Sports
Staples Boys Soccer Holds Off Manchester In OT, 1-0
Max Hoberman scored the game's only goal in the 94th minute as the Wreckers advanced to Monday's second-round against Farmington
The Staples boys soccer team survived a scare Friday in a CIAC Class LL first-round contest.
Forced to overtime, the No. 11-seeded Wreckers finally got a goal in the 94th minute from Max Hoberman to hold off 22nd-seeded Manchester 1-0 in overtime.
Coming off a 2-0 loss to Trumbull in the FCIAC championship game, the Wreckers had gone more than 170 minutes without scoring.
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But with the teams staring at penalty kicks Friday, Steve Smith passed into the box to Hoberman, who slide the bal into the goal from two yards out.
Staples, which outshot Manchester 22-4, improved to 13-3-4.
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"This is what state tournament play is all about," Wreckers coach Dan Woog said. "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 win sets up a second-round meeting with Farmington on Monday in a rematch of last season's final, won the Indians. The contest will be played at Tunxis Mead in Farmington at 2 p.m.
Farmington, which defeated Staples 2-1 in last year's final, advanced Friday with a 1-0 victory over New Britain.
