Staples holds off Greenwich
WESTPORT — With both teams having punched their respective tickets to the Class LL playoffs, Greenwich and Staples provided quite the appetizer before the holiday feast.
The lead changed hands seven times, including twice in the final minute and a half, but Staples used a go-ahead touchdown from Will Holleman to give No. 9 Staples
a 39-38 win, snapping the program’s five-game losing streak against the thirdranked
Cardinals. The scoring would be
somewhat scarce in the opening half thanks to Greenwich’s stingy defense. The Cardinals picked off Staples quarterback Caleb Smith three times in the opening half, but managed to capitalize on just one of them, ending in one of Jack Konigsberg’s two rushing touchdowns in the game.
Greenwich led 13-7 at halftime, but the fireworks began early in the second half. Fueled by back to back defensive stops, the Wreckers scored a pair of touchdowns thanks to Smith. The junior ran in a 5-yard touchdown before finding Sam Petrosino from 21yards away to give Staples a 21-13 lead.
Greenwich immediately responded as George Vomvolakis took the ensuing kickoff back 85 yards for the score. The Cardinals added a two-point conversion to level the score at 21 before their defense stepped up again.
After pinning Staples inside their own 3-yard line, a pair of stops forced a safety, giving Greenwich the lead and the ball back while silencing what was an energetic and advantageous Staples crowd.
“I told the guys that we had been in this situation before,” Staples coach Adam Behrends said. “We know we can score in a short amount of time and our defense can go back out and hold them.”
Entering the fourth quarter trailing, Staples used another passing touchdown from Smith, who found Petrosino for the second time in the game. After a defensive stop and a Wreckers’ field goal, Staples could see the win in sight, leading 32-23 with five and a half minutes left.
But Greenwich, as they had all morning, responded. The Cardinals drove down the field quickly and capped off the drive with a Jack Wilson passing touchdown to Charlie Dixon to make it 32-30 with two and a half minutes left.
Greenwich stopped Staples and managed its timeouts to get the ball back with two minutes left. One play into their drive Vomvolakis broke off a 51-yard run to stun Staples and give Greenwich a 38-32 lead with 1:49 left.
Staples didn’t seem to blink as Tyler Clark took the following kickoff to near midfield, and Staples punched it into the endzone five plays later when Smith found Holleman.
“A lot of guys were tired, so I had to step up. I usually play cornerback, but I came in,” Holleman said. “I knew the ball was going to come to me because two guys went to Tyler (Clark). I cut in and I saw Caleb throw it to me. Honestly, there was no better feeling in my life.”
Greenwich had one more chance with under a minute to play but turned it over on downs to seal the Staples win.
After a heartbreaking defeat in last season’s rivalry, Smith dedicated his performance to the seniors who played a year ago.
“Walking off that field last year with all of our seniors in tears after losing our playoff hopes and ending our season really motivated me this entire offseason to come out where I can be able to make plays for them,” Smith said.
Staples finishes the season 9-1 and will prepare for the program’s first trip to the state playoffs since 2015.
For Greenwich, it will look ahead toward its firstround matchup in the state playoffs on its home field.
PLAYER OF THE GAME Caleb Smith, Staples Jr. QB:
Threw for four touchdowns and ran for one. His fourth passing touchdown gave Staples the lead for good with under two minutes to play.
QUOTABLE
“A win like this is something that has all of the momentum for us. We are really excited. I’m assuming we are going to have a home game which is going to be something special. I think we can push it all the way.” – Staples Jr. QB Caleb Smith.
STAPLES 39, GREENWICH 38
GREENWICH ................ 0 13 10 15 — 38 STAPLES ....................... 0 7 14 18 – 39 G – Jack Konigsberg 11-yard run (Robert Pastore kick)
S – Caleb Smith 31-yard pass to Tyler Clark (Jack McColl kick)
G – Jack Konigsberg 5-yard run (kick missed) S – Caleb Smith 5-yard run (kick)
S – Caleb Smith 21-yard pass to Sam Petrosino (kick)
G – George Vomvolakis 85-yard kickoff return (Caleb Smith run)
G – Caleb Smith sacked, safety
S – Caleb Smith 3-yard pass to Sam Petrosino (Caleb Smith pass)
S – Jack McColl 22-yard field goal
G – Jack Wilson 20-yard pass to Charlie Dixon (kick)
G – George Vomvolakis 51-yard run (Jack Wilson run)
S – Caleb Smith 11-yard pass to Will Holleman (kick)