By Andy Hutchison

RIDGEFIELD — Staples High’s football team pulled out a 14-11 victory at Ridgefield on Saturday night. 

The game was a defensive struggle despite the clash between high-powered offenses. 

Staples quarterback Caleb Smith rushed for two touchdowns providing the winning margin for the Wreckers.

The Staples defense was stalwart. A goal line stand on the opening drive held the Tigers to a field goal, foreshadowing the kind of game this would be. 

Ridgefield’s defense proved nearly as stingy.

Penalties were a problem for both teams, with Staples overcoming an uncharacteristic 135 yards on flags.

This was a big win for Wreckers who improved to 8-1 and moved into the fourth spot in the Class LL State Playoff standings. Ridgefield dropped to 4-5 and fell to ninth.

The Wreckers will try to bolster their playoff positioning in the regular season finale on Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day, when top-ranked Greenwich (also 8-1) visits the Wreckers for a 10 a.m. kickoff.

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.