Words and photos by Andy Hutchison

MONTVILLE–So close. FCIAC champion and top seed Staples pushed No. 2 West Haven to a triple overtime battle before falling 79-72 in the Division I State Championship basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena late Saturday night.

The Wreckers withstood their toughest foe this season.  Time and time again they battled back from late-regulation and OT deficits before finally running out of gas.

Down four points late in the first extra period the Wreckers rallied behind baskets from Matty Corrigan and Austin Heyer to force double overtime tied at 57.

After Corrigan’s 3-pointer put the Wreckers ahead early in the second overtime, West Haven went on an 8-0 run for a 65-60 lead. Sam Clachko and Corrigan (with another 3) got things even. Both teams hit late free throws to send it into triple OT deadlocked at 66-apiece.

In the third OT period, with the Wreckers down three points, Mason Tobias converted a 3-point play to knot the score at 70-70. West Haven went up two points but Clachko tied things with a little over a minute remaining. West Haven went back in front and sealed things with some strong defense and free throws as the seconds ticked away.

Tobias finished with 21 points, Dhilan Lowman 17, Corrigan 13, Clachko 12 and Heyer nine, Tobias had nine rebounds and six assists and Clachko had eight rebounds and five assists.

The Wreckers led 26-24 at the half and trailed 39-35 going to the fourth before battling back to extend the game.

The ending was certainly disappointing for the Wreckers, who went 20-0 in the regular slate before running the table in the FCIAC tourney and marching all the way to the state’s pinnacle game.

Staples was a tough team for defenses to handle throughout this season. Sharp ball movement and shooting alike kept opposing teams on their heels. But it was when opponents had possession that Staples got its game going. And once the Wreckers got stops they put up points in transition as well as in the half-court set. Cohesiveness was key to the team’s success all season long.

“It’s all about the defense, our chemistry and playing for each other,” Clachko said.

Coach David Goldshore said what has impressed him most during this run is the ability of team members to “stay present every single game.” 

The run, while it did not end the way the Wreckers had planned, was an impressive one.

“It’s been incredibly fulfilling. We’ve had a great year,” Goldshore said after Staples defeated New London in the quarterfinals, before taking down Notre Dame Prep in the semis. That victory marked the last time the senior class competed on its home court before things shifted to neutral sites the rest of the way.

The chemistry and success this team has is not something that began in December but, rather, four years ago. The seniors and their coach arrived at Staples at the same time. Captains Jared Sale, Clachko and Tobias, along with Corrigan, Jack Jacob, Drew Hill, Oliver Vynerib and Gavin Mayr were all freshmen when Goldshore took over four years ago, with a mission to not only win but teach the players all he could. And those nine individuals have been together for the entire ride.

“They’ve meant a lot to me,” said Goldshore, adding that the players have taught him more about himself than he has taught the players about themselves.

“They taught me about how important friendship is,” said the Staples coach, adding that it is a tight-knit group of players. Goldshore added that the players taught him about resiliency, being a better listener, and took empathy to another level.

This season was on another level with the Wreckers dominating the competition most nights, finding ways to win when needed, and going all the way to the title game. West Haven prevented the Wreckers from completing its mission on top, but what a journey it was.

Andy Hutchison

^{_{Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories, since the 1990s. He is the sports editor at the Newtown Bee. He writes for the Monroe Sun. He was director of communications and radio color commentator for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (now Islanders) hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}