On a cold November afternoon, Kehler was packed with Blue Devil fans, and the Westfield girls soccer team once again proved it remains one of the state’s most resilient programs. Despite battling weeks filled with sickness, a season with injuries and constantly changing lineups, the top-seeded Blue Devils defeated third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan 1-0 in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final, securing their third consecutive sectional championship and second straight year beating the Panthers by the same score.
Westfield set the tone right away with just shy of 30 minutes left in the first half. Junior Emilie Cadigan found space at the top right of the goal. She delivered exactly what the team had been planning all week, a high, far shot that found its way right to the back of the net.
“I knew I wanted to hit high,” Cadigan said. “That’s what we’ve been talking about going into this game, high on the keeper. I had a little bit of space, so I just took it. Scoring in a final means a lot, just helping this team like we’ve done all year and pulling through.”
From there, it was all about keeping the lead. Bridgewater applied constant pressure, firing off shots, earning free kicks, and challenging Westfield’s back line throughout the match. Senior goalkeeper Sofia Buoscio stepped up with several key saves, helping Westfield keep the clean sheet despite the pressure.
“We knew it was going to be the hardest, competitive game we’ve played,” Buoscio said. “My thought process was just to be there for my teammates and be somebody that they can fall back on.”
As a senior, the win meant even more to her. “It means I get to play one more game with my teammates. We want that state title, but getting three more practices and one more game, and a moment with every single girl on this team. That’s why I was playing.”
Head coach Alex Schmidt highlighted how meaningful this win felt given the team’s circumstances. “Last year we had zero injuries, the weather was beautiful, and the same starting lineup every game,” Schmidt said. “This year? I think 90 percent of the time we’ve had a different starting lineup. The weather has been all over the place, with injuries and sicknesses. This is truly special.”
Schmidt talked about the importance of not taking a final for granted and said that the team trusts every player on the field. Throughout the season, players have adapted to roles and in this game, they stuck to the plan, which was shooting high, defending together, delaying and deflecting shots and competing for every ball.
The crowd’s energy increased in the final minutes as the Blue Devils’ defense cleared out Bridgewater’s last chance corner kick, sealing another victory.
Battling adversity has strengthened this group throughout the whole season, and this victory proved why Westfield has been the team to beat so far in the tournament. The Blue Devils look ahead as they face off against Livingston next in the state semi-final.
