In the final 4.7 seconds of a Union County Conference matchup, junior Mairin Fowler steps up to the foul line. The score is 46-43, and after an intense game defined by grit, Westfield has the chance to pull away with the win. Fowler misses the first shot, but swishes the second, leaving Plainfield with seconds left to make a three. They fail to do so, and the Blue Devils come out victorious, beating the Cardinals 47-43.
This win, which made Westfield’s record 11-3, brought both team and individual accomplishments. Going into the game, Fowler, point guard for the Blue Devils, needed only six more assists to reach a major milestone in her playing career. Her last assist of the game brought her to 200 career assists and 62 for the 2025-26 season.
Fowler attested that the most important factor leading to her career record was her teammates. “We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the years. I really just play for them, and we’re just playing to have another day, to practice together and to be able to play for each other,” said Fowler. “It’s really important to me. I’m just really happy I could accomplish this with our seniors.”
Westfield’s first matchup against Plainfield this season also left the Blue Devils victorious, by a margin of 12 points. Therefore, they had experience against the Cardinals, and went into their second contest with a positive mindset.
Despite their history, it proved to be a tight competition. The score remained close for the entirety of the game, especially in the first half. Senior tri-captain Megan Logan said, “We were letting them rush us, we were letting them make their shots and we weren’t really getting back on defense.” However, Logan praised her team for the intensity they brought in the end, stating that “everyone gave 100 percent effort.”
The Blue Devils showed grit throughout the game, and despite the struggles they occasionally had with getting past the Plainfield defense, they stayed together as a united front defined by resilience. While the team showed overall strength, the players remained strong independently to support their teammates and demonstrate their best individual effort.
Fowler said, “I made sure to focus on my preparation. I had to concentrate on getting the win and keeping my composure, which is definitely the most important part. In practice, shooting free throws and similar drills are for moments like that.”
This level of dedication is one of the elements head coach Liz McKeon preaches to her players. She made sure to highlight that each player on the court showed heart, hustle and guts. “Plainfield is a good team, but we withstood everything that was thrown at us, whether it was the calls or it was our shots not falling,” said McKeon.
Westfield plans to use this strong win as motivation going into the rest of the season. “Since it was a close game, we need to use it as a way to grow, a way to learn, look back on film and just push through the next game,” said Logan. Senior Darby Hubner agreed, “It’s always great to get a county win, so it’s super exciting that we’re now 2-0 against Plainfield. We’re just going to keep this up in our next game and keep moving forward.”
The Blue Devils look to continue their success and come out with another win in their upcoming game against Roselle Catholic at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
