Jules Cicero in action during preseason. Cicero and the Wreckers begin the season Saturday at Cheshire -Photo Andy Hutchison
By Andy Hutchison
WESTPORT–Year in and year out, Staples baseball is competitive in the always-tough FCIAC as well as in the state. This spring should be no different, although the Wreckers have some work to do as they look to get back to the conference title game for the first time since winning it all in 2019.
The Wreckers won the FCIAC West title in 2023. They are always in the mix in the state playoffs and coming off a second-round exit in last year’s Class LL State Tournament, Staples has hopes for a deeper run in the bracket. Staples is not far removed from back-to-back Class LL runner-up finishes (2023-24).
“We have strong senior leadership — high expectations,” Coach Jack McFarland said.
Captains to lead the way are infielder Jules Cicero, outfielder Vince Vega, third baseman Mark Kelly, first baseman/ pitcher Connor Brill and outfielder/ pitcher Mason Tobias.
Other key players back in the fold include pitcher / center fielder Cole Landgraf, catcher Paul Dottori and pitcher/ designated hitter Bruce Schlegelmilch.
McFarland was pleased to get in a handful of preseason scrimmages in around rain drops and after all of that late-winter snow that Mother Nature cleared out with time to spare.
Now it is onto the games that count. The Wreckers go out of conference and on the road to take on Cheshire Saturday at 1 p.m. The first home game is against FCIAC foe Greenwich Tuesday, April 7 at 4 p.m.
Wreckers begin the regular season Saturday at Cheshire and will have their first home game Tuesday when Greenwich comes into town.
Andy Hutchison
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.