After a hard loss to Franklin 46-41 this past Thursday, the Blue Devils came back strong for the win against Cranford 55-30 to celebrate their seniors on Senior Day.
The celebrations for the seniors drew a huge crowd to celebrate all the hard work they have put in over the years and to bring the energy for the team’s much-needed win. Junior Mairin Fowler said, “We wanted to play for the seniors. We wanted to give them a win. This is our first senior day win in my basketball career, so it means a lot to me that we can show up for the people who keep us motivated every day.”
The Blue Devils took a quick lead, getting two layups in the first two minutes. Defense was strong, as the team stole the ball countless times, leading to breakaways and layups.
On the other side of the court, the offense is what took the team to another level in this game. The team played unselfishly, leading to 16 assists on 22 baskets. Senior tri-captain Darby Hubner said, “We shared the ball very well, playing for each other and moving the ball around continuously.”
Westfield kept their lead the entire game, ending the half 29-12. The cheers and energy from the crowd did not stop in the second half; they only grew. With posters from friends and families, to blow-up heads of the seniors on the team, the energy from the stands radiated onto the court and onto the bench. Head coach Liz McKeon said, “To be able to honor our current seniors and future Blue Devils on the same day brought some amazing energy. We love playing in front of a large crowd; we feed off the energy.”
In the third quarter, the Blue Devils only continued to play strongly. Senior tri-captain Megan Logan converts a free throw after a foul on her layup. The team didn’t stop here. Their offense only got stronger, and they managed to gain 13 more points at the end of the game.
For their upcoming games, Hubner said, “We want to just keep this momentum going, continue to share the ball and be a selfless team on the court.”
The Blue Devils will be back in action on Tuesday at 5:30 against Plainfield at Plainfield High School.
