Sounds of splashing water and cheering stands lit up the humid room. Westfield pulled ahead early and showed no mercy against sixth ranked, according to nj.com, Bergen Catholic, cementing themselves as the team-to-beat this season.
Westfield faced off against Bergen Catholic in their first ranked matchup of the season at home on Jan. 7. The Blue Devils gave the Crusaders some leeway to start out the meet, allowing them to take the 200 individual medley and the 100 m breaststroke, but the boys quickly put their foot down and surged ahead, taking every other event.
This big win over the Crusaders came with the help of senior and Duke University commit Owen Waibel, who broke his 100 freestyle record with a time of 45.88 seconds. “A lot of guys showed up today and had a great meet,” said Waibel. “This was a good opportunity for the freshman and they did great.”
This meet for the Blue Devils was all about assessing their position in the conference. “This was our first meet against a really good opponent,” Waibel said. “We were focused on figuring out where we’re at after the holiday break and getting used to the pressure and quickness of these meets.”
After an undefeated 2023-2024 season which resulted in the boys claiming the Group 4 Championship title for the second year in a row, this season the Blue Devils are held to a high standard. “We are trying to continue the dominance from last year,” said senior captain Michael Fisher. “We’re always looking for the number one seed and the state championship, and we have a chance to win some events at the meet of champions too.”
With their eyes set on their third consecutive championship, the Blue Devils have put an emphasis on team values. Throughout the meet, Westfield showed a clear sense of brotherhood and support for their teammates. “The only way people stay as motivated as they do is through the guys around them,” said Fisher. “Keeping the energy up, cheering during the races, putting in the work, it’s really what keeps us going.”
This big win is just a stepping stone for Westfield. Moving forward, the team hopes to continue their progress and keep the momentum. Head coach Jeffery Knight said, “The fight overall as a team made me really proud. I know that they are in the right mindset as we move into February.” Westfield will travel to Cranford Memorial Pool at 4 p.m. on Jan. 10.
