By the nine minute mark in the second quarter, Staples lead 13 to 0

By the time we reached the six minute mark Trumbull put their first touchdown on the board.

With eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, The lead had evaporated and Trumbull had pulled within two And opting to run instead of a point after kick, tied the game at 20-20.

But everything changed again at 17 seconds left in the game, when on an interception by Staples Charlie Howard, he ran the ball back 70 yards and scored to take back to lead and win The Wreckers season opener.

With former Staples High School Head Football Coach Marce Petroccio back on the Wreckers’ field as Trumbull High School’s new head coach, the Wreckers new head coach Adam Behrends and his team took home the win for Westport after a late-in-the-quarter 27-20 win. With Friday Night Lights back for the community, the bleachers were full of spectators as the close game took place on the field - many just happy to be back after such a long time away from the local tradition.

The field, soon to be named Coach Paul Lane Field in memorial of the late Staples educator and coach, was electric as teammates enjoyed their first season back since the start of the pandemic lockdowns. Last year’s season was scrapped after the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) voted to cancel all contact football for the 2020-2021 school year. The call game just days away from first games for many players, making tonight’s game a victory for all players who weren’t able to compete last year against their rival schools.