As senior Darby Hubner sinks a 3-pointer right before halftime, the Ramapo Raiders have yet to score in the second quarter, while the Blue Devils manage their biggest lead yet. Remembering and playing for Morgan’s Message, on Jan. 24, Westfield fought all the way to ultimate success, defeating the Raiders 51-40.
Despite trailing behind the Raiders heading into the second quarter, the Blue Devils used a dominant defensive stretch to swing momentum in Westfield’s favor, limiting Ramapo to just two points in the entire second quarter.
Head coach Liz McKeon emphasized the importance of staying composed after the early deficit. “I told them to keep fighting, one possession at a time. They weathered the storm and powered through. We were focused on shutting down their top players, and I thought we did a great job defensively and frustrated them as a team,” McKeon said.
The Blue Devils’ intense defensive efforts translated into their offensive success, anchored by strong ball movement and off-ball cuts. Senior Sophie Lane credited her teammates for keeping the offense flowing, helping her to score 17 points.
“We were moving the ball really well and finding open cuts. I was getting great passes from my teammates, and that helped us stay in rhythm,” Lane said.
Lane also promoted the offensive rhythm with 8 rebounds, alongside senior Megan Logan, who had 7 rebounds and 11 points overall.
The game also carried added significance as Westfield played in support of Morgan’s Message, a mental health awareness initiative for student-athletes. The non-profit is dedicated to destigmatizing mental health amongst athletes and promoting honest and supported conversations for athletes struggling with their mental health. Junior Mairin Fowler and sophomore team manager Kayla-Rose Redding organized the event, relaying a strong message to their fellow student athletes.
Fowler highlighted the importance of the event and what it meant to the team. “Mental health is really important to all of us,” Fowler said. “Student-athletes face a lot of pressure, and bringing awareness to that is an important step.”
Playing for Morgan’s Message allowed the team to bring awareness to their own mental health and promoted peer support amongst WHS athletics, also enforcing the reminder that they are playing these games for fun and to create a supportive, loving community.
Following this inspiring win, the Blue Devils are back in action on Thursday to face rivals, Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 5:30 p.m at SPFHS. Defeating the Ramapo allows the Blue Devils to have that confidence boost they need to fight SPF, but they will need to prioritize the energy they had during the second part of this game.
