Trailing 14-7 early in the second quarter, the Ridgefield High football team was 36 inches away from a possible game-tying score.
Following a 67-yard pass completion from Owen Matthews to Gianni Gorham, the Tigers had a first and goal at the Staples one-yard line. But the Wreckers kept Ridgefield out of the end zone on three straight plays, and a missed field goal on fourth down left Staples ahead by seven points.
The Tigers got no closer.
Staples pushed its halftime lead to 28-10 and went on to beat Ridgefield, 35-17, on Friday evening at Tiger Hollow.