Gov. Livingston Field Hockey Honored by Berkeley Heights Council

The Governor Livingston High School girls varsity field hockey team was honored Tuesday night, Oct. 20, when Mayor Angie Devanney and the Township Council presented a proclamation celebrating the Highlanders’ Essex Union Blue Division championship. Union County Life is summarizing the proclamation, which Devanney read at the start of the council’s meeting.

The Highlanders clinched the title with a 3 to 0 shutout of Newark Academy and finished 5 to 1 in division play. The proclamation describes the championship as only the second division title in program history. The team finished with a winning overall record one year after a difficult season. Along the way, the Highlanders won four straight division games by one goal, two of them in overtime, including their first win over Westfield in 12 years and a win over previously unbeaten Columbia.

Senior captains Avery Ha and Clare Fay drew special mention. The proclamation says they are the only two players in program history to win two division titles, first as freshmen and again this fall as seniors.

Head coach Jackie Wells, who played in the program before coaching it, described last season as one of the most difficult in the team’s history. “Last season was one of the most difficult and challenging seasons we’ve experienced as a program,” she said. “We faced adversity, struggled to find consistency and had to learn some tough lessons along the way.” She said the players came back organized, prepared, and “hungry to compete.”

The Highlanders opened the season with a 1 to 0 loss to Mount Saint Dominic Academy. They then turned the season around in a string of tight division games. Against Westfield, junior Leah Ronga broke a scoreless tie in the fourth quarter, assisted by freshman Sofia Salerno and sophomore Ella Cozic. Against Cranford, junior captain Meredith Fettes scored with 4.4 seconds left in overtime off an offensive corner, assisted by Cozic.

In the win over Columbia, Fettes scored in the second quarter on a Cozic assist, and Ha added a goal in the third quarter for a 2 to 1 win. Wells said of that game, “That win changed everything.” Against Millburn, Ha opened the scoring in the first quarter, and Ronga scored 1 minute, 27 seconds into overtime for a 3 to 2 win.

Wells thanked the mayor and council, assistant coach Tracey Wahlers, GL Principal Meg Berry, Athletic Director C.J. Hendricks, assistant to the athletic director Ashley Reedy, and athletic trainer Todd Hirsch. She also singled out team parents May Chen, Jenny Fay, Alicia Fettes, Carol Tombros, and Felicia McElroy. Hendricks praised the players for running clinics and a summer camp and for welcoming younger players from the local PAL program.

Each player was then called forward to receive her own proclamation. Players recognized were seniors Clare Fay and Avery Ha; juniors Madelaina Bauer, Jingwen Bi, Chloe Constantinescu, Leah Dasti, Meredith Fettes, Emma Mulroy, Olivia Radano, and Leah Ronga; sophomores Ella Cozic, Analise Javier, Megan Knuth, Dessa Tombros, and Reese Zichichi; and freshmen Emma Alarva and Sofia Salerno.

Find more Berkeley Heights sports and local news at unioncountylife.com.

FAQ

Why did Berkeley Heights honor the field hockey team?
The Township Council presented a proclamation celebrating the team’s Essex Union Blue Division championship, only the second division title in program history.

What was the clinching game?
The Highlanders won 3 to 0 over Newark Academy to clinch the division title.

Who were the senior captains?
Avery Ha and Clare Fay, who the proclamation says are the only two players in program history to win two division titles.

Who is the head coach?
Jackie Wells, who played in the program before coaching it.