Sarah VonDohlen passes to Ella Harrington (No. 22) as Fairfield Warde’s Ryanne Gulbin defends in Monday’s game. Also pictured are Staples girls basketball Coach Paco Fabian, left, and Warde Coach Dave Danko. / Photos by Andy Hutchison
Photo left: Staples’ Scarlett Siegel drives as Fairfield Warde’s Peyton Tully defends. At right: Ella Harrington goes up to block a shot by Warde’s Ryanne Gulbin.

By Andy Hutchison

The young Staples High girls basketball team has gained experience and found winning ways late this season. 

The Wreckers bested host Bridgeport Central, 57-35, last Friday to pick up their fifth win in a span of seven contests and seventh win overall this season.

Against Central, Sarah VonDohlen led the way with 13 points, Scarlett Siegel scored 10, Marley Belzer dropped in seven, Freya Harvey had five and Jaden Mello tacked on three. The Wreckers put up 38 first-half points and coasted to victory.

The Wreckers hung close with a tough Fairfield Warde team Monday, trailing just 15-12 at the half. 

But the Mustangs used turnover-causing defense and accurate shooting from both down low and outside to seize control in the third quarter. The Mustangs pulled away 44-18, dropping the Wreckers to 7-12 overall.

Staples’ Sarah VonDohlen goes up for a shot as Fairfield Warde’s Mia Caruso defends during Monday’s contest.

VonDohlen had six points for the Wreckers, and Harvey, Siegel and Harrington each had four.

It was Senior Night for Coach Dave Danko’s Mustangs and Mia Caruso, Peyton Tully and Leah Fry were honored. Ryanne Dublin scored 11, Peyton Tully had eight, Fry scored seven, Georgia Patterson and Emma Carley had six, and Caruso scored four as the Mustangs improved to 14-5.

Prior to the Warde game, the Wreckers were on a roll to achieve their goal of extending the season into the tourney round. Staples had clinched a Class LL State Tournament spot with its sixth victory, a 61-40 triumph over Brien McMahon on Feb. 2. 

Siegel, the Staples captain, pointed out the turnaround may be attributed to the growth of underclassmen in the lineup for this inexperienced squad, which had a difficult time adapting to the intensity of varsity play out of the gate.

“Now I feel like they’re starting to get more confident on the court,” Siegel said.

“We had a nice little run,” said Staples Coach Paco Fabian, adding that the Wreckers have had their ups and downs — such as limiting a powerful Warde team to 15 first-half points, then seeing the Mustangs build a quick 10-point lead out of the break.

The Wreckers are striving to play a complete 32 minutes of basketball and, if they do, can be competitive in their state playoff opener, Fabian anticipates.

The Wreckers hope to bolster their playoff ranking when they host Norwalk (8-11) in the regular-season finale at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15.

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.