Staples Edges Aspetuck
Staples Edges Aspetuck
Staples HS produced a big result in Connecticut, getting by a very tough Aspetuck team 16-14.
The game was described as a slugfest by Staples Head Coach Neal Seideman. For a young Aspetuck team, they found themselves relying on speedster Pearson Hill once more but they needed more than one or two players to defeat the state's top teams.
All of the 30 points scored in the game were scored in the first half.
The teams battled throughout, with both sides putting together productive sequences only to all to commit a turnover thanks to some patient and tough defense. With the rain making ball handling difficult, the turnovers were even more common.
Staples went up 3-0 on a penalty kick from Eoin Cuddy, who had an excellent day both with his foot (three penalty kicks and one conversion), leadership, and a critical try late in the first half. Aspetuck capitalized shortly thereafter on yet another penalty and knock on from Staples to put down a try from Carson Hill and a conversions from Jason Champagne.
Aspetuck again capitalized on a Staples knock-on and Pearson Hill burst through to score up the middle for a 14-3 lead with Champagne's conversion.
But Staples clawed back. They put Aspetuck under pressure and forced them into penalties, which Cuddy happily put over.
He hit two, and then scored a try, which he converted, plus to nudge Staples ahead.
In the second half both teams fought and tackled hard. Each had opportunities and each could have converted those into points, but somehow didn't.
"It could have gone either way up and until the final whistle," said Seideman. Both teams are potentially really good yet young, inexperienced, and could lose on any given Sunday, so to speak."
Aspetuck Head Coach Ray Weiner also saw some flashes from his team.
"Our inexperience is hurting us every week," said Weiner. "We have a young team that competes but is lacking rugby IQ to get positive results. I still believe playing tough schedule will make us better to get scores we want eventually."
