“Our biggest goal was simply to get better. This year, more than 50 percent of our team were freshmen, so teaching them the right mentality, the right work ethic and the right goals was something we were really focused on,” said head coach Steve Whittington.
With a strong group of swimmers having graduated, and recruiting 14 new freshmen to fill spots, “this was more of a rebuilding season,” said senior tri-captain Sophia Fussman. However, the Blue Devils still focused on “good team spirit” and strived for milestones, like winning the North 2, Group A Sectional tournament.
Exceeding many’s expectations, Westfield finished 9-5 this season, which culminated in a valiant effort against Bridgewater-Raritan in the sectional final. “[That was] our most competitive and exciting meet because it was our last meet of the season and it was a super close score. We really came together to finish the season out well and gave our best effort,” said senior tri-captain Brooke McAndrew.
Although the Blue Devils lost 88-82, their progress peaked, showing the discipline and growth of the young team. “We performed our best times of the year, but sometimes when you’re competing at that high level the meet is decided by the smallest of margins. The first relay we tied to the nearest hundredth of a second, and in the 200 free relay we got touched out by one second,” said Whittington.
In all three relays, Westfield secured a season best time: in the 200 medley relay, they tied for first with a time of one minute and 53.92 seconds; in the 200 freestyle relay, the Blue Devils placed first by over four seconds with a time of 1:42.14; and in the 400 freestyle relay, they came in a tight second with a time of 3:46.67.
At the beginning of the season, the Blue Devils opened with dominant wins in their first four meets over Union, Governor Livingston, Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Elizabeth. Besides tough losses from Immaculate Heart, Cranford, Summit and Trinity Hall, Westfield secured the second place trophy at the Union County Championship meet.
Their success in the pool was greatly credited to their strong relationship outside of the pool. “Our team chemistry was really good, even the freshman and seniors were all friends. I don’t know if we’ve had that in the past years where everyone was just really good friends, and it was really fun to have a team that you actually enjoy spending time with,” said Fussman.
McAndrew and sophomore Jane Kavanaugh were consistent producers the entire season. Out of McAndrew’s 15 total individual events, she finished first in 12. Similarly, Kavanaugh finished first in every single individual event she raced. Kavanaugh also stood out at the Meet of Champions with a sixth place finish in the 100 freestyle and a fifth place finish in the 200 freestyle, breaking the Westfield record with a time of 1:50.88.
With these two leading the way, the Blue Devils gained lessons that were far greater than simply winning. Next year, the team will have more challenges, but will face them together. “It’s going to be super exciting because all of those freshmen will now be sophomores. We will be taking another step in the same direction of where we left off this year,” said Whittington.
Kavanaugh agreed, explaining that “depth” is a key focus for the squad, “ensuring that our second and third swimmers are confident and get excited for races.” In accordance with the rebuilding that is yet to come, Kavanagugh said, “I’m excited to see how far we’ll go and hopefully do as well as we did this year, but it might be tough because we are losing the seniors.”
The class of 2025 has fostered a tight-knit team that will grow to excellence as their experience lengthens. The seniors have learned valuable lessons with their time in the Westfield girls swimming program, reflecting the culture and legacy that is expected each year.
“[This program] taught me how to be part of a team which I did not have a ton of experience with before. Ever since my freshman year, I have felt like the girls are my really good friends, my family. I love spending time with them. I love what they added to practice and every-day life. It’s such a valuable experience to my life and I’ll never forget it,” said McAndrew.
Not only between swimmers, but the coaches contribute to the cooperative community. “I’ll miss my coach, Steve Whittington. He’s really supportive and always gives me really good advice and I know he’ll carry on the team legacy next year,” said Fussman.
The Blue Devils showed incredible growth and teamwork, surpassing expectations despite being a young group. With strong leadership and a focus on unity, they are prepared for even greater success in the future.
