 minutes. Jon Zimmerman alertly followed up Derek Kennedy’s header off the crossbar; Ross McGibney pounced on a rebound of Zimmerman’s shot, and Brendon Cristobal fed Charlie Reiter. 

In the second half, coach Dan Woog fielded primarily underclassmen—next year’s varsity starters—and the Westporters added a blast by Robb McDowell, following Matt Lamb’s long pass.