Staples Boys Soccer Surges Into FCIAC Semifinals

Evan Birns’ spectacular goal, off Brendan Lynch’s flick and Surya Balaji’s free kick, lifted the Staples boys soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Danbury today in an exciting FCIAC tournament quarterfinal match. The Wreckers pressed the Hatters throughout the match. Excellent midfield play, team defense and strong goalkeeping by Reed Caney all contributed to the win. The victory gives Staples a rematch of last year’s semifinal. They’ll play Trumbull on Tuesday (Fairfield Ludlowe High School, 7 p.m.). Pictured (from l) Patricio Perez Elorza, Benny Feuer, Alan Fiore and Brendan Lynch get ready to defend a Danbury corner kick. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Lady Wreckers soccer team finished its second undefeated (14-0-2) regular season in a row. With a 3-0 win over Wilton, the team secured the No. 1 seed in the FCIAC playoffs, which begin Friday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Christina Bassler for WestportNow.com