On Nov. 14, the boys varsity soccer team wrapped up their season with a 0-1 loss against Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the State Sectional Finals.
Westfield finished 11-10-2, led by head coach Eric Shaw and senior co-captains Alex Rokhsar and Sam Judka. The Blue Devils were unable to take home any hardware this season, but that does not mean they didn’t have any success on the field.
Their first game of the season ended in a triumph over South Plainfield, with Westfield winning 3-0. The Blue Devils had a small hiccup in their third game against Madison, losing 1-0. However, this loss revealed that their season would follow a pattern: winning for a few games, then losing the next few with very close scores. In October, Westfield beat Elizabeth 4-2, then lost four consecutive games. However, they won the next three games afterwards.
“I wish our record were able to reflect our level of play this season, because some of our games were very winnable,” said Judka. “Some mental mistakes early prevented us from winning those easier games.”
Throughout the season, the players learnt from their mistakes in games and implemented those corrections in practice. Despite their record, during practice and games, there has been immense improvement in both the players and as a team. Shaw said, “As the season progressed, the boys became more connected, disciplined and confident in their roles.”
One standout from this season was senior goalie Simon Gunzberg. In his second year on varsity, he reached the 100 save threshold during the game on Sept. 30 against Summit, finishing with 148 career saves for the season and 85 on the year.
Following the result of last year’s season, it seemed that history repeated itself. In both the county and state finals, Westfield fell to SPF, and this year, they were unable to score goals in either game. The rivalry between these two teams has lasted for years and has greatly affected their gameplay.
After the county final loss, Westfield went into the state tournament with vigor. They then went on a 3-0 run to reach the State Sectional Final, where they ultimately lost 0-1. The Blue Devils knew when to peak and used the faults in the past to improve their game.
Even with many challenges throughout the season, the players adapted to a series of changes, such as new positions, and each individual had a huge role in the success of each goal, each save, each play and each win. Rokhsar said, “I think this act of resilience in the team is what I’m most proud of.”
Shaw complimented the team’s ability to work together and play soccer as a team rather than as individuals. He believed that the team’s chemistry was a big advantage to them during the season. “The boys genuinely enjoyed playing together, held each other accountable, and pushed each other to be better,” said Shaw. “That unity created a positive environment and directly improved our overall level of play.”
While Judka, Rokhsar and their fellow seniors will miss the wins and the biggest moments as a team, they will also miss the memories and the joy of playing as a unit. Rokhsar said, “I love this sport, and nothing is better than playing alongside your friends and celebrating all the good moments together.”
For next year’s season, the underclassmen know they will still be playing tough teams and cannot be complacent. According to junior Reean Dias, the biggest thing to work on for next year is to play with “the same heart” they played with for this season and to make sure that everyone on the team is “bought in to trying to win the county and state championships.”
