By Finnegan Courtney

Following a dominant win Monday and a snow-out Wednesday, the ninth-seeded Staples Wreckers took the court in Waterford Thursday against the 18-6 and eighth-seeded Waterford Lancers in the second round of the CIAC Tournament.

Staples jumped out to a 13-4 lead. But Waterford seniors Sean O’Connell and Juan Morel helped the Lancers rally back. Led by All-FCIAC players Ryan Phelps and Chris Zajac, Staples was able to fend off the Lancers and were up seven at the half, 25-18. 

In a game that showed meticulous and effective defense from both teams, the Lancers shut the lights off in the third quarter. They allowed the Wreckers a mere three points and cut the Wreckers lead to two points, 28-26. In the fourth, Staples found a second wind and rallied to build a seven-point lead–42-35–with just 1:29 remaining. 

But, in those last 89 seconds, the Wreckers failed to make a basket and coughed up the ball twice. Waterford cut the lead to three points before O’Connell drained a trey in front of a delirious home crowd to tie the game at 42 points with just seconds on the clock. The Lancers defense reasserted themselves and locked the Wreckers down without a shot before the buzzer ended regulation play.

In OT, the Wreckers offense was again neutralized by the Lancers, who started the fifth quarter on an 8-0 run. After a field goal, a Zajac three-pointer and a Phelps free throw, the Lancers lead was cut to two. After a Lancers free throw, Phelps’s three-point attempt at the buzzer missed. The Wreckers’ season ended.

Final: Waterford 51, Staples 48.

Though the end of any year without a championship is a disappointment, the Wreckers just finished an outstanding season. Three Wreckers made All-FCIAC and they notched a home win in the CIACs. Westport has strung together three straight double-digit winning seasons (14-7, 10-3, 16-7) and are saying a fond farewell to six seniors. 

The Wreckers will field a very different team next season; all eyes and a lot of hope will be placed on the very tall shoulders of junior Chris Zajac.