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There’s never any love lost between Staples and New Canaan.
Two of the premier teams in the state of Connecticut and perennial state title contenders, the Wreckers and Rams have a habit of running into each other multiple times per season. There’s always a regular-season meeting, plus at least one rematch in either the FCIAC tournament or the state tournament. Staples won the state title in three of the past four years as the new powerhouse on the block. New Canaan’s got a longstanding tradition of winning, but the Rams haven’t won states since capping a three-peat in 2017.
It’s always a close game, too, with pleasantries and dinner recommendations cordially being exchanged during every play. This year, there was a bonus game scheduled between the two after Danbury shut down its season and the Rams and Wreckers needed another game. So the teams, both coached by an Eclipse director in Chip Buzzeo and Will Koshansky, respectively, opted for another regular-season battle.
Charlie Clark made sure to leave his mark on the latest installment of the rivalry. The Prime Time 2026 and Vermont signee cashed in on a pair of fourth-quarter goals to cap his hat trick to give Staples a 6-5 win over New Canaan on Thursday night.
“It’s tough, but we’ve got to stay composed and I think we did that offensively,” Clark said. “We had a lot of turnovers, but we were able to get the ball at the end of the game and just get the ball in my stick. I handled the pressure and put the ball in the net when I needed to.”
Back for More… Again?
New Canaan led, 5-4, midway through the fourth quarter before Clark collected a rebound and dropped it over Rams five-star junior goalie Jackson Crowell (Eclipse / Princeton) to knot the game up with 6:45 to play. Less than two minutes later, the lefty snapped home a righty shot. Senior Babson commit Eric Skolnick won the ensuing faceoff, allowing Staples to use the lack of a shot clock to its advantage and drain nearly four minutes on the clock. New Canaan eventually got the ball back on a caused turnover from junior defenseman Owen Robie (Eclipse), but the Rams couldn’t get a quality look before time expired.
“It’s awesome,” Clark said. “Going into games with Brunswick and St. Anthony’s, it’s like, ‘yeah, we want to beat those guys,’ but we see a tier 1 FCIAC team and we’re preparing for war every time. We know it’s not going to be easy and we know we’re going to see them again, so we just give them all we have.”
Offense was at a premium between two teams that know each other so well. Sophomore Grant Thiesinger (Eclipse) stopped eight shots to collect the win, while Crowell denied seven shots. Clark found a way to get on the board in three different ways, a nod to his versatility. He knotted the game up at 2 with his first of the day by working a matchup on the high wing, getting to the middle and uncorking a rocket past Crowell.
Another one of these matchups sounds awesome. Potentially two? Even better.
Staples vs. New Canaan Standouts
Andrew Hojnacki ’28, defense, New Canaan (Conn.) / Eclipse
Hojnacki’s been having a very good sophomore season and he kept that going Thursday. The 6-4 defender made his presence felt throughout the game. His best play might have been when he dropped a thunderous check to cause a turnover on the wing. Hojnacki also had an impressive knockdown, ground ball and clear in a man-down situation. Earlier in the game, he smoothly put the ball on the ground, and while the Rams didn’t scoop up the ground ball, it showed that Hojnacki is constantly capable of causing havoc.
Eric Skolnick ’26, faceoff midfield, Staples (Conn.) – Babson
Skolnick’s been one of the premier faceoff men in the state all year long. He continued to bolster his senior year résumé with an 11-for-15 performance at the stripe, including a 3-0 mark in the fourth quarter. Skolnick is much bigger than your average faceoff guy, and he was able to use his power to offset leverage disadvantage. He didn’t threaten to score a ton off the win, but Skolnick knows his game and knew how to counter when the Wreckers needed the ball the most.
“I was just trying to stay as scrappy as I could,” Skolnick said. “I knew that the ball was going to be on the ground here and there and I wasn’t going to be able to get them all clean, so I was willing to battle for it every time because I knew that my team needed it.”
Grant Thiesinger ’28, goalie, Staples (Conn.) / Eclipse
Eclipse director and Staples coach Will Koshansky has played multiple goalies this year, but Thiesinger very well could solidify his spot in the cage with more performances like Thursday’s. The sophomore made eight saves and was particularly excellent low. He used quick feet and good anticipation to get to shots. Thiesinger made a number of kick saves, perhaps none better than on Brady Mazabras on a set play to foil New Canaan’s comeback attempt. His personal favorite, though, was one he was still smiling about after the game despite still feeling it an hour later.
“Probably when Grey Wildman came down the alley and I got it with my thigh,” Thiesinger said. “It was hurting the whole game. It really helps me boost my confidence. When he scores, it’s just using the three-second rule to just knock those shots off. I like to have the goldfish mentality.”
Grey Wildman ’28, attack, New Canaan (Conn.) / Eclipse
Wildman is no stranger to being written up on this site, but he just happens to ball out every time I see him play. He pocketed a hat trick for the Rams and was dangerous every time he touched the ball. You can see the defense’s body language change every time he’s the one dodging. Wildman has been putting together a brilliant sophomore season and his ability to stress defenses from all over is something that sets him apart. He’s excellent above the cage. Wildman got the scoring started with a rip from the high wing and also buried one later from top center. His second goal came in transition in a man-down situation to knot the game at 3. He is one of the premier righty goal scorers in the class of 2028.
Staples vs. New Canaan Notes
- It’s hard to single out one player in particular from Staples’ standout defensive performance. Everyone played really well. Four-star Yale SSDM commit Max Hill (Eclipse) is rounding back into form after an early-season injury. You feel Colgate commit Nate Maurillo (Prime Time) out there on every possession, even if he’s not directly affecting the play. He’s in the middle of the field on the Staples 10-man ride and you notice him a lot.
- Wildman continued his ludicrous sophomore season with another hat trick. It’s rare to see a sophomore be in the running for the title of best player in the state, but Wildman has an excellent case. Have fun trying to stop the Eclipse 2028 offense this summer with him, five-star Hunter Hanford and other blue-chip prospects like Jake Gashi and David Giuriceo buzzing around.
- I hate to beat a dead horse but I’ll happily take another crack at this one. Shot clocks should be mandatory for high school lacrosse in every state at every level. I don’t care, find a way.