Just 33 seconds into the first quarter, senior Cooper Chororos blasted a shot past West Orange’s goalie, and in that moment, the fate of the game felt sealed. The Blue Devils, who earned the No. 2 seed in the state tournament, powered past the Mountaineers with an astounding 22-0 win.
Westfield managed to get 34 different players into the game, and a series of new faces kept the energy and momentum high throughout the match, preventing the Blue Devils from conceding a single goal.
At the half, the Blue Devils were up 18-0, and there was no coming back for West Orange. The second half culminated with four goals from the Blue Devils, three in the third quarter and one in the fourth. Goalies, freshman Harry O’Connor and senior Ryan Ricci, held the Mountaineers scoreless and came away with a clean sheet, each recording two saves.
Ricci, a backup goalie, hasn’t had many appearances this season, but he was excited to get minutes on the field in this matchup. He said, “It’s probably going to be the last time this year I play, and it was a great way to end my senior year.”
With 16 different scorers, Westfield’s offense proved to be a powerful force in this dominant win. However, the defense held down the fort and displayed a strong line that will be hard to get past in the next round of states.
Top scorers were senior Trevor Bridge, who had two goals on the day, and junior tri-captain Koby Waldman with a hat-trick. Sophomores Patrick Smith and Casey Gilford also had two goals apiece. Smith, junior Matthew Fisher and sophomore Brody Ferguson also helped propel the defense with a total of nine assists.
Freshmen Landon King, Jacob Damji and Timothy Carolan also made it onto the scoresheet with a goal each. Head coach William Wertheimer said, “It’s a special day when you get as many players [in] as we did. For some seniors, these are the last minutes of their career.”
While this game did not prove to be difficult for the Blue Devils, the competition that the future rounds hold will be a step up. The Blue Devils look to carry their momentum forward, knowing they are capable of winning a sectional championship.
Full of positive energy and strong momentum, the Blue Devils will take on Hunterdon Central on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kehler in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament.
