Fourth-quarter rally gives No. 7 Staples dramatic win over No. 6 Cheshire

WESTPORT - Noah Sandrew was delivered the football on a shovel pass with Staples 23 yards from the goal line and one clear thought ran through his head.

"It" happened to be the game-winning touchdown on a dramatic dive to the pylon with 5:39 remaining, when No.7-ranked Staples rallied for a 14-10 victory over No. 6 Cheshire in a wild Connecticut High School Football Alliance game Friday night in Westport.

The Rams (3-1) had built a 10-point lead by dominating the first half time of possession behind their run game and defense, but the Wreckers (4-0) turned the tables with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Sandrew said Staples' motto is "Gotta have it," and the rally epitomized that attitude.

"Those plays out there that the team was making, we have to have them to win," Sandrew said. "Throughout the whole second half, we knew what it took to win."

Sandrew and quarterback Grant Bozeman were the big guns in the Staples' offense, with Sandrew getting 99 total yards and eight receptions, and Bozeman passing for 173 yards, 134 in the second half and two touchdowns.

The Rams and Wreckers had only played twice in the past 40 years with with Cheshire winning both times, first a 28-21 OT win in the 2009 Class LL final and then a 42-14 victory during the 2021 regular season.

That's the history, but in the moment, the Wreckers managed to flip the game story after halftime.

In the second half, the defense held the Rams in check, ending three drives with punts and another with an interception by Finn Edwards. Cheshire threatened in the final minutes, moving the ball to the Wreckers' 41-yard line, but eventually turned the ball over on downs with 46 seconds to go.

"We made all the mistakes we could make (in the first half) but it was still a 10-0 game," Staples' senior Parker Toohey said. "We came out, we executed schematically and we just played violently and we got it done."

Cheshire had already won two close games this season, defeating West Haven by two and Glastonbury by one, but suffered its first loss this time.

"We executed (in the first half), we did some good things," Cheshire coach Don Drust said. "But you've got to come out in the second half and maintain it. You've got to play for 48 minutes, not 24."

The Rams' running attack was on point in the first half, with Michael Chopak, Noel Martinez and Oliver Donroe combining for more than 160 rushing yards.

Martinez scored the game's first points on a 30-yard run and kicker Tim Reinhard added a 44-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead at halftime.

Staples, which managed just 58 yards of offense in the first half, had a strong opening drive in the second half end with a missed field goal.

The Wreckers' next drive covered 71 yards and ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bozeman to Lucas Kuliga on the first play of the fourth quarter.

After the teams traded possessions, Staples took the lead on Sandrews' 23-yard touchdown on a dive.

The Wreckers defense did the rest and pitched a second-half shutout

"We showed it getting the ball and wearing them down over the game," Toohey said. "I think our identity has been our defense in the past couple of years. Last year, we weren't up to our standard so this year we worked hard in the weight room, we came back, and we're better than ever."

The junior receiver had a big night with eight receptions and 99 total yards while also scoring the game-winning touchdown on a dive into the end zone.

"Our guys care so deeply and they're so passionate about our program and each other and wanting to fight side-by-side. We knew (Cheshire) was trying to possess but we felt confident that over the course of the game, we were going to be able to hit our shots and cash in on some big opportunities." - Staples coach Matty Jacowleff

CHESHIRE 0 10 0 0 - 10 STAPLES 0 0 0 14 - 14 C-Noel Martinez 30 run (Tim Reinhard kick) C-Reinhard 44 field goal S-Lucas Kuliga 15 pass from Grant Bozeman (David How kick) S-Noah Sandrew 23 pass from Bozeman (How kick) Records: Cheshire 3-1, Staples 4-0