By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT–The Staples football season kicks off Thursday night as Staples hosts Westhill at 7 pm. The Wreckers are going to have plenty of tough tests throughout the campaign as they look to navigate the always-challenging FCIAC along with some non-conference state powers and be in the running for a championship or two.

Staples takes on Class LL Champion Greenwich from the FCIAC, a competitive South Windsor squad, and Class L runner-up Cheshire. Add in state playoff qualifiers from a year ago in Danbury, Darien, Ridgefield, Fairfield Ludlowe, and Wilton, and the Wreckers take on seven teams that marched into the postseason last year on the slate of 10 matchups this fall.

“We’re going to be battle-tested for the playoffs. Those seven opponents are going to make us better,” said Staples Coach Matty Jacowleff, whose team took on a bunch of state playoff qualifiers during preseason tune-ups with the likes of Berlin, Hand of Madison, Bunnell of Stratford and Glastonbury. 

The Wreckers are focused on each day and opponent but have the bigger goal of competing for FCIAC and state titles. A Class LL playoff qualifier itself last season, Staples is a tough matchup for any takers and boasts a lineup of talented returnees and newcomers.

Captains are Nate Maurillo (defensive back, safety, wide receiver, running back), Luke Bernier (offensive and defensive lineman), Nick Segura (offensive lineman) and Noah Gibson (kicker).

Other key players in the mix include Parker Toohey (defensive end, tight end), Grant Bozeman (quarterback) and Levi Belzer (wide receiver).

Bozeman, up from the unbeaten junior varsity squad, completed 70% of his passes in preseason, Jacowleff said.

The QB is skilled at getting the ball to playmakers and letting them do their thing, the coach added.

Physicality of the defense is one of the strengths that pops out for the coaching staff as the season gets underway, Jacowleff said. The coach added that the team members will be battling for extra yards on offense and flying around to make plays on both sides of the ball.

After an offseason full of hard work, including early summer mornings in the weight room and on the practice field the Wreckers are ready to put their hard work to the test.

“It’s hard to put into words. I’ve found so much enjoyment out of coaching this group,” the coach said of getting back at it for regular season games. “We feel like we’re ready to go.”

Andy Hutchison

^{_{Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories, since the 1990s. He is the sports editor at the Newtown Bee. He writes for the Monroe Sun. He was director of communications and radio color commentator for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}