As the final seconds ticked down and the buzzer sounded, helmets and gloves flew through the air in celebration from the Westfield side. With a 7-3 victory over Governor Livingston, the Blue Devils captured their third straight Union County Championship.
The scoring started early for Westfield. Just a minute and a half into the first period, sophomore Colin McGeehan found the back of the net. Two quick goals from Westfield extended the lead to 3-0 after only 5 minutes had elapsed in the game. The Blue Devils never looked back, maintaining a lead throughout the game thanks to their dominant offensive performance. “Our motto the whole year has been to come out fast. Being able to score three goals in the first five minutes was huge for us. Coming out fast and putting those three in was the best thing that could have happened for us,” said senior tri-captain Andrew Lisnock.
Lisnock, who added three of Westfield’s seven goals himself, helped secure his third county championship on the varsity team. “At this point [a county championship] is the standard. It’s always a good feeling, no matter what, because of this atmosphere. It’s the best experience ever,” he added.
Going into the third period holding onto a 4-3 lead, Westfield was in need of insurance from their offense to put the game away. With 14 minutes remaining in the period, Lisnock netted his third of the night, completing the hat trick. Two more third-period goals from Westfield, recorded by senior Blake Wotanowski and junior Liam Reed, finished off the scoring for the Blue Devils.
Senior tri-captain Troy Conover saved 19 of Governor Livingston’s 22 shots. “Our third county championship in a row, and it couldn’t be more special. This is a special group, and it means a lot to represent our county like this, so I’m really proud of this team,” Conover said.
Winning on the biggest stage is nothing new for the Blue Devils. Coming off a state title just last season, Westfield’s experience and composure in big games are unmatched. “We have played in a lot of big games over the last couple of years. A lot of our new players haven’t experienced it yet. It builds character, and the experience gets them ready for the next one,” said head coach Joe Bertucci.
The Blue Devils look forward to their final three games of the regular season before postseason play begins, their next being against Livingston on Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m. away. They look to replicate their dominance from last year’s postseason, coming off their county championship.
