Westfield Student Athletes Honored by Board of Education

The Westfield Board of Education honored 166 student athletes who earned state recognition for their achievements Thursday evening.

BOE President Rich Mattessich began the presentation by congratulating Westfield High School senior Lexi Borr, whose career record is "an astonishing 85 wins and 3 losses," Mattessich said.

In 2009, Borr was semi-finalist in the state singles tennis tournament. In 2010, she was a finalist and led the WHS girls tennis team to the school's first ever Tournament of Champions title.

Then in 2012, she held an unbeaten record and won the Tennis Singles State Tournament. Borr was named to the Star Ledger 1st Team All American and selected to the All American High School Tennis Team. Mattessich added that the district will be sorry to see her go. He also congratulated her coach Matt Varhley.

The Board then recognized Caroline Baldwin, a junior, for breaking several records in the pool this season. In this school year alone, Baldwin broke the school record in the 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle, and 100-backstroke. She won two events at the Meet of Champions, the 50-freestyle and 100-freestyle. She is the first dual winner in Westfield's history and first winner in over 30 years. 

Baldwin is also a member of the school record-breaking 200-freestyle and 400-freestyle relays. She qualified as an automatic All American in 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle, and 100-backstroke, and she qualified as an All American Consideration in 200 and 400 freestyle relays. 

Mattessich then presented each member of the girls swim team with a certificate after he reminded the public that they hold an unbeaten 17-0 record and earned the fourth consecutive the Public A State Championship.

"You totaled the second highest powerpoint total in state histroy and finished the season ranked number one overall in the State," said Mattessich, who then congratulated girls and boys swim team coaches: head coach Jeff Knight, and coaches Ashley Westra and Michael Schwebel. 

The boys swim team, also state champions, were honored next. The WHS boys team holds the most state championships in State history, Mattessich noted. 

"This year they earned the highest powerpoint total in school history," he continued. "With an overall record of 15-2, they finished their season ranked number two in the State and the top public school team in the State."

He then recognized each member individually before congratulating the boys cross country team. Out of 20 teams, the WHS boys cross country team earned the State Sectional Championship and was named Union County Champions. They finished second in the State Group 4 Championship, tenth at the State Meet of Champions, and finished the season ranked seventh in the state.

Mattessich also congratulated head coach Chris Tafelski and assistant coach Jeff Perrella. 

Tafelski then spoke and said it is the work the boys put in behind the scenes--on hot summer days and chilly fall mornings--that has made their success possible. He noted that the team, with 85 members, ran over 60,000 miles between June and November.