Westfield’s season came to a close on Nov. 9 when they fell to Ridgewood 3-0 in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals. This concluded another memorable season for the Blue Devils.
Prior to the season’s start, the program was expected to be a force to be reckoned with. To no surprise, the Blue Devils delivered. Finishing with a 16-2 record and another Group 4 sectional championship, they continued to prove why they are one of the best teams in New Jersey.
The girls did an outstanding job on the defensive side of the ball, especially when it mattered. In the sectional tournament, they allowed zero goals throughout their four games. “[Our] defense was super solid this season. They knew their role and we played against some pretty skilled forwards that we were able to deal with,” said senior captain Kate Giglio. “I think the focus was there the entire season and we were able to keep shots and scoring opportunities against us to a minimum.”
Being a strong team on both sides of the ball was an asset to the team as they excelled offensively. With 54 goals from 14 different players, the Blue Devils were unstoppable. “We scored about 20 more goals this year than we did last year and a lot more people got on the stat sheet scoring goals or contributing assists,” said scoring leader and senior captain Ella Cadigan.
After changing their offensive strategy midway through the season, the girls found more success than ever. “Our offensive game changed from the beginning of the season a little bit. In the beginning our strength was attacking up the outsides and having our wingers get crosses in. As the season progressed, the center forward and midfielders started attacking through the middle of the field a lot more and found success doing that,” said Cadigan.
The team faced an unexpected moment of adversity during the season. A loss to Oak Knoll 1-0 in the Union County Tournament semifinals taught the team a valuable lesson. “You can’t be complacent, you also have to understand that there’s a lot of pressure to just keep winning. We also need to know that every team that plays us has nothing to lose, we’re the ones that have everything,” said coach Katherine Wertheimer.
As for the seniors, they end their high school careers with an impressive resume. For those who have played varsity soccer since their sophomore year, they were involved in a 52-game unbeaten streak, had a three year record of 52-2-5, and outscored their opponents 165-26 in that time. Winning three conference titles, two county titles, two sectional titles and one state championship, the seniors had no shortage of success in their high school careers.
An important aspect to any successful team, no matter the sport, is the chemistry of the group, which the Blue Devils certainly had plenty of. “The team chemistry was amazing this season, everyone clicked right away which I think reflected well on the field. The upperclassmen did a great job welcoming newcomers and making the season worthwhile. I think the chemistry on the field was there right away, the starting line up was similar to last season but the subs always kept the intensity the same,” Giglio said.
Going into next season, losing vital seniors such as La Salle University commit Ella Cadigan, Hamilton College commit Kate Giglio, Ursinus College commit Marisa O’Connell, forward Sofia Gesser and midfielder Rebecca Xiong, the Blue Devils will have big shoes to fill in the 2024-25 season.
“Our expectations for next year are the same team environment that we carried this year of dedication, hard work, discipline and accountability,” said junior Bucknell University commit Audra Toth. “Those traits that built the foundation of this year’s team were able to make us successful, so if we can maintain them going into next season the results will come along with it.”
