Sammy Warshaw

A&E Editor

If Staples Boys soccer had one goal going into their second game of the season, it was to have redemption. After two seasons of previous losses to rival Bridgeport Central, the boys of Staples soccer needed to show the FCIAC that they were a force to be reckoned with.

The good news is, Staples did just that.

Right before the game, in front of an eager Loeffler field crowd, there was a sense that Staples was on a mission.

Senior Taylor McNair expressed his anticipation for the matchup. “I think we have a lot to work on based off our last game. We need to come out, score a couple of early goals. Our organization is good, now we need to make it all come out on the field.”

McNair could not have asked for a better start. The team exploded out of the gate with two quick goals from forward and game MVP Lorenz Esposito ‘13, one off a gorgeous cross from fellow forward Max Hoberman ’12. Both goals were within the first ten minutes of the match.

From that moment on, it was an absolute Staples rampage. They controlled the ball throughout the entire first half, so much so that goalie and captain James Hickok ’13 hardly had to make a save.

Soon after the two Esposito goals, there was a rapid fire of Staples offense, as newcomer David Hoffman ’13 made a name for himself with back-to-back goals. Add a fifth goal of the half by Center Midfielder Steven Smith ’12, and you have yourself one of the best offensive performances Staples Soccer has had in a long time.

After taking a commanding 5-0 lead into the second half, Coach Dan Woog used the lead as an opportunity to give his reserves some game-time experience.

Ethan Bradeen ’13 and Jay Kaplan ’12 tacked on a couple of late game goals to elevate the game to blow-out status. After an offensive struggle in their first matchup at Saint Joseph’s (a 1-0 victory), Staples showed the FCIAC just how dangerous they are when they get in open space.

While Staples Soccer certainly misses last year’s star graduating class, they clearly believe that they can still keep up with the big boys of the FCIAC. If Tuesday’s game was any indication of the team’s abilities, we could have another fantastic season in store for the Boys Soccer Team.

“I felt like it was a great win for us. We started off strong with a couple of quick goals, and we kept it going throughout the whole game,” Smith said.