Thirteen rounds of penalty kicks. One kick separating the rivals. After battling through a full game and double overtime, Westfield boys soccer fell to Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 11-10, in one of the most intense matchups for WHS this year.
With a spot in the county semifinals on the line, the Blue Devils knew what was at stake going into the game. The Westfield and SPF rivalry has been competitive for years, and after losing to SPF earlier this season, Westfield knew they needed to come in with more motivation to come out on top.
Senior co-captain Reean Dias said, “It’s a county game so it’s win or go home and it’s against our rivals who have had our number the past couple of years. I think just keeping that in mind everyone pushed to the limits today.”
Each team battled to find the back of the net, Westfield being the only ones to succeed, yet junior William Yenawine’s goal was called back due to being offside. The crowd went wild, but the boys knew they needed to keep their composure.
Head coach, Eric Shaw, remained proud of his team despite the outcome, describing the performance as one of Westfield’s best matches of the season. However, the loss was difficult to take, especially after the team came so close to winning.
As the game went into double overtime and eventually penalty kicks, the pressure continued to build. With neither team able to secure a win during regular play or overtime, the outcome came down to the players stepping up to the penalty spot.
For senior Jack Hantman watching his teammates from a mix of emotions, he tried to stay composed while continuing to cheer them on.
“Watching my teammates take PKs was both exciting and stressful. All of us on the sideline were just trying to support the team and everyone who was taking the PKs,” Hantman said.
The shootout continued for 13 rounds, with both teams staying in the competition until SPF goalie saved Westfield’s final kick, securing them the 11-10 win. After fighting through the entire game and coming so close to advancing, the loss was a tough one for the Blue Devils to accept.
Despite the result, Westfield has plenty to take away from the matchup. Dias believed the team played one of its better games of the season but recognized that finishing scoring chances will be important moving forward.
“We have to be able to finish the chances we create and end the game before PKs,” Dias said.
With the state tournament ahead, Shaw emphasized that the team needs to move on from the loss and focus on what comes next.
“It’s gonna take a little bit to get over,” Shaw said. “But we got to get over it and move on to the states.”
Although the Blue Devils fell just short against their rivals, they will look to carry the fight and determination they showed into the rest of the season, as they await their next opponent.
