Being a captain of a WHS varsity sport is not just about the title. Chosen by teammates, and in some cases coaches, captains carry the responsibility of setting the tone in practice, encouraging the team through challenges and representing the sport with pride on and off the field. Each team has its own goals and obstacles, but every captain shares the same obligation to foster a positive team environment and a successful season.
Boys Cross-Country
The captains of the boys’ cross country team for the 2025 season are seniors Declan McGorty, Keegan Caherly, Brody Toriello and Christian Buonopane. All captains have been a part of the cross-country program for four years. Having only run one meet this season, the captains are excited to see where the season will take them.
Toriello said, “Last year was better, but this year we’re coming back.” Coming off a very strong season last year, there were concerns that they would not perform as well as they did. The captains have been able to encourage their teammates during practices to get the results they desire.
The captains understand that in order to perform on the track, they must become leaders and support the younger kids. They have worked to create a positive community to make sure that everyone enjoys running. “I want to teach all the new guys how to succeed in the sport, across all the courses,” said McGorty.
Cross country is a very individual sport, but that does not mean they are not part of a team. The captains play a crucial role in the energy and success of cross country. “I want to lead my teammates during practice so they can perform during the races,” said Buonopane.
For this upcoming season, the captains are looking forward to running with each other for one last year and seeing how the younger kids learn to grow and love the sport. Despite the slow start in the season, all captains are looking forward to seeing where they will end up. “I’m really excited to see this team grow and see how we will do this season,” said Caherly.
One specific event McGorty is looking forward to is the regional tournament. In preparation for regionals, the captains get to create their own uniforms. “We get to design it and then everyone gets to wear them,” said McGorty.
Toriello is more excited for nationals as it is an indoor and outdoor track event. The energy when going to nationals is always through the roof, and he cannot wait to head back there this year. “Going to nationals is always such a fun experience for me and the team,” Toriello said.
For their after high school careers, Toriello is looking to run Division I but has yet to decide where. As for McGorty, he also wants to run at the collegiate level but has not fully decided yet. If he doesn’t commit, he will continue to run track as a club or intramural sport. Caherly and Buonopane do not plan on continuing their track career as they enter college.
Boys Soccer
The captains of the boys’ varsity soccer team for the 2025 season are seniors Sam Judka and Alex Rokhsar, both of whom have been in the program for 4 years and on varsity for 3 of them. The two were teammates on JV their freshman year, and both got brought up to varsity the following year. They both started their journey at the Westfield Soccer Association when they were young and continued to play for the same club program, STA, on different teams during their last year of middle school.
They have both held the same position throughout their four years of play: Rokhsar as a center attacking midfielder and Judka as a striker. The team’s 4-3-3 record reflects their chemistry on and off the field. They participate in numerous team bonding exercises throughout the preseason to ensure they connect with one another. “One of the best moments has to be Golden Goal. We all stay up super late and just joke around and talk,” said Judka.
The beginning of the season bonding helps them play better once they get onto the field. It makes the boys want to be there because of the friendships that have formed. “The best parts are the hangouts, social aspect and becoming friends with kids from every single grade level,” said Rokhsar.
Judka and Rokhsar have made a large impact, not just because of their performance on the field but also because of the care they have for their teammates. Even if they are harsh and stern while playing during games, they prioritize supporting each other no matter what happens throughout the game or practice. “I want to make sure our team is always enjoying it. That’s probably the most important part,” said Rokhsar.
A game that these captains are looking forward to is the Scotch Plains game on Oct 7. The Raiders have been Westfield’s greatest rival for years, especially in soccer. Coming off last year’s loss against them in the sectional final of the state tournament, they are both set on beating them and regaining the title. “We’re very excited to have the opportunity to play them because we know we have the team and skills to beat them,” said Judka.
Neither Judka nor Rokhsar plan on playing collegiate soccer after high school, but they still love and adore the sport deeply. However, after playing soccer for many years, they wouldn’t give it up completely. They have both decided that they will continue to play on a club team or at the intramural level to keep the love of their sport alive.
Cheerleading
The captains of the varsity cheerleading team are seniors Valentina Ciucci, Autumn Harper and Lilah Jarecki. Harper and Jarecki have been a part of the varsity team since their freshman year, and Ciucci began her varsity career as a sophomore after her first year on the JV team. Prior to the high school program, all three girls had participated in the Police Athletic League cheerleading program; Ciucci stated that she had done cheer for nine years, Harper for eight and Jarecki for seven.
Regarding stunting, Ciucci and Harper are backspots, and Jarecki is a base. Going into their senior year, Jarecki said, “All the girls are super talented. This year, we have a bunch of tumblers, girls who can do many different tricks, backflips and backhandsprings. It’s just a very well-rounded team.”
All three captains hold the same morals highly, understanding the importance of community and sportsmanship. Ciucci said, “I want everyone to be happy and have a safe space where they feel like they can talk to whoever they want and be able to have a community outside of school, especially for the underclassmen. I want them to have a space where they can go to ask questions, and I want them to feel comfortable.”
When being a part of the WHS cheerleading team, being spirited and vibrant are aspects that are extremely important to being a blue devil cheerleader. “I think confidence is key, especially when being a cheerleader. We have to be loud and proud,” Harper explained.
On Oct. 4, the cheerleaders will have their senior day before the football game against Hillsborough. “I’m really excited for our senior day. We’re able to not only celebrate the cheerleading seniors, but also the band seniors and the football seniors, which is awesome,” Ciucci said. “I feel like, especially for cheerleading and the band, we don’t really get recognized as much as other sports. It’s a nice way to be able to recognize seniors as a beautiful goodbye.”
All three captains said that they would not be continuing their cheerleading career beyond high school. However, Jarecki remarked on her love for the sport and the environment: “All the home games at Kehler when everyone shows up are so much fun. I am so excited for the rest of the season.”
Field Hockey
The captains of the varsity field hockey team are seniors Riley Carr, Chloe Martin and Kayla Reyes. Carr began playing field hockey while she lived in South Africa, and after moving to Westfield during middle school, she has been on the varsity team since her freshman year. Martin and Reyes, both a part of the eighth-grade field hockey team, made varsity their sophomore year.
Carr and Reyes take the field on offense as forward and midfield, and left midfield, respectively. Martin plays center defense. The chemistry on the field is undeniable. Reyes said, “This year we’ve gotten a lot closer, and everybody’s getting along great. We do multiple psych parties, psych dinners, hangouts and brunches. It’s creating a bigger bond between us.”
As of Oct. 7, the Blue Devils were 5-7-1. “We’ve been playing really hard. Unfortunately, the results haven’t been showing how hard we’ve been working,” Carr explained. “We are going to continue to work hard, and hope our season will get better. Every single person on that field works extremely hard on and off the field.”
All three captains have made sure that their role as captain has left a positive mark on the team. Martin said, “I want to continue to encourage team bonding and having a good team dynamic because if you don’t have a good team dynamic, you can’t play together as a team.” Having a good team dynamic is crucial, and the Blue Devil field hockey team establishes just that.
Martin and Carr both agreed that their favorite moment of the season so far was their overtime win against Summit, a nail-biting yet exciting win. “That’s always a team we really work hard to beat,” Carr said. Martin added on, saying, “In the last couple of years, when we have had overtime games, we’ve definitely struggled a little to win. I think even in our preseason, we had a scrimmage where we won in overtime. I think that is definitely a huge confidence booster.”
While Martin and Reyes said they will not be playing field hockey at the collegiate level, they both said that they would be open to playing club in college. Carr, however, resided with the former option, and she will be continuing her field hockey career at Franklin and Marshall College, a Division III program.
Football
The captains of the varsity football team are seniors Connor Whelan and Jake Zemsky, both a part of the high school program since their freshman year; Zemsky began his varsity career during his sophomore season, and Whelan, due to an injury his sophomore year, started on varsity his junior year. Both captains participated in the Police Athletic League, Whelan for three years, and Zemsky for one.
Both captains are two-way players, participating on both offense and defense. Whelan and Zemsky both line up at defensive end, while on the offensive side, Whelan anchors the line at left tackle and Zemsky holds down left guard. Standing at six-foot-six and six feet tall, they provide size and strength to their respective positions.
As of Oct. 7, the Blue Devils were 2-4. “I think our chemistry is there,” said Zemsky. “We just need to put it out on the field.” Whelan agreed, adding how the “senior group is really tight, and that has leaked down to the underclassmen.”
Like many Blue Devil sports programs, team bond and camaraderie are a must. Not only is this necessary, but the mindset to support one another and stay focused during both practice and games is equally important for success; Zemsky noted the importance of these aspects, saying how he “would like to show everyone that you need to give 100 percent in every play, and how overall, hard work really does pay off and how a good offseason can really change you as a player.”
Whelan recalls one of his favorite moments of the season coming from their first game against Plainfield on Aug. 28. “Winning at Plainfield was really cool, an under-the-lights moment,” Whelan explained. “We got a trophy because it was a celebration game.” The historic Westfield-Plainfield Thanksgiving Day football game, a tradition since 1944, was played in August this year to not only reduce the risk of injuries but also assist with the new extended playoffs. The game is played in honor of Dr. Derrick Nelson, the former WHS principal who passed away in 2019.
While Zemsky noted that he will be continuing a college athletic career in wrestling rather than football, Whelan said that he plans on continuing his football career at whichever university he decides.
Girls Cross Country
The captains of the girls’ varsity cross country team are seniors Vanessa Larkin, Claire Sewald and Alice Schaefer, and junior Anna Youssef. Larkin, Schaefer and Youssef have been part of the program since their freshman year, with Sewald joining in her sophomore year.
With only two meets under their belt, the captains believe the start of the season has shown a lot of potential. Sewald said, “At our last meet, we placed fourth overall for varsity. For JV, we got first, which was really exciting. We achieved many personal bests, which is great for a new course, considering it was our first time running there.”
The captains know that one of the most important things when it comes to not only being a captain, but a captain of a running sport, is their energy and enthusiasm. Larkin said, “I just want to make sure everyone has a good time. Especially in a sport where you’re just running the entire time, it can get a bit exhausting, so it’s very important to make everyone want to be there and keep the team organized.”
Schaefer agreed: “Cross country doesn’t make any cuts, so everyone on the team has different goals, which I think makes the program really special. As a captain, I always try to make sure that the girls who aren’t trying to race varsity still feel special and have a good time.”
Youssef believes that being a captain is a very special honor, especially as a junior. “When I first joined as a freshman, the upperclassmen were so encouraging and welcoming, so I am super privileged to now give what I once experienced,” said Youssef.
One of Schaefer’s favorite memories from each year is the thrill of competing in the sectional races, when the JV girls paint themselves to cheer on the varsity team. Larkin is especially ready for their championship season. “Around that time, I think you get super close with the girls you run with, so that’s just going to be super fun,” said Larkin. “I love all of the psych stuff that we do, and it will definitely ramp up later in the season.”
Larkin, Schaefer and Youssef do not have any concrete plans to run at the collegiate level in the future. However, Larkin said, “The good thing about running is that it’s the one sport that you don’t need anybody else to do. You can always be a runner for your whole life.” Sewald, however, will be announcing her commitment for track and field soon.
Girls Soccer
The captains of the girls’ varsity soccer team are seniors Ashley Yenawine, Callie Schmidt and Olivia DiGregorio. All three captains have been a part of the varsity team since their freshman year. They all have played throughout their childhood, and soccer is a very large part of their lives.
Yenawine is a midfielder and a forward, Schmidt is a center back and DiGregorio plays on defense but is mainly a center back. Currently, Schmidt is out for the season due to an ACL injury over the summer. The starting lineup this year has changed many times because of the cycle of injuries that the team has experienced over the season.
Being on varsity for four years has positively affected how the captains have been able to connect with the team. Team chemistry is a very big part of the sport because of the trust on the field. “I know everyone on the team so well, so my goal is to communicate and to get the girls to trust each other,” said DiGregorio.
As of Oct 7, the Blue Devils were 9-0; their undefeated streak is a result of the team’s skill but also the support and guidance from their captains. “I want to make an impact on the team as a really positive leader and always be a source of comfort for everyone,” said Yenawine.
Yenawine, Schmidt and DiGregorio have all made a large impact on the team this year. The girls aim to create a safe environment for their team so that they can perform on the field. “I want to make sure everyone trusts me and feels comfortable talking to me,” said Schmidt.
One of the best moments the captains have shared is beating Scotch Plains earlier this season. As Westfield’s biggest rival, they have met Scotch Plains in every year they have been on varsity and, through double overtime, they were able to secure the win this season. This win reflected the hard work everyone has put into practice.
Digregorio and Schmidt are looking forward to continuing their team bonding and hanging out with the girls, while Yenawine is getting ready to use that trust on the field as they enter the county and state tournament.
All three captains will continue their athletic careers this upcoming fall. Yenawine will be playing D1 at the United States Air Force Academy, DiGregorio will be playing D3 at The University of Scranton, and Schmidt will be playing D3 at Colby College.
Girls Tennis
The captains of the varsity girls’ tennis team are seniors Abby Pisarra and Julia O’Brien, each participating in Westfield’s tennis program since their freshman year. Pisarra spent her freshman year on the JV team before moving up to the varsity level, while O’Brien spent two years on JV, then joined the varsity team for her junior and senior years.
Both O’Brien and Pisarra play second doubles, frequently partnered together in matches. These captains see a lot of potential in the team as the State Tournament encroaches, as they placed third in the County Tournament.
As of Oct. 7, the Blue Devils were 7-4. “We all show up to practice every day with that mindset that we’re going to give it our all. We do tons of drills where we stay focused on how we can improve our game,” said O’Brien.
As captains, both Pisarra and O’Brien have made it their mission to create a positive environment for their teammates. Pisarra said, “I want to be an uplifting leader for everyone and a good outlet for people to come to when they need help.”
Both captains’ abilities to bring the team together have strengthened overall team chemistry. With a roster that holds six seniors, Pisarra and O’Brien strive to make sure everyone feels supported, whether it’s on the courts in practice or cheering during a teammate’s match. “I want to have a winning team, which we strive for, but I also want to have a fun time and make it a place where everyone can enjoy going to practice,” said O’Brien.
One of the best moments from the season for both captains was their win against Oak Knoll. What made the game so exciting was that both first and third singles split sets, and both were determined by 10-point tiebreakers. Westfield ended up winning 3-2.
Both Pisarra and O’Brien do not have any plans to continue playing tennis at the collegiate or professional levels, yet they both aim to stay involved, whether that’s through club, intramural or as a fun, free-time activity. O’Brien told Hi’s Eye Sports about her love for the sport of pickleball and how she would love to continue that for fun in college.
Girls Volleyball
The captains of the varsity girls’ volleyball team are seniors Audrey Stack and Emelia Dengler, both have been members of the program for five years. They began their journeys on the eighth-grade volleyball team under the leadership of EIS physical education teacher Christine Cabrales. Dengler spent her first two high school years on the JV team before moving up to the varsity level, while Stack spent one year on the freshman team, her sophomore year on JV and then, along with Dengler, made her mark starting her junior year on varsity.
Dengler plays the position of setter, and Stack was a defensive specialist her junior year, now playing the role of right side. The starting lineup’s level of playing works together harmoniously to continue their winning record. “We have some ups and downs sometimes, but when we’re focused, confident and realize our potential, we’re really good,” said Dengler.
As of Oct. 7, the Blue Devils were 13-3. “Our team chemistry is really good this year,” said Stack. “We have eight seniors, and we all played on the same team together last year, so we have just been building off the foundation we made.”
Dengler and Stack have made a great impact on the team, not only due to their skills but also their ability to build bonds with not only their own team but also members of the freshman and JV teams. They both always have smiles on their faces on and off the court, making sure to build up the energy for everyone. “When we’re not playing, we’re watching JV. I make sure that I’m cheering super loud, not just for my psych sister, but for the whole team,” said Dengler. “When we get the chance to watch the freshmen play, we all get really excited for them.”
One event that the captains are especially excited about is the Pink Out game, the volleyball team’s annual game to raise funds for breast cancer patients and survivors. They partner with an organization called Pathways that donates to women in the area. “It’s such a big team bonding experience because it’s the first series of games where the varsity, JV and freshman teams can all watch each other play,” said Stack.
While both Stack and Dengler have no plans to play volleyball at the collegiate or professional levels, their love for the sport makes them unable to give it up. They both plan to find a way to continue playing, whether that’s at the club or intramural level in college.
Gymnastics
The captains of the varsity gymnastics team are seniors Chloe Stadlin and Mia Read, both of whom have been a part of the gymnastics program and on varsity for all four years of high school. Stadlin specializes in bars and floor, and Read both specialize in floor and beam.
As of Oct. 7, the Blue Devils were 2-3. “The team overall is doing well. All of the girls have a close bond, which makes the team work very well together,” said Read. “We’re still working on making our lineup perfect for our big upcoming meets, counties and sectionals.”
One important element for both captains when it comes to success is mindset. Stadlin said, “It’s better to maintain a positive attitude rather than focusing on performances and scores.” Stadlin also addressed the team’s recent loss to Scotch Plains, yet focused on the positive by saying that it was the highest the team had scored all season.
Read and Stadlin believe it is very important to form close relationships with those in their 16-member team. With nine members of the team being freshmen, they want to foster an open and safe space where they can come to them for advice. “It’s nice to be able to help them adjust to the high school environment and provide a community where people feel like they can thrive and enjoy the experience,” said Stadlin.
Both of the captains are looking forward to what the rest of the season has in store for them. With counties on the rise, they know that if they stay determined while having positive mindsets, success can come their way.
Read and Stadlin have no plans of continuing gymnastics at the collegiate or professional level. Stadlin said, “I’ve been doing it for my whole life at this point. Retiring is going to be really hard for me.”
