“Our seniors reinforced this year’s motto, ‘not too high, not too low,’ which was the idea to always stay level headed, whether we were up by eight goals or down by eight goals. They assured us that maintaining a level headspace would lead us to success through maintaining composure and humility,” said junior Troy Conover. Clearly this motto was effective in driving this year’s Westfield hockey team toward success, as they single-handedly hold the most historically victorious season in program history.
The Blue Devils won every possible championship and tournament this season with only four losses overall. They ended the season with the program’s first ever State Championship Title in history, along with winning the Sectional Championship, McInnis Cup tournament and league, and Union County Conference Tournament.
The Blue Devils began the season with fifteen returning players, eight of which being incoming seniors, and six new players were added. Each and every player on this roster was valuable in their season’s ultimate success, as their overall success is credited to their depth as a unit. Head coach Joe Bertucci said, “We were as talented and deep as ever. We were able to play four lines and six defense in any situation, which is very uncommon as a public school. To be able to play all 21 players throughout the entire game the entire season was crucial.”
The team was led by senior captains Jack Conrod, Aidan Wilson, Jackson Chicola and Austen Halleran. Shortly into the season, Conrod, as the head captain, suffered a wrist injury and had to watch his team from the sideline for 11 games. Conrod said, “I was still able to help them by trying to keep everyone motivated, but it was really hard not to be able to be on the ice competing with my teammates.” Conrod’s presence on the ice was missed but his leadership off the ice was equally as valued.
Wilson and Chicola ended as Westfield’s top two point leaders, Chicola with 61 points and Wilson with 51. They worked flawlessly together on the same attacking line and were an unstoppable duo that defensemen across the state dreaded facing. Junior defenseman Nick Benson said, “They’re able to find gaps in the defense that other players can’t see and deliver scoring opportunities to each other.”
Westfield started their season strong with five straight wins, however they hit a slight rut at the end of December over winter break. They suffered two back-to-back losses to Livingston and Governor Livingston however, they quickly bounced back when the new year came around and started feeling themselves again. Bertucci said, “You are going to lose games throughout the season. It is how you rebound from those games that matters most. Our boys understood that every team was playing us their hardest. For us to win when it mattered, we had to get better every time we stepped on the ice.”
They followed these losses with eight wins in a row, scoring high and earning three shutouts. Conover, along with a strong defense, is largely credited for these shutouts as Conover stepped into a crucial role for the Blue Devils this season. With Conover becoming Westfield’s starting goalkeeper after not much experience in the previous year, he felt a certain amount of pressure to perform consistently and earn trust from his teammates. He said, “There was definitely a lot of pressure not only to carry on the legacy that Raber left but also the entire legacy of the Westfield Hockey program. The program will always have high expectations in all positions so that put a lot of pressure on me.”
Throughout the season, Conover explained that his pre-game routines allowed him to calm his nerves and became less necessary as the season went on. “If I compared my overall confidence levels from the very first game of the season to our final game, it would be a drastic increase,” he said. Conover finished the season with an impressive saving average of 92%.
In the middle of January, they competed in the Union County Conference tournament moving past the first few rounds with ease. The county finals might be credited as one of the most exciting games of the season, as the Blue Devils were given an opportunity to get revenge on Governor Livingston. Westfield came back from being down 2-5 in the third period to eventually winning 6-5 in overtime. Wilson had a hat trick this game and ultimately put away the overtime goal. Wilson said, “Scoring a hatrick in overtime of the county final was something straight out of a dream. I couldn’t have pictured a better game and ending if I tried.”
Their only other two losses came from top ranked Northern Highlands, right after this county title, and St. Joseph right before the state tournament started. Playing this high-level team before the state tournament was important to prepare them for tough competition, however the Blue Devils were unfazed by the first rounds of the state tournament regardless.
It was evident through Westfield’s game play and score gaps that they were peaking at the perfect time in the season, breezing through every round of the state tournament and ending the state tournament outscoring their five opponents 32-8. Benson said, “We had a lot of confidence in each other and built a lot of momentum leading up to the final game. Energy was at an all time high and all 10 of our seniors were motivated to give it their all.”
This trend seemed to be the Blue Devils’ story throughout the whole season, as they outscored their three opponents in the McInnis Cup tournament 23-5 as well. There were tell-tale signs throughout their performances all season long that hinted at this team making history for the program. Bertucci said the reasoning for this consistent success was because “we were able to wear teams down. The second half of games, teams would be gassed while we would be fresh. We were able to capitalize on other teams’ holes. Teams could not take a shift off against us.”
Many players on the team explained the environment of the state championship game as electric. The team had been fighting to make it to the Prudential Center for years, as they had lost the past nine years in a row during the semi-final round. They had been just one step away for almost a decade. Conrod said, “Playing in front of the whole school and on the Prudential Center ice is something you dream of for your whole life as a hockey player. It also meant so much more because it was something we’ve never had the opportunity to do before. It was awesome having that first time be my senior year.”
Wilson said, “Winning the state championship game which was my last ever game in a Westfield jersey in front of the entire town is a memory I will never forget. There’s no better way it could’ve happened.” Conrod also said, “That’s something no one can take away from an athlete.”
This 2024-2025 season will continue to remain historic as years pass, and although they will miss their ten seniors this year, the Blue Devils have a strong squad coming back next year as well. With a remaining experienced goalkeeper, top goal scorers and solid defenders returning, the Blue Devils have a chance at high success again in the following season.
Junior Andrew Lisnock was the third highest point scorer behind Wilson and Chicola, and this pressure will continue to fall on his shoulders as he plays a larger leadership role next year. Lisnock said, “I’m looking to bring the same chemistry that this team had into next year because it was definitely a big factor in why we accomplished so much. Everyone wanted it and everyone bought in and that was the difference this year. It’s obviously upsetting leaving these senior guys but I am super confident and excited to bring our experience and talent into next year as well.”
Conover explained his high expectations as he said, “With a lot of strong and experienced underclassmen returning, I think the program will have another year of success next season.”
