By Andy Hutchison

TRUMBULL — Coming off a lopsided win over Conard in the season opener in week one, the Staples High football team went on the road Saturday for a tough clash with FCIAC rival St. Joseph. 

The Wreckers showed plenty of fight before falling 42-21.

Down 14-7 at the half, the Wreckers evened the score. Quarterback Caleb Smith connected with James Hillhouse for a 41-yard scoring strike, and the game was deadlocked with 10:31 to play in the third.

That would be all the Wreckers could muster offensively until a late-fourth quarter scoring rush by Alex Fiala, his second TD of the game.

By that time, the Cadets seized control by repeatedly forcing Staples punts. 

The Wreckers’ defense kept things interesting, with the help of some booming punts by Josh Marcus, until about midway through the fourth quarter when the Cadets padded the lead.

In Michael Nealon and Sam Petrosino both had interceptions in the third quarter to keep the game tied until late in the third. 

Keenan Fraczek scored on a 13-yard run with 1:12 left in the quarter and it was 21-14 St. Joe’s going into the fourth.

A Caden Wilson quarterback sack left the Cadets facing a second and 17 situation, and they moved the chains on one big play, when QB Will Singewalk hooked up with Brandon Hutchinson for a first down at the Staples 21. 

Another Singewalk-to-Hutchinson connection set up first and goal at the one yard line, and Riley Jordan punched it in with 7:51 to go.

After Staples turned the ball over on downs deep in its own end on the ensuing possession, the Cadets cashed in and pulled away.

Staples will look to get back in the win column Friday, Sept. 23, with a 6:30 p.m. visit to Newington.

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