By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT — Winners of four of the first five games, the Staples boys lacrosse team has plenty to be encouraged about in the early going.

The Wreckers, after a 16-4 win over Smithtown High School West in New York on April 5, fell 7-5 at Greenwich on April 9, but bounced back with a trio of victories all at home. 

Those wins included crushing Brien McMahon of Norwalk, 24-1, April 15; beating Ridgefield, 10-6, last Thursday, and walloping New Fairfield, 16-3, Saturday afternoon

Coach Will Koshansky likes how the team responded following the lone setback, adding that the Wreckers have been playing at a different level — in both practices and games — since.

“I think we’re doing a good job of getting better every day,” the coach said.

“Greenwich was really a wakeup call,” midfielder Cam Prior added.

After the McMahon game came a tougher test against Ridgefield. The Wreckers built a commanding 9-2 lead en route to the win. Hunter Pallai scored three times, and Prior and Adam Udell each netted a pair of goals in that victory. 

Against New Fairfield, the Wreckers built a 12-2 halftime lead and cruised to another W.

“I think today we showed up and we had really good energy and really good execution,” Koshansky said.

Charlie Clark had four goals and two assists in the Saturday contest, Udell had three goals and a trio of assists, and Pallai logged two goals and two assists to lead the offense. When all was said and done, 10 Wreckers got on the score sheet with goals and/or assists in a complete team effort.

Tristan Schaefer and Prior each had two tallies and Justin Halky, Nick Weil and Finn Edwards all hit the back of the net. Will Fleming and Shane Sandrew added assists. 

Starting goaltender Josh Marcus made five saves in three quarters of action. Nate Hammond had a fourth-quarter denial.

The Wreckers are feeling confident about making a run in the postseason and are working toward reaching their potential as the season unfolds.

“Looking forward, I think we have a very good offense and defense and we’ll have a lot of success this season,” Prior said.

Beginning Tuesday with a 4:30 p.m. visit to Stepinac High in White Plains, N.Y., the Wreckers are on the road for five straight games. They will also visit New Canaan, St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., St. Joseph of Trumbull and Brunswick School of Greenwich.

(Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest CIAC updates.)

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