WHS Field Hockey Kicks Off Season Today

First-year head coach Caitlin MacDonald is bringing the kind of spirit to the program that could make an immediate impact.

MacDonald, also the school’s varsity softball coach, takes over for Molly Dennis, who stepped down from the position. MacDonald, a Westfield High graduate, welcomed 70 youngsters for tryouts. She said varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams will carry 17 players each. MacDonald, who was an assistant last year, said the turnout was better than it had been in recent years

“This is the first year we had to make cuts in quite awhile,‘’ she said. “Soccer is enormously popular here and the natural athletes tend to go that way. Field hockey isn’t offered until the eighth grade.‘’

A 2002 Westfield High graduate, MacDonald is working to turn around a team that finished 5-9-3 last year.

“Something happened between 2002 and now, we never had a losing season before,’’ MacDonald said. “We just haven’t been able to put it together. I think what happened was that everybody around us got better and we stayed the same. I think kids in other teams have been playing the game more.’’

MacDonald referred to schools like Arthur L. Johnson of Clark, which went 20-4 last year, qualifying for the Union County Tournament title game for the fifth straight year. Oak Knoll won its fifth straight county title.

“We need to step it up because the teams in Union County, Oak Knoll, A.L. Johnson and Cranford, they’re really good teams and we‘re playing all of them,’’ she said. The Blue Devils return junior keeper Hannah Purdy—who had five shutouts—junior left wing Natalie Materek and senior defender Sara Nelson. Nelson will be the leader of a defense that will be inexperienced, MacDonald said.

“Our goalie is by far the best player on our team,‘’ the coach said. “She was outstanding last year. Some games where we lost 2-0 could have easily have been 8-0 if it hadn’t been for Hannah.‘’

Reinforcements are on the way.

Last year’s 14-1 freshman team resulted in the maturation of sophomore middie Kelly Gray, sophomore forward Meg Anderson and sophomore forward Ali Spera.

“We’re looking to them to step up,’’ MacDonald said. “They’re going to have to quickly settle in at the varsity level. We’re hoping they can set a tone for us. They had a very successful season as freshman and we want to continue it.’’

Among the graduated were forwards Julia Conroy (who had nine goals last year) and Amanda Lojo.

“We need to improve our stick work,’’ MacDonald said. “We’re practicing on grass and most of our games are played on turf, but we have to deal with it. We’re working out our dodges, working on keeping possession instead of just whacking at it and running after it.’’

MacDonald is assisted by Lauren Durante. The junior varsity coach is Melissa Czerwinski and the freshmen are coached by Corrinne Kelly. The season opens at home Friday afternoon against Union at 3:45 p.m.