Rousing calls to keep the game in their control echoed from the Westfield huddle across the sidelines midway through the second half. Dark clouds creeped into Gary Kehler stadium, suffocating the field’s light until all that was left to see was the score board, beaming the bright numbers the Blue Devils wanted to see: 1-0.
Though cheers of victory from the spectators filled the stands in the end, Westfield did not take this win with gratitude.
“I’m happy we got the win, but with the expectations from last season, our performance was unacceptable,” said senior captain Zach Preucil.
Coming into the first game with a 4-0 win against Eastside then a 0-2 loss to Pingry in their preseason scrimmages, Westfield knew they had to bounce back. Cranford should not have been a hard team to beat in the mind of the Blue Devils, but their execution contradicted this.
The game started as a back and forth battle in the midfield. Midway into the first half, captain David Savransky lined up to take a corner and booted the ball into play. Placing it high, senior forward Ben Nematadzira headed the ball into the net, past the goalkeeper’s grasp.
The sideline roared. The team celebrated. The long anticipated first goal of the season was one to remember.
Following the goal, the rest of the game remained stagnant, with the ball not often leaving the midfield. Despite a few nail biting shots on both ends, the defenses would not let up. Goalkeeper Luke Tennant and defender Patrick Cadigan, both seniors, did not let a single goal past, standing strong throughout the game.
The Blue Devils tended to have a hard time keeping possession throughout the game, specifically troubled with “knowing when to pass and when to dribble,” said coach Eric Shaw. However, Shaw claims that these are “easy things to try to help fix for now.”
“We still pulled out a win though,” said Nematadzira. And at the end of the day, the Blue Devils will start their season 1-0 while the Cougars will trudge home with nothing.
The Blue Devils will face Long Branch away on Saturday at 10 a.m. for their next game, hoping to show off their true potential.
