By Andy Hutchison

NORWALK — Goals have come in bunches for the Staples field hockey team. Even in the Class L State Tournament. And with no slowing down the deeper the Wreckers have gone.

Top-seed Staples crushed No. 4 Fairfield Ludlowe 11-1 in the semifinals at neutral site Brien McMahon on Tuesday. With the win the Wreckers, who have outscored a trio of state playoff victims a cumulative 30-2, advance to the finals again.

Staples will travel to Wethersfield High Saturday’s championship game against No. 2 Darien, starting at 1:15 p.m. This is a rematch of last year’s state finals and this year’s FCIAC title contest, both won by the Wreckers.

In the triumph over Ludlowe, Emma Larit and Storey Ahl both netted hat-tricks, Sofia Fidalgo scored twice, and Alex Hackett, Mary Stevens and Daisy Hackett also scored.

Darien edged No. 3 Wilton 2-1 in the other semifinal.

Things stand to get significantly more challenging for the Wreckers based on recent history. Staples beat Darien twice this fall, but both games were close, especially the conference finale decided in overtime. (Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest updates.)

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.