Boys Ice Hockey: After losing several key players due to injury and transfers last season, boys ice hockey returned on Nov. 6 with a core group of seniors and a renewed sense of spirit. Senior captain Matt Rittendale remains confident that the team will finally conquer Summit in the Union County finals after being defeated by them for the last three years.

“Overall, last season was a success. Although we didn’t achieve our goal of winning counties, we did gain a lot. The most important thing last year gave us was experience. We had a lot of young and inexperienced players last year who now return with a better understanding of what high school hockey is all about.  This experience will make a world of difference as these players progress into this season.”

-Matt Rittendale ‘18

Girls Ice Hockey: Despite the majority of girls ice hockey players not having any hockey experience prior to last year, the team finished strong in its first-ever season, with a number of ties and wins in their last several games. Though the season began on Nov. 6, senior captain Ally Hornstein hopes to continue improving their performance on the ice so that this season will pick up where last year left off.

“I’m excited for this upcoming season. I’m looking forward to just being with our team, making memories and cherishing my last year of youth hockey with them. Our goals for this season are pretty consistent with last year: Spread girls hockey in Westfield, have fun and give our best effort.”

-Ally Hornstein ‘18

Boys Winter Track: Since August, senior boys winter track captain Rob Brown has been counting down the days to the winter season. According to Brown, the boys look to return to the indoor track stronger than ever, using their determination and success from this past cross country season to carry them through the upcoming one. The team hopes to repeat the success from last year’s 4×800 relay.

“Our team isn’t like a family, we are a family. Sometimes we may be annoyed with each other, but I love every single one of those boys on the team. They make me smile when I’m having the worst day. I’ve met all of my best friends from this team and I always thank my mom for forcing me to join this team my freshman year.”

-Robert Brown ‘18

Girls Winter Track: After conquering yet another grueling season of running in the cold, the winter track girls are back and ready to make this a successful season. Senior captain Tani Horton looks to lead this year’s team to major victories at the New York City Armory starting on Nov. 27. Despite the cold weather, Horton is confident the team will make the most of this upcoming season following the success of the cross country team this past fall.

“This season, I really hope the team can work hard and still enjoy themselves. Being surrounded by such a positive and amazing group of girls gets you through the fact that you’re running in the freezing cold and at track meets that take up the entirety of our Saturdays. I’m so proud to lead a team with such positive attitudes no matter how late and cold it is.”

-Tani Horton ‘18

Boys Swimming: While the boys swimming team came up a tad short of claiming the state championship at the end of the last season due to a loss to Bridgewater-Raritan in the sectional final, they remain optimistic as they continue to be one of the top teams in the state. Senior captain Colin Daniel aims to end this season undefeated, adding that countless hours of hard work and dedication in the pool will lead to the team’s title as state champions.

“It’ll definitely be tougher this year because we lost a huge senior class with key contributors to our success. In years past, we’ve had the same obstacle but have overcome it, so I’m confident that we can have a very successful season once again.”

-Colin Daniel ‘18

Girls Swimming: According to girls swimming senior co-captain Emma Conlon, the team has its eyes on the prize this season. Along with co-captains Muriel Maloney and Grace Cash, Conlon intends to make this season longer than the last one. After welcoming Coach Steven Whittington to the team last season, the girls aim to dominate the pool starting with their first meet against Bridgewater on Dec. 1.

“What makes our team so special is the amount of time we spend together. You can really see this bond during meets—you’ll never see someone not cheering. No matter what, we’re always on the side of the pool cheering each other on. It’s a really great atmosphere.”

-Emma Conlon ‘18