Indoor Tournament Raises Almost $900 For Loeffler Scholarship

Staples’ annual indoor tournament drew over 40 alumni, current players and friends — and raised $879 for the Loeffler Scholarship Fund.

The winning team — undefeated in group play, and victorious in both the semi-final and final matches — included Ted Gallant ’98, Zack Gross ’01, Brian Kennedy ’05, Court Lake ’11, Chris Meinke ’05, Colin Nangle ’06, Jim Wolf ’01 and guest players T.L. Tudor of the University of Mary Washington, and Jerome Florely of Haiti.

Zack Gross

Gross — a former All-New England player who went on to the University of Pennsylvania, and is now a lawyer in New York — got the game-winner in the championship, with 30 seconds left to play.

Gallant — who lives in London — traveled the furthest to play.  Jon Whitfield came from Texas.

The Loeffler Scholarship is awarded each spring.  For further details, including a list of past winners — or to contribute — click here.

2009 History Posted On Web

The 2009 state championship season recap has been added to Staples’ online history.

Click the “History” tab at the top of the StaplesSoccer.com home page; then click on “2008-2012″ to relive all 24 matches.  (NOTE:  The 2010, 2011 and 2012 histories have not yet been posted.)

Be sure to check out other years, too — the state championship seasons of 1963, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1993, and all the others.  Happy reading!

One of the many celebrations covered in the 2009 online history. This was after the FCIAC finals.

U-9 Team Honors Rob Stone ’83 With Staples Soccer Donation

The Westport Soccer Association U-9 Red boys team has honored parent coach Rob Stone ’83, by making a donation to the Staples boys soccer program.

Rob Stone

“Rob was on the Staples team when he was a student, so we thought this was a fitting gift,” wrote the accompanying note.

In fact, Rob was more than “on the team.”  His goal in the 1982 state championship final against Ridgefield has become 1 of the most legendary in  Wreckers history.

With 7 minutes remaining in a scoreless match, Stone — a senior outside defender — ran onto a clearance from the Tigers’ defense.  He met the ball near midfield, struck it squarely with his instep — and watched as his shot sailed 50 yards over the keeper’s head, and into the net.  A long-lost video of that strike was showed last year at Staples’ 50-year celebration.  “I got goosebumps watching it,” said former national team member Kyle Martino ’99.

The state championship-winner was the only goal of Stone’s Staples career.  He went on to Harvard University, and now works in finance.

The Staples boys soccer program thanks the Westport  U-9 Red team for their very generous, and thoughtful, gift!

Kyle Martino ’99 Named To College Soccer ‘Team Of The Decade’

Kyle Martino, in his early MLS days

Kyle Martino — who starred at the University of Virginia in the early 2000s — has been named to College Soccer News’s “Team of the Decade.”  After college, the former Wrecker earned Rookie of the Year honors in Major League Soccer; teamed with David Beckham on the Los Angeles Galaxy, and had a stint with the national team.

He now works in finance with Lenox Advisors, is an ESPN soccer broadcaster, and helps with Staples soccer whenever he can.

The midfielder is 1 of 11 players on the 1st team — 4 of whom have Connecticut connections.  In addition to Kyle, the list includes Newtown High School’s Marcus Tracy — who starred at Wake Forest University, before playing professionally — and Chris Gbandi and O’Brian White of the University of Connecticut.

Congratulations, Kyle, on another well-deserved honor!

Vote For ’09 Wreckers as Norwalk Hour’s ‘Team Of The Decade’

The Norwalk Hour‘s blog — “Hour Sports Minute” — is conducting a decade-end poll.  One of the questions is:  “Which is the best team of the 2000s?”

The 2009 Staples boys soccer team is listed — along with Staples’ 2002 football team, the 2007 Weston High School boys lacrosse squad, Norwalk’s 2008 14-year-old Babe Ruth baseball team and 6 others.

Click here to vote.  If you’re not taken directly to the Team of the Decade poll page, it is Poll Question #3.

2 Brendan Lesch Goals In MSG Varsity’s Top 7 Of Fall

Two of Brendan Lesch’s goals — his diving header in the FCIAC championship game, and his 2nd-effort chip of the New Milford keeper in the state final — made MSG Varsity’s Top Goals of the Year.  There were only 7 nominees from the tri-state area; Lesch’s 2 were the lone ones from Connecticut.  (Click here for all 7 goals.)

Brendan Lesch and Mike White celebrate Lesch's 2nd goal against New Milford in the state finals -- one of 2 Lesch strikes nominated for MSG Varsity Goal of the Year. (Photo by Lisa Krosse)

But online voting gave the #1 Goal of the Year to Jack Miller of Commack (Long Island).  The sophomore chipped a defender, then cleared the keeper too.

The Staples midfielder may have been hurt by having 2 stellar goals for voters to choose from — and the fact that StaplesSoccer.com was not notified of the voting until after polls had closed.

Congratulations to Miller for his very nice goal, and his MSG Varsity award.

Trevor Lamb ’04 Checks In From China

The former captain is spending the year in Hangzhou.  Among his recent activities:

• 

  Trevor Lamb

  Last month he managed to find “a quality restaurant that supplied ‘takeaway thanksgiving meals.’”  He ordered cranberries, and a whole roast turkey.  Fortunately, a Westporter was visiting her family in the area, and brought goodies.  Trevor and several others — including 2 Australian colleagues — enjoyed “a proper Thanksgiving dinner.”

• That same weekend, Trevor watched the Chinese national soccer team play in Hangzhou.  Though the Chinese team is not well regarded — even in its own country — the visiting Lebanese are worse.  China scored an inelegant 1-0 victory.
• Recently, some Chinese English teachers started a newspaper, “Eyes Around.”  They asked Trevor to help edit, lecture about writing — and be interviewed for the 1st edition.  The students described “James” — that’s apparently what he’s called in China — as “a handsome young man with thick mustache, bright eyes and a brilliant smile.”  He likes pizza, “Baozi, dumplings, fish and many kinds of chicken.”  He described the Chinese people he has met as “kind-hearted, they would never cheat others, and many times they would help him.”  The students also asked Trevor — er, James — whether 2012 is “the doomsday.”  He replied (they said):  “This is a controversial matter.  But the life will go on regardless if people are living on it.”
• Every year Trevor’s college has a Christmas party for faculty and students.  It is a classy event, with evening gowns, suits and entertainment.  As the youngest and least experienced faculty member, he was elected to host the party.  He will sing Christmas carols, and re-enact the Nativity scene.  His role:  “You guessed it…bearded baby Jesus.”

(Click here to read Trevor’s blog:  HanginginHangzhou.)

Brendan Lesch Named Norwalk Hour All-Area MVP; 7 Wreckers Make All-Area Squad

Brendan Lesch is the Norwalk Hour‘s Most Valuable Player.

This marks the 2nd year in a row that area coaches and the Hour sports staff have selected a Staples junior for the honor.  Last year, Alan Reiter was the Hour MVP.

The midfielder is joined by 6 teammates on the 12-player Hour All-Area squad:  seniors Mikey Fitzgerald, Jack Hennessy, Alan Reiter and Mike White, and juniors Greg Gudis and Mikey Scott.

Matt Doran’s in-depth profile notes Lesch’s “head-spinning goals,” work rate, passion, and ability to step up his game when it counts most.  There are quotes from Staples and opposing coaches, and teammates.  Click here for the full story.

The Hour called Fitzgerald “one of the most versatile players in the area”; said Hennessy “used his tremendous athletic ability and toughness to dominate the front of the Staples cage”; added that Reiter was “a key component to the Staples ball control attack with his strong vision and pinpoint passing,” and hailed White as “a driving force behind the success of the Wreckers.”

The paper cited Gudis’ “knack for scoring goals…tremendous drive offensively and…nice job creating turnovers on defense,” and called Scott a “speedy left-footer (who) set up a ton of goals with his hustle and determination.”

Seven is the most number of players the Wreckers have ever placed on the Hour All-Area squad.  This also marks the 3rd time in 7 years Staples has had the All-Area MVP.  In addition to Lesch and Reiter, keeper Cal Mintz earned the honor in 2003.

In addition to his on-field talents, Brendan Lesch was the best barber on the 2009 squad.

State Champions Honored At Basketball Game

The 2009 “LL” state soccer champion Staples Wreckers joined other sports teams — including the state champion boys volleyball and boys golf squads, and the FCIAC champion football team — along with other high-achievers like the 2nd-in-the-world robotics team, Drury Award-winning WWPT, and gold medal-winning Inklings staff — in a ceremony before last night’s season-opening boys basketball game against Central.

Superintendent of schools Elliot Landon commended the honorees, while First Selectman Gordon Joseloff presented plaques.

Several Wreckers had scheduling conflicts (or were playing in the basketball contest), but the bulk of the squad was there — and is pictured below.

Front row (from left): Andrew McNair, Nick Cion, Jason Bennett, Jake Krosse, Mikey Scott, Connor Walsh, Alex Tonsberg. Rear: Sean Gallagher, Jack Hennessy, Nate Greenberg, Mikey Fitzgerald, Steven Denowitz, Justin Hawrysh, Court Lake, Dylan Evans. (Photo by Lisa Krosse)

Loeffler Indoor Tournament Set For December 30

All alumni and current varsity players are invited to the 2009 Loeffler Indoor Tournament:  Wednesday, December 30, in the Staples fieldhouse.  Players are asked to arrive by 5:45 p.m., for stretching and socializing.  Play begins at 6 p.m., with 2 games played simultaneously across the floor.

Parent and friend spectators are warmly welcomed too.

In 1963, Mr. Loeffler (2nd from left) posed with 3 members of his 1963 team.

Since Mr. Loeffler’s retirement in 1978, the indoor tournament has served as the major fundraiser for the Albie Loeffler Scholarship.  It has become 1 of the most prestigious awards at Staples, awarded annually to an athlete who participated in one of the sports Mr. Loeffler coached (soccer, basketball, baseball [or softball]).  Alumni are encouraged to make a donation before playing.

This will be the 1st Loeffler Tournament held since the death of the Staples soccer program’s founder last September, 1 day before his 94th birthday.  “We encourage donors to be particularly generous this year, both to honor Mr. Loeffler and in light of the economy and the ever-rising cost of college,” the Loeffler Scholarship committee said.

Donations may also be sent to the Loeffler Scholarship, c/o Dave Wilson, 28 Craw Ave., Rowayton, CT 06853.

For more information on the scholarship — including a list of previous winners — click here, or email dwilson@ucsfi.com.