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Sports

Staples Girls Lacrosse Honors Memory Of Preston Hirten

Wreckers also pay tribute to Hirten's sister, Ella, then defeat St. Joseph, 17-6

Following an emotional day at Staples High School on Saturday, the members of the Wreckers' girls lacrosse team gathered in a huddle and shouted in unison, "We love you, Ella."

The Wreckers paid tribute to their teammate, Ella Hirten, and honored the memory of her late brother, Preston, who  collapsed and died last August while practicing with his college soccer team.

Although Staples lost to Greenwich, 13-7, in the quarterfinals of the FCIAC tournament on Friday, Saturday's contest  against St. Joseph actually was a regular-season game, and the 17-6 win over the Cadets helped the Wreckers (9-6)  improve their seeding for the state tournament.

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But this day was about more than a game.

On Friday, Kat Krieger, one of the team's captains, recorded a speech that was played over the loudspeaker before  Saturday's faceoff. Every member of the Staples squad wore white ribbons in her hair.

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"He was a soccer legend, an amazing player, a fierce competitor, a kind soul, an intense athlete and person, and a truly remarkable individual," Krieger said in the emotional speech, which lasted 2 1/2 minutes.

The speach moved the Hirten family, who heard it for the first time Saturday.

"I thought it was perfect," said Lisa Hirten, Preston's mother. "She captured Preston perfectly, and it was a very appropriate tribute to him."

The sparkplug on Staples' soccer team that reached the state championship game in 2006, Preston Hirten was immensely popular in a soccer-loving community.

Saturday's game was one the girls played with their hearts, and it paid off. Nikki Seo led the way for the Wreckers with five goals while Jessie Ambrose scored three.

Blair Barone, one of the tri-captains, Elizabeth Driscoll, Maeve Flaherty and Ali Crotz each chipped in with a pair. Remy Nolan scored once.

Staples coach Cathy Schager admitted it was awkward scheduling a game after the Wreckers' FCIAC season officially was concluded. Staples has one  more game against Conard on Tuesday.

"There's a lot going on, and it's hard to go from (Friday) to today," she said. "They were so close. I'm going to work very hard next year to try not to have too many late, end-of-season games. "We wanted to do this for the Hirtens, and we wanted to make sure it was a Saturday so everybody could come."

Saturday was an opportunity for a community that was shocked and grief-stricken last August to once again come together to remember a  son and continue the healing process.   

"We knew they were planning this and thought it was really nice to help Ella deal with what she's going through," Lisa  Hirten said. "It brought us together again. It kind of let us go back to that time, when we needed our friends to kind of
hold us up."

Full text of speech

"My name is Kat Krieger and I am writing on behalf of Coach Schager, my co-captains Lexa Koenig and Blair Barone, all of my teammates and the entire Staples High School girls lacrosse program.

Today, Staples girls lacrosse honors its dear friend and teammate, Ella Hirten, and the memory of her brother, Preston.  Thank you all so much for coming and recognizing this important tribute. Whether you know Ella, her family or knew her brother, you could not have attended Staples High School and not known of Preston Hirten. He was a soccer legend, an amazing player, a fierce competitor, a kind soul, an intense athlete and person, and a truly remarkable individual.

The entire community was stunned last August by the sudden passing of Preston. He has been described by his Staples soccer and coach and friend, Dan Woog,  as 'hard working , ultra-competitive... and one of the sparkplugs of the team.'  We are so glad that you have come out to support SHS lacrosse and the entire Hirten family.

We rallied around the Hirtens in the fall and we want Ella, Mr. and Mrs. Hirten and (older sister) Justine to know that we remember them and we remember Preston.  To use Dan's words again: 'Anyone who watched him play - who saw his combination of speed, skill  above all determination -- knew he loved the game, and loved being on the field with his friends. Preson never gave less
than his best. In doing so, he lifted the quality of play of everyone around him. you could not give less than your best with Preston around.  And in the process, you had plenty of fun.' That is what we intend to do today, and hopefully every time we take the field.

Whether you wear the number 15 (Preston's number at Staples), the number 19 (his number in college, or a 'Play for Preston' tee-shirt,  we want to take a moment to remember a truly outstanding member of our community. The white ribbons we wear in our hair today are to symbolize hope, life, love, to honor Ella and her family and to remember Preston.

May Preston's memory and legacy live on and on, not only in his family and friends but in Staples high school sports as well.

We dedicate today's game and play to his memory and in honor of his sister and our teammate and friend, Ella, his parents,  his older sister, Justine and the rest of the extended Hirten family and friends."

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