Highlanders tie for third in division

Here’s is a look back at the recent seasons of the West Milford High School boys and girls lacrosse teams.

Boys lacrosse

The Highlanders finished with an overall record of 8-13 and a 3-3 mark in the Pooley Division of the New Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse League (NJILL). That was good for a three-way tie for third place in the division with Lenape Valley and Kittatinny.

“I feel like we had a couple of big wins, beating Wayne Valley in overtime (9-8 on May 1), beating Tenafly (7-6 on May 12) on their Senior Night and, of course, our semifinal win over Wayne Hills in the counties (7-6 on May 7),’’ head coach Gary Stoll said.

“Those wins stand out because we showed just how good we can be when we play as a team.”

He called seniors Jake Kelshaw, Vincent D’Andrea and Maxwell Gorny “outstanding leaders for us this season both on and off the field.”

“I feel like our entire team improved over the course of the season and our defense, led by our goalie, really took off in the second half of the season.’’

The Highlanders played in the championship round of the Passaic County Tournament, losing, 10-8, to Wayne Valley on May 10.

As the No. 14 seed, they lost to third-seed Sparta, 9-3, in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Group 2 tournament May 28.

“Our entire defense returns next season, and we had a lot of freshman and sophomores get valuable varsity time this season,’’ Stoll said.

Girls lacrosse

While they posted only one win during the season, the Highlanders gained valuable experience.

The losses to Wayne Hills, Ramsey, St. Elizabeth’s and Lakeland were memorable games, said head coach Harry Shortway.

“Although the Highlanders were down by many goals, the girls never gave up through the pouring rain that these competitions occurred in.

“Our 1-15 record doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t reflect the grit the team showed in every game, especially in those final minutes when the score was out of reach but they never stopped fighting - even in the rain.

“It doesn’t capture the leadership our captains displayed or the character each of our players brought to the field and to one another.’’

The future looks bright for the team, he said.

“For three years, we chased and won championships. This year, we were tested in new ways. And though the scoreboard didn’t favor us, their resilience, effort and unity never wavered. That’s what defines our future.’’