Playing the best teams week after week paid dividends for the Westfield High School boys lacrosse team this season. The Blue Devil boys faced seven teams that finished in the Top-10, beat five of them, captured the North Jersey, Group 4 crown, the Group 4 crown and competed in the Kirst Cup championship game to finish with a 16-6 record and a fifth ranking in the state.
After suffering a heartbreaking, 87, overtime loss to St. Augustine in the season opener, the Blue Devils picked themselves up and reeled off seven straight victories, which included 5-3 over Summit (finished 202, won NJ Group 2 and Group 2 crowns, Kirst Cup final and ranked No. 2), 10-9 over Seton Hall Prep (finished No. 6) and 9-7 over Delbarton (finished No. 8).After their seventh win (Scotch Plains-Fanwood – 13-5), the Blue Devils bowed 8-5 to Pingry (finished No. 4) and 11-9 to Ridgewood (finished No. 9).
The Union County Tournament was next and the second-seeded Blue Devils defeated the New Providence Pioneers, 13-10, in the semifinal round but fell to Summit, 6-5, for the title. A 16-9 loss to Don Bosco Prep followed. Don Bosco (17-3 – no losses were to New Jersey schools) would go on to gain the No. 1 ranking after winning the Bergen County and Non-PublicATournaments. The Blue Devils then beat the Ridge Red Devils, 10-8) in the regular-season finale.
The North Jersey, Group 4 Tournament was next and the Blue Devils eradicated Bergen Tech, 22-1, and followed with a 10-4 win over the Hillsborough Raiders. The semifinal was an all-out war but the Blue Devils skinned the Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers, 11-10, in overtime. The championship game against the Ridgewood Maroon was not much different and the Blue Devils prevailed, 10-9, in overtime.
In the Group 4 championship game, the Blue Devils made it look easy with a 17-10 humbling of Eastern. Next was the Kirst Cup and the Blue Devils stopped South Jersey Group 1, and Group 1 champs, Bernards, 13-8. Bernards finished ranked No. 7. One more step was needed but it turned out to be a step too far when the Blue Devils were halted, 7-5, by Summit for the Kirst Cup title.
This season the Blue Devils put forth a fantastic defensive squad that was spearheaded by senior/captain long stick middie (LSM) Mike Marshall, who led the team by scooping 81 ground balls (GB), while adding eight goals and two assists, and when needed he won 10 of 17 faceoffs. Marshall was named All-State (AS), All-Group 4 (G4) and Fitch/ Pitt (FP) First Team.
Marshall, a Cornell University commit, coordinated very well defensively with seniors LSM Jack Paris (captain, 29 GB, All-G4 & FP 2nd Team), Steve Csorba (47 GB, goals, 4 assists) and Josh Caramagno (59 GB, assist, 187 of 366 face-offs); juniors Drew Pravlik (28 GB, FP Honorable Mention) and Gavin Laconti (18 GB, 4 assists, 12 of 24 face-offs), and sophomore Ben Seward (46 GB, goal, assist).
Junior Colin Coyle, known for his wraparound curl goals and assists set up mainly from behind the opponents’ cage, netted 42 goals and led the team in assists with 55 and total points with 97, while scooping 30 ground balls. Coyle was selected All-G4 and FP First Team. Junior attacker Garrett Ferguson (All-G4 & FP 2nd team) led the team with 65 goals while adding 18 assists for 78 points and 33 GB.
Senior attacker/captain Cody Lam finished his remarkable career with 59 goals and 18 assists for 77 points, and 33 GB this season. Lam, a Princeton commit, finished his career with 173 goals and 49 assists for 222 points. Lam was selected AS, All-G4 & All-FP First Team. Junior Christian Gilford (FP 2nd team) finished with 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points and scooped 19 GB.
Junior midfielder Billy Gerne (All-G4 & FP 2nd team), who scored the overtime goal against Bridgewater-Raritan, finished with 17 goals and 12 assists for 19 points, and added 21 GB. Freshman Koby Waldman finished with six goals, 11 assists and 11 GB. Junior Luke Angelo recorded five goals, seven assists and eight GB. Senior captain Dan McGann finished with three goals, two assists and four GBs.
Junior Luke Gerne had two goals, two assists and four GB. Junior Farid Habayeb won 13 of 25 face-offs and had six GB. Junior Blake Rudow scored twice. Senior Sean Koenke scored twice and had a GB.Junior Brendan O’Connor (2 GB), sophomore Luke Spaide (14 GB), and freshman Kieran Gerne each scored once. Senior Luke Jordan had an assist.
Goalkeeper Corey Gilford (G4 3rd team, FP 1st team) finished with 155 saves, an assist and 26 GB. Senior TJ Pitta made 19 saves.
In the 5-3 win over Summit, Ferguson scored twice and Coyle had a goal and two assists. Against Seton Hall Prep, Lam struck gold four times, while Ferguson and Coyle each scored twice and dished out three assists. Lam notched a hat trick against Delbarton, Coyle had two goals and an assist, and Billy Gerne scored twice.
Ferguson flicked in four goals in the NJ Group 4 semifinal against Bridgewater-Raritan. Coyle had a goal and four assists. Gerne had two goals and two assists, including the winning goal. Lam scored twice. Coyle netted four goals and an assist in the sectional title game against Ridgewood. Gilford had two goals and two assists. Lam had two goals and an assist. In the turkey shoot over Eastern, Ferguson finished with seven goals and two assists. Lam had six goals, Gilford had three goals and an assist, and Coyle had six assists.
Lam scored seven goals in the Kirst Cup semi against Bernards. Coyle had three goals and two assists. Ferguson had two goals and an assist. Blue Devil Head Coach Boomer Wertheimer was named Fitch/Pitt Coach of the Year.
Next year, the Blue Devils will return a horde of eager and determined athletes that will be competing on a team that has a tradition of always raising the bar.
