The West Morris Wolfpack field hockey team wrapped up a very successful season with a 19-5-1 record. The team’s hard work during the preseason as well as the regular season landed the team a state ranking at number 18.
It all started in June with summer practices. The Wolfpack performed skill drills and conditioning to improve their skills and endurance in games. The field hockey team is one of the few teams at West Morris that holds summer practices at least 3 days a week for 3 months over the summer.
Their first game was on the road against Montville. The Wolfpack walked with a 3-0 win. Their next notable game was against Mount Olive. The Wolfpack left ¨the ship¨ with a 3-0 win against Mount Olive, a team that went 20-3 during their season with their only other losses being in a state game and against Madison (a team that West Morris also lost to during the regular season). The Pack ended their regular season before entering the county tournament with a victory over Morris Knolls, a solid 14-6-1 team.
The Pack was the number two seed going into the county tournament. did not have to play in the first round of counties and entered the tournament in the second round against Jefferson. The Pack shutout Jefferson 3-0.
The team played against Boonton for their next round in the country tournament, walking away with another victory 2-0. The Wolfpack faced Chatham in the county semifinal round. Although Chatham did not score any points against West Morris during the regular season, the Pack was only able to get one goal in this game earlier in the season. In the semifinal game against Chatham, the Pack was able to put 3 points up on the board resulting in a 3-2 game.
Unfortunately, the Wolfpack lost to Madison 2-1 in the Country Championship game.
The Pack then started to prepare for the NJSIAA State Tournament for North Jersey, Group 2. Montville faced the Pack in the first round of the state tournament. However, this was not the same Montville team that played the Pack in their first game. They made noticeable improvements on offense. Although this could have been the Pack´s first and last opponent of the season, they pushed through getting a 4-3 win.
The Pack then beat Hackettstown 2-1 in the quarterfinal round.
The semifinal round would be the Pack’s biggest challenge. They faced Rumson-Fair Haven, a state ranked team in the top 25 during the season. The Pack held on to their season with an overtime goal by Macy Sabo and assist by Lexi Buchanan. The road to the packs goal unfolded when a penalty corner was awarded to the Wolfpack. Buchanan shot the ball and Sabo watched the ball bounce off the goalie’s pads and into the air. “I knew I had to control the ball,” Sabo said. Sabo got possession of the ball. ¨I saw an opening once the goalie popped point and I slammed it in the back of the goal” says Sabo.
The head coach of the Wolfpack Field Hockey team, Coach Buchanan said “We had a lot of speed up front, so we really wanted to make sure that we hit the ball up the field”. The team also emphasized keeping senior forward for Rumson Fair Haven, Izzy Kaczor, out of the mix. Kaczor had 32 goals and 19 assists on the season so keeping her under wraps was vital to West Morris’ overtime win.
The Pack then advanced to the state finals. The Pack faced the nationally ranked West Essex team. West Essex was ranked number one in the state and fourth in the country. The final score was 3-0, a loss for the Pack.
Coach Buchanan is extremely proud of her team for sticking with a team that is nationally ranked 4th and performing well in both the country and state tournament. “Last season, we lost in the first round [of counties], so to be able to come back this season and beat three very strong teams is a great accomplishment for our team,” says Coach Buchanan.
In the winter season, the girls will be working with Coach Meyer, the strength coach for West Morris Central, in the weight room. Many of the girls will participate in winter leagues for field hockey as well. Coach Buchanan encourages players to take a break from field hockey and encourages them to play winter sports. “I want them to be able to play other sports without them having to be stressed about field hockey, of course.”
