Just because a team finishes a season with no trophies does not make the season a failure, especially in the competitive realm of high school sports. For the Blue Devils, a 14-12 record was nothing to scoff at.
Westfield had one of the hardest conference schedules in the state, as they had to face off against top teams such as Elizabeth and Union Catholic. Despite this, Westfield faced adversity well throughout the season, pulling off a tremendous win against Hillsborough 46-31 in late January, as well as winning five straight near the end of the season to win 6 of their final 8 games.
However, Franklin ended the Blue Devils season in the first round of states. “We had a rough start to the season, but instead of letting that define our season, I think the guys really faced the adversity head on, and we really turned it around. I’m really proud of the team,” said senior Shane Sheehan.
Likewise, head coach Jim McKeon said that although the team did not accomplish all of their goals, “a winning record’s always a good thing, especially in Union County. As an overall picture, I think we got better from day one to the last day.”
The future is bright for Westfield, as with only two seniors on the squad this year, standouts such as juniors Tyshawn Pearson, Zach Epp and Enzo Ferrero will return for their final season next year. “We have a lot of players coming back. I think we’re going to be pretty good next year, and you never know who’s coming up, a sophomore or freshman,” Pearson said.
Overall, Pearson had 221 points, 95 rebounds, 55 steals and 84 assists, according to nj.com, and Ferrero notched 221 points while leading the team in 3-pointers with 38 made. Epp had 209 points and 90 rebounds. Even with the exceptional performances of the juniors, Sheehan was certainly the star on offense, as he tallied 336 points and 176 rebounds on the season.
McKeon noted that the best part of the season was their win over North Brunswick, where the team scored 70 points in the first half. That win was part of a five game win streak that included victories over tough competition such as Union.
This season was also successful in that it established young stars for the devils. Sophomore Jake Russell had 116 points and 51 assists. He was also one of the Devils’ most productive defenders, tallying 34 steals. Sophomore Max MacEacheron made the second most three pointers on the team with 28, and sophomore Connor Whelan was a force in the paint with 52 points, 47 rebounds and 9 blocks.
McKeon said that the amount of returners will be nice, but “we have to get better as a team to compete with teams in our conference. So, we’ll continue to work in the offseason, and it’s on the guys that have experience to lead the way going into next year.”
