Sports

Staples Football Advances to State Championship

Matt Kelly and the Wreckers run past Xavier 31-28.

Finally, Staples got some breathing room, but not much.

A late interception by linebacker Rob Gau led to a 34-yard field goal from Santiago Cuartas that gave Staples a 31-28 win over Xavier Tuesday at Wilton High School.

The win moves the Wreckers into its first state title game since 2006. They'll face Cheshire in the class LL state championship Saturday. 

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It was Cuartas' second game-winner in two weeks. It also gave him the state record for most field goals made in a season — 12.

The game featured a back-and-forth battle between Staples running back Matt Kelly and Xavier back Julian Hayes.

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But it was Kelly's fourth-quarter touchdown run that gave the Wreckers a 28-21 lead, one they would not relinquish.

Kelly finished the evening with one of his best games as a Wrecker, rushing for 225 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns. Hayes was the first back to break the century mark against the Wreckers. His three scores kept Xavier in the game late.

The first quarter was all Staples as Kelly scored on a 9-yard scamper giving the Wreckers an early 7-0 lead. On the ensuing possession, junior defensive end Pat Murray intercepted a pass thrown by Xavier quarterback Alex Pace. The turnover gave the Wreckers great starting field position, allowing quarterback Keith Gelman to hit Brendan Rankowitz in the back of the end zone   for a 30-yard touchdown to give the Wreckers a 14-0 lead.

However, a 26-yard touchdown by Hayes made it a 14-7 game at halftime. The Falcons came out the locker room and put an impressive drive together that ended in a short touchdown run by Hayes to tie the game at 14.

The Wreckers responded as Rankowitz's 29-yard reception on a 2nd and 27 set up Kelly for his longest run of the day. A 54-yard touchdown run to the proverbial house gave the Wreckers a 21-14 lead midway through the third. But again, Hayes found the end zone for the Falcons, tying the game at 21.

The Wreckers defense led by linebackers Jake Santora and Gau thwarted any opportunity the Falcons had of remaining in the game. Defensive lineman Devin Graber, Connor Bohling, Chris Coyne, Pat Murray and Cody Laszlo held Hayes in check for much of the final quarter to corral the Falcons offense.

After Cuartas' field goal, trailing by 10, the Falcons drove 92-yards in less than a minute and scored on a 7-yard pitch from Pace to Hyman. But the onsides kick was recovered by Staples, ending the game.

A time and place have not yet been announced for the championship game.

Story by DJ Sixsmith, a new Patch contributor who is also sports editor of Inklings, the Staples High School newspaper.

Patch writer Dan Worthington also contributed to this report.


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