‘From the first practice to the last game, the girls never gave up’
West Milford. Head soccer coach Daniella Wagenti assesses how her team fared this season.
| 18 Nov 2021 | 11:57
The 2021 West Milford soccer team. Photo provided by Head Soccer Coach Daniella Wagenti.
Not just once in a while or whenever the mood struck them, but at every turn, the West Milford High School girls soccer program took full advantage of the opportunity to improve as individual student-athletes as well as a team in general on the pitch this past season.
The Highlanders faced tough competition on a continual basis in 2021, but they also got better and better with each challenge that they encountered on the field.
West Milford tallied five well-earned victories this year and Daniella Wagenti, the Highlander head coach, recalls some of the top moments from this fall:
A win in the first round of the counties
“The Pompton Lakes County (Tournament) game (on Oct. 5) stood out the most to me,’’ Wagenti said. “In this game we were tied the entire game and they were the higher seed than us. We were the ninth seed and Pompton Lakes was seeded eighth. Cassidy Clinton scored the only goal of the game from about 25 yards out to win 1-0 in the first round of counties.’’
Clinton was also among the players on the roster who demonstrated proper leadership on the field at all times for West Milford this year.
Team leaders
“Some of the athletes that emerged as leaders were Cassidy Clinton, Georgie Barrett and Madison Trout,’’ Wagenti said. “They showed their leadership on and off the field. Madison was our goalie who had 150 saves this year and Cassidy Clinton had 13 goals and three assists. Georgie Barrett helped me with all the behind the scenes things.’’
The Highlanders also advanced to the NJSIAA North 1 Group 2 Sectional Tournament as the No. 12 seed and they were defeated by fifth seeded Demarest on Nov. 2.
“These girls never ever gave up,’’ Wagenti said. “The entire season from the first practice to the last game, the girls never gave up in any game. They improved so much as a team on and off the field.’’
The entire Highlander squad is very much looking forward to the 2022 season.
“Some reasons why I have hope for next season is because we only graduate two seniors,’’ Wagenti said. “So we will have to fill their spots with girls who were eager to play this year.’’