The Staples Wreckers football team defeated the West Hill Vikings 49-0 on Nov. 4. The Wreckers scored seven touchdowns  and stopped a West Hill touchdown just seconds from the end of the third quarter, denying West Hill a single point and granting the Wreckers their first washout of the season.

“I thought it was a really good game, and I’m proud of our defense getting the first shutout of the year,” Captain Tyler Clark ’23 said.

The Vikings were granted the first offensive play but were unable to move the ball within their allotted downs. The Wreckers were given possession, at which point they proceeded to score touchdowns until the quarter expired. In the following quarter, the Wreckers again scored a relentless series of touchdowns, three of which were scored by Clark.

“It’s just a great feeling,” Clark said on the topic of scoring a touchdown. “You’re really happy […] to be in the endzone and see all the hard work pay off. It’s a great feeling and there’s really no words for it.”

In the third quarter, Staples continued their domination, though in the final minutes of the quarter, West Hill broke through Staples’ defensive line and moved the ball into the red zone. The Wreckers were able to intercept the ball within yards of the endzone and bring the ball down five yards from the end zone with just three seconds left on the clock. Staples then proceeded to score a pair of touchdowns in the final quarter, bringing the score to 49-0; a shutout game, the first of the season.

“The kids played a very clean game,” Coach Adam Behrends said. “You never want to have any turnovers – the kids had one, but they responded really well, so it’s a testament to how they’re able to just flush it.”

The game was supplemented by a live performance by the Staples jazz band playing ensemble versions of songs by Queen, Deep Purple and The White Stripes. The Staples cheerleading team also provided a performance during halftime while the players were off the field.

The Wreckers’ football team is now holding a season win-loss record of 7-1 and will be playing away against the Ridgefield Tigers on Nov 11. Despite the game being a washout, some players were disappointed with the final score regardless.

“We didn’t play to our standards,” Toby Obinwanee ’23 said. “If we did, we could put 50 more points on that board.”