The West Essex girls Junior Varsity soccer team captured the Essex County Tournament title, the first in program history, by defeating rival Caldwell 2-1 on Oct. 28.
Seeded fifth out of eight teams, West Essex battled through a challenging bracket, upsetting multiple top-seeded teams along the way. The Knights defeated No. 3 Columbia during the regular season, No. 4 Verona in the quarterfinals, No. 1 Livingston in the semifinals and finally No. 2 Caldwell in the finals. Being led by a new coach, Isabella Vitella, the team came together nicely and took home the greatest victory. The team was also led by junior captains Caroline Campbell, Amanda Conway, Jasmine Cordero and Madison Spango.
“It feels amazing to make school history because all of the hard work and dedication I put into this season paid off in the end,” Spango said. “I wouldn’t want to win the championship with any other group of girls.”
The team’s offense was led by Spango, who tallied 10 goals and 6 assists, and Campbell, who added 10 goals and 1 assist. In the finals, Campbell had both goals in the Knights’ final win.
“It felt great to see the play our team had just learned work out both times, and the placement of my teammates’ corner kicks was perfect,” Campbell said. “My goals were just the result of great teamwork. Scoring both goals was exciting, but what made it even better was celebrating with everyone afterward.”
A small part of the success comes from the preparation and mindset of each athlete before heading into a game.
“I keep a good mindset by reminding myself why I play the sport,” Conway said. “I play because I love soccer and because so many of my best memories are with my friends on the field. In those tough times during games when we are losing, I try to remind myself that I only get to play with this group of people once.”
Under the guidance of Coach Bella, the Knights developed a strong bond with her that ultimately helped bring the team together.
“Our coach played such a vital role in our success this season,” Cordero said. “Without her, we wouldn’t have made it this far. She is coming off of many years of playing soccer and even playing in college, so she knew how to work with us and what ways to reach us.”
The team finished the season with an impressive record of 8-5-2, totalling 32 goals and five shutout games.
“I’m so proud of these girls for never settling or doubting their potential,” Coach Bella said. “They pushed themselves to new levels and showed what can happen when you truly believe. But what means even more is how they united everyone around them; they brought multiple communities together through their passion, teamwork and heart. That’s something way bigger than soccer.”
