On Sunday, the Staples High School boys soccer team won the state championship.
It was the 13th in the program’s storied history — but the first since 2009.
That’s a heroic achievement.
But there is so much more to the story that makes the 2025 Wreckers our Unsung Heroes of the Week.
The 2025 Staples boys soccer team. (Photo/Melissa Garrity)
For more than 8 months — from late October through early July — the program was engulfed in chaos.
A town-wide controversy over the non-renewal of the contracts of head coach Russell Oost-Lievense, and equally popular freshman coach Chris O’Dell, threatened to upend 67 years of tradition, high standards and success.
For more than 8 months, the Staples boys soccer program had no leader.
No adult leader, that is.
Into the breach strode the rising seniors.
They were confused, hurt — and angry. They felt disrespected, unheard.
But instead of complaining, these teenagers acted like the adults in the room.
The 4 incoming captains — Gabe Duque, Gabe Hellmann, Drew Hill and Dylan Shackelford — took the reins.
Captains (from left): Gabe Hellmann, Drew Hill, Dylan Shackelford, Gabe Duque. (Photo/Melissa Garrity)
They made sure the off-season weight room program ran smoothly.
They coached themselves in the Norwalk summer league — and won it all, with an undefeated record.
They ran the in-town summer Watermelon Cup league for current players and alumni, all on their own. For decades past, that had been the head coach’s job.
They kept key players from leaving the program, to play instead for outside “academy” club teams. It would have been easy to abandon the coach-less Staples program, with an uncertain future. But no one did.
In an era when too few teenagers know how, or even want, to lead, the 4 captains did so with maturity, wisdom and strength.
They were not afraid to talk about Staples soccer’s values and expectations. They held their teammates accountable.
They kept the program intact.
Staples players — Norwalk Summer League champions — with the first of 3 medals they earned this year.
Just as crucially, the rest of the team bought into it all.
Other leaders emerged. Younger players followed.
When Liam Witham was named head coach in early July, he met with the captains. They were excited. They embraced him, and together they led the team forward.
And they did it without abandoning their support and admiration for the non-renewed coaches. It was a difficult balance. Yet these teenagers did it, with grace and aplomb.
The Wreckers had a storybook season. All the ingredients for success — talent, speed, physicality, high soccer IQs, passion, poise, chemistry and heart — were there.
Still, success was not a given. They had to earn it.
And earn it they did, with a convincing march through the regular season, and the FCIAC (league) and state tournaments. Winning double championships had been done only 7 times before, by Staples boys soccer teams.
State champs! (Photo/John Walker)
On Sunday — after their decisive 3-0 win over Greenwich — the players hugged and high-fived exuberantly.
They were celebrating their state championship, sure. But — without realizing it — they were celebrating too the joy of setting a goal, committing to it, and achieving it, with tons of hard work, the maturity to look forward instead of back, and the unwavering support of each other.
This week’s Unsung Heroes award goes to the 4 captains, and all their teammates, on the 2025 Staples boys soccer team.
But calling them “boys” does not do this squad justice.
Over the past year, they proved themselves to be men.
Staples High School soccer seniors. (Photo/Melissa Garrity)
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