Junior captain James Hickok has been named to the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association All-State team.
This is the 4th year in a row the Wreckers have had an All-State player — but he is the 1st Staples goalkeeper selected by the CSCA since Alex Deegan in 1990.
James Hickok
The honor is based, in part, on coaches’ rankings of players on All-League teams. James, Jake Malowitz and Taylor McNair were the Wreckers’ 3 All-FCIAC selections.
The Connecticut All-State players will be feted on January 29, at a dinner at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.
James registered 12 shutouts this year. He allowed just 13 goals in 21 games.
“I’m very glad for James,” said head coach Dan Woog. “He’s worked tremendously hard on all aspects of his game — from dominating the box to distribution to communication. He’s got a fantastic mentor in our keeper coach, Tom Henske, and this honor is really a tribute to both of them.”
Nearly 50 Staples soccer alumni — and half a dozen current players, plus a few honorary alums — spent a brilliant Thanksgiving morning playing some spirited games on the Wakeman turf.
The group – ranging from Seth Sholes ’78 to freshman Phil Foisie, plus the sons of Dan Donovan ’82 and Kent Thomas ’86 — had a great time vying for bragging rights for the coming year.
The 2006 team — which won last year’s Alumni Award for continued contributions to Staples soccer — set a Turkey Bowl record. Eleven members of the squad returned, fielding their own complete team.
Stig Stenild-Johansen traveled the further distance. He came from Italy.
Alumni contributions raised nearly $500 for the Loeffler Scholarship Fund. The next event — the annual indoor tournament — is set for Thursday, December 29, 6 p.m. in the Staples fieldhouse.
Alex Geringer '02 turns the corner on Brendon Cristobal '07. Keaton Cristobal '07 (red) and Jason Alvarez '02 provide support. (Photo by Laurie Gendell)
Jem Sollinger '88 turns the corner on Sean Soderstrom '07. (Photo by Laurie Gendell)
Future alum Taylor McNair '12 and Michael McCarthy '10 show varying speeds. (Photo by Laurie Gendell)
Court Lake ’11 — a key Wrecker in last year’s drive to the FCIAC championship and state finals — has added another title this fall.
Court Lake
Hotchkiss — where he is a post-grad student — won the 2011 Class A NEPSAC (New England Preparatory School Athletic Council) finals, 2-0 over Phillips Andover.
Court’s squad added 3 other championships along the way: Founders League, WNEPSSA (Western New England Prep School Soccer Association) Class A, and Connecticut State Preparatory School.
It was a big weekend for the Lake family: Court’s sister Abbey, a senior, was a key player for Staples in their state LL tournament semifinal game against Glastonbury. She scored midway through the 2nd half, but the Tomahawks tied the match. The Wreckers ultimately fell in penalty kicks, 3-1.
Including Arizona, for the US college club soccer championships.
Dave Sharpe ’07 was one of Villanova University’s keepers at the national tournament. He saved a penalty kick against San Diego State University — and made several other outstanding stops too — but it was not enough to prevent a 2-0 loss. Two years ago, SDSU knocked ‘Nova out in the national semifinals.
Villanova also lost 1-0 to Colorado, but came back to beat the University of California-Santa Cruz 1-0 in the finale.
Mikey Scott ’11′s University of Michigan side also did not advance, despite some of the longest throw-ins ever seen in the Grand Canyon State.
Dave Sharpe (yellow) and his Villanova University club soccer team, in Arizona.
Today’s rematch of last year’s state final pitted 2 teams that have had trouble scoring. #6 Farmington and #11 Staples both won their 1st round state tournament games 1-0 — in overtime. Both squads knew this could be another 1-goal game.
Or perhaps PKs.
Alex Tonsberg started up top for the Wreckers, in hopes of generating a bit of firepower. But the blue-and-whites played tentatively in the 1st half. The Indians had the run of play, beating Staples to many balls and winning most tackles. Keeper James Hickok saved well twice.
Farmington got on the scoreboard midway through the 1st half, on a shot from the left by Kyle Baker.
Max Hoberman’s long ball in the 39th minute caught keeper Austin Peluso off his line. He backpedaled, and seemed to catch the ball over the goal line — but the official waved play on.
The halftime talk centered on the need to kick the game up several notches.
The Wreckers went out and did just that.
For much of the 2nd half, they controlled play. They won loose balls, possessed, and went forward with controlled urgency. They earned a couple of corner kicks, and several free kicks. They sprung men forward into the box.
But Farmington repelled every threat.
As the clock ticked down, the Westporters pressed even further. A shot from Steve Smith was particularly dangerous — but it was deflected into the hands of keeper Austin Peluso. As in the waning minutes of last year’s final — the Indians hung tight.
And — just like a year ago — Staples’ season ended with a 1-goal loss to Farmington.
“This game was a microcosm of our season,” said head coach Dan Woog. “Of our 21 games this season, 16 were decided by 1 goal, or were ties. That’s the way our entire year went. It’s a tribute to our guys that they gutted so many of those matches out – and that they fought to the end in this one.
“It’s always tough to lose – especially wearing the Staples ‘S.’ But if your team is any good at all, odds are high you’ll end your season with a loss. Only one team finishes as champion. Yet we always set our goals high. If you don’t shoot for the stars, you’ll never hit the moon.
“I loved this team,” Woog continued. “They’re an awesome group of young men. They brought a smile to my face every day. I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with them.” Final score: Farmington 1, Staples 0. Season record: 13-4-4.
QUICK KICKS: Both teams finished with 8 shots. Farmington led in corner kicks, 5-3….
Other FCIAC team scores from the LL tournament: Trumbull 2, Simsbury 1; Norwalk 4, Westhill 1; Pomperaug 5, Greenwich 2. In the L division, Darien edged New Canaan 1-0, while Wilton lost a wild match 6-4 to Wethersfield….
The game was played at Al Bell Field — and former CJSA official Al Bell wished the Wreckers good luck before the match….
For the 2nd straight match, the Wreckers played a team nicknamed the Indians.
Farmington keeper Austin Peluso punches clear, in a wild goalmouth scene. (Photo by Carl McNair)
Freshman Phil Foisie heads again senior Timothy Orrell. (Photo by Carl McNair)
Steve Smith pushes past Zach Zabach. (Photo by Carl McNair)
Each year, a Staples High School student is asked to speak at Westport’s Veterans Day ceremony.
In a town like this — where the military is an afterthought, if thought of at all — finding an appropriate, articulate high school senior is no easy task.
But for 2 years in a row, the keynote speaker has been a Staples soccer player.
Last year’s address was given by Sean Gallagher, currently a plebe at the US Naval Academy. This year the speaker was another defender: Taylor McNair.
Here’s Taylor’s speech, delivered yesterday at Town Hall.
PFC Nick Madaras
In the fall of 2006, while on leave from Iraq, Private First Class Nick Madaras rounded up as many soccer balls as he could find to bring back for his 2nd tour of duty. His plan was to distribute the balls to the Iraqi children he had watched day after day.
Unfortunately, he never got the chance. Nick was killed by an IED shortly after returning to Baqubah, Iraq.
Just weeks after hearing of his death, a fellow Wilton citizen and Korean War veteran contacted the Madaras family in hopes of maintaining Nicks’ legacy and, more important, fulfilling Nick’s desire to do good. From this, the “Kick for Nick” organization was born: an initiative based in Wilton that collects and ships balls to children in Iraq and Afghanistan, for distribution by US soldiers.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Nick. I did, however, have the pleasure of fulfilling his one wish. Three years ago, when I was a freshman in high school, Staples soccer coach Dan Woog approached my older brother, then a senior, and asked if he would organize a “Kick for Nick” drive.
I remember sitting in my basement, deflating hundreds of soccer balls and inscribing “PFC Nick Madaras” on each one. Yet it wasn’t until just recently, after meeting with Nick’s dad Bill to drop off the soccer balls from another successful drive this year, that I realized the power of those words.
I don’t know many veterans. So when assistant principal Rich Franzis, an Iraq War veteran himself, asked if I would be interested in giving this speech today, I was honored yet hesitant. My connection to this country’s servicemen and women was distant, to say the least.
I thought long and hard about the kind of sentiments a 17-year-old kid from Westport would have about Veterans Day. My grandfathers and uncles didn’t fight in any wars; my friends have shown no interest in enlisting in the military. Yet my mind continued to bounce back to the recent “Kick for Nick drive.” As it turns out, you don’t need to know a veteran to appreciate this special day.
And so I return to the power of those few words: a simple class rank, PFC, and the name of a fallen soldier, Nick Madaras. Each and every ball a child receives is etched with this name, which serves as a constant reminder of what the United States military, of what you, have done for the world. Each time a child touches a soccer ball, and his or her face glows with happiness, we can take pride in the fact that a U.S. soldier created that smile.
Taylor McNair (right) with Bill Madaras, after presenting 150 soccer balls from this year’s “Kick for Nick” drive.
In 2008, ESPN did a story on PFC Nick Madaras. Among the hundreds of comments on their web page, one stands out. The commenter wrote, “I am a 53 year old US Coast Guard veteran, and when I watched this on ESPN I sat and cried for this beautiful family and this beautiful story. That story describes American soldiers so, so well.”
For me, Veterans Day is more than recognizing the sacrifices a soldier must make. It’s about recognizing the impact that these sacrifices would have.
Nick Madaras sought to make his impact through the fundamental lesson of sharing. Other soldiers have made their impact through acts of selflessness or gallantry. The one thing I’ve discovered over these past few years, however, is that it doesn’t matter what kind of impact you made; rather, that you have made an impact at all.
Nick is like so many other veterans around the country. All of you, whether you know it or not, have gone above and beyond the call of duty in so many ways. For Nick, this meant bringing happiness to the children he interacted with every day in a war-ravaged country. For others of you, it might have been saving a fellow soldier’s life, or maybe putting your own life on the line to protect the fundamental principles of this nation.
For me, today is about appreciating that impact.
Servicemen and women are a unique group of people. In almost every case you are heroic yet humble, altruistic but modest. For generations, Americans have put the very foundation of our country, liberty, in your hands. And for generations you have answered this call, and done so valiantly, with little recognition.
So today I know I speak for millions of other Americans when I say, thank you. Thank you Nick Madaras, for making this world a happier place by use of a simple soccer ball.
And thank you, all of you, for the often-intangible yet ever-present impacts you have made, not only in this town or this country, but in every corner of the world.
Dozens of flags in the Staples courtyard honored fallen soldiers yesterday. Each bore the name of a fallen soldier from the area — including Wilfredo Perez of Norwalk (above), and Nick Madaras.
Click below to view Taylor McNair’s speech, as broadcast on the “Good Morning Staples” TV show. Taylor begins speaking at the 2:20 mark.
Staples and Manchester have a long history in state tournament play. Over an 11-year span — from 1962 to 1973 — they met 5 times. Back then, the Wreckers and Indians were 2 of the top 3 or 4 teams in the state.
The rivalry has cooled since then. Entering today’s match, Staples held a 7-3 series lead. The last time the northerners won was 1984 (2-1). The last previous meeting was 2006. The Westporters won that 1st-round match 1-0 — the initial step on their march to the state LL finals.
Though the start of this year’s state tournament was delayed 3 days by weather conditions after the pre-Halloween snowstorm, today’s match had all the feeling of LL tourney matches from the past 52 years. The weather was cool and very windy, with gusts up to 40 miles an hour. The trees were bare. The Hill was empty at the 2 p.m. kickoff — school was still in session — but packed 15 minutes later.
The large crowd was treated to a typical state tournament game: tense. The Indians were lower ranked (#22), but they were not about to roll over.
The #11 Wreckers played typically too. Their defense — keeper James Hickok, backs Taylor McNair, Jake Malowitz, Alex Tonsberg, Ben Root and Harry Birch — were rock-solid. Their offense featured plenty of possession and tight play. But — as has happened all year — goals were not easy to come by.
Midway through the 1st half, Tonsberg got banged. Aaron Liu replaced him, and continued the Wreckers’ lockdown in the back. When Tonsberg returned, it was in an offensive role. He provided a spark — but still Staples could not score.
The best chance of the half came with 20 seconds to go. Malowitz rocketed a long ball off the crossbar. No one followed — a point head coach Dan Woog hammered home at halftime, with intensity.
The 2nd half began with tremendous pressure. The blue-and-whites amped up their game several notches. Birch and Tonsberg forced corner kicks; Dylan Evans, Max Hoberman, Steve Smith, David Hoffman, Joe Greenwald and Terence Gibbons pressed.
Midfielder Phil Foisie proved a solid, poised presence, while Kyle Hoberman’s long throws added one more arrow to Staples’ bow.
But still there were no goals. Smith missed just wide in the 59th minute, from Max Hoberman; 4 minutes later Tonsberg ripped a shot that was bobbled.
The final 10 minutes of regulation time were action-packed. Manchester’s best opportunity came with 1:30 to go — but McNair raced across to thwart it.
For the 2nd time in 3 games — the 1st was the FCIAC semifinals — Staples headed to overtime. There would be 2 10-minute periods; no golden goal.
Birch had a couple of chances in the 1st OT. Kyle Hoberman’s long throw was tip-saved by keeper Myles Spencer. Another great throw led to a corner kick. There were more challenges — and still no goals.
In the 94th minute — just 7:45 from time — Smith got the ball in the corner by 1st base. He turned, dealt, possessed, wheeled again, and slotted a ball across the goalmouth. It was a simple, yet perfect, cross — and Max Hoberman was there, 2 yards from goal, to touch it home.
It was a fitting finish for Hoberman, who trained with focus and intensity yesterday.
The Wreckers were determined not to let Manchester back in the game. With Ethan Bradeen providing added defense, they kept the Indians at bay. Staples managed the clock, earning several corner kicks and throw-ins.
When it was over, Woog reiterated his pre-match message: “This is what state tournament play is all about. There’s do-or-die pressure. You win, or you turn in your uniforms. It doesn’t matter who’s the hero, or where the goal comes from. Just give it your best, trust in each other, and get it done.”
The Wreckers had done exactly that. Final score: Staples 1, Manchester 0. Season record: 13-3-4.
QUICK KICKS: Staples outshot Manchester 22-4, and led in corner kicks 10-1. Hickok had 2 saves, while Spencer recorded 8….
The 1st big upset of the tournament: #29 Xavier edged #4 South Windsor 2-1, in overtime. FCIAC teams that won included Greenwich (2-1 over Hamden), and Westhill (3-0 over Bristol Central). Danbury fell 2-1 to Guilford, in overtime.
Steve Smith, in control against Manchester. (Photo by Carl McNair)
The always-steady Aaron Liu. (Photo by Carl McNair)
A Manchester Indian won't keep David Hoffman from the ball. (Photo by Carl McNair)
At long last, the snow-delayed state “LL” (extra large) schools tournament gets underway Friday. Staples hosts Manchester, in a 2 p.m. start.
The Wreckers are the #11 seed. Their 10-2-4 regular season record is the same as Cheshire. With no common opponent, a coin flip put the upstaters at #12.
In the 1960s and ’70s, Manchester and Staples were 2 of the top teams in the state. Over an 11-year span beginning in 1962, the Wreckers and Indians played 5 state tournament games.
The last time the squads met — in 2006 — was also a 1st-round match. The Wreckers won 1-0 in a lethargic contest, then caught fire and reached the state finals.
This year, Pomperaug is #1 in LL. They finished the regular season — the only games that count for state tournament ranking — 15-0-1, but fell 4-0 to Bunnell in the SWC championship match.
Other FCIAC “LL” matchups show #3 Norwalk home against #30 Stamford; #7 Trumbull hosting #26 New Milford; #17 Greenwich at #16 Hamden; #19 Westhill at #14 Bristol Central; #20 Danbury at #13 Guilford; #25 Ridgefield at #8 Newtown.
In the “L” (large schools) division, #5 Darien hosts #28 North Haven; #12 New Canaan is home against #21 Lyman Hall, and #16 Wilton entertains #17 New London.
Over 230 soccer players participated in yesterday’s statewide Unified Soccer Special Olympics games, hosted by Staples in the fieldhouse.
And making sure the day went smoothly were 6 Wrecker junior varsity players, and 1 former player.
Foster Goldberg, Jeff Krieger, Sterling Price, Andreas Refvik, James Rubin, Yousef Shahin and Steve Sobel donated their time, energy and expertise.
And, they say, they got at least as much out of the annual event as the athletes themselves.
“It was fantastic!” one Staples referee said.
“Everyone was so happy,” another reported. “Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do this.”
Staples physical education teacher Janet Zamary, who organizes the annual event, returned the compliment. She praised the Wreckers’ help as “awesome. You guys are the best!”
The Staples team has been awarded the Southern Connecticut Soccer Officials’ Jack Mullady Sportsmanship Award for 2011. The announcement was made by referee Joe D’Ascania, president of the organization, which serves FCIAC and SWC teams in much of Fairfield County.
The decision was based on the season-long commitment to fair play by Wrecker players and coaches. In addition, Staples accumulated only 5 cards during the regular season and FCIAC playoffs.
“This is a huge honor,” said head coach Dan Woog. “Some people think sportsmanship awards are given as consolation prizes to winless teams. This shows that teams can play hard and well and fair, and honor the game. I am very proud that the officials have recognized Staples this year.”
Woog, and co-captains Jake Malowitz and James Hickok, will receive the award at a ceremony in New Canaan on November 10.
Soccer is a physical game, as Terence Gibbons knows -- and not easy to officiate. (Photo by Carl McNair)
