As many spring seasons wrapped up mid-May, we want to take the opportunity to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of our senior captains who have left their marks on the WV athletic program.

Girls Golf

The reigning Passaic County champions of WV Girls Golf are led by senior captains Madeline Martin and Amanda Vogt. Martin reflects, “The most important lesson I have learned [as captain] is that putting your best effort forward will get you so far.” Vogt agrees that focusing on the positives is essential to the game of golf, adding, “Golf is always going to be a battle both physically and mentally, so just embrace the challenge of the day. Learn to trust yourself, learn to believe in yourself, and make every day count.” Both Martin and Vogt look fondly upon the four years they’ve spent together on the team, and anticipate the success of WV Girls Golf as the program continues to grow.

Martin will attend Clemson University in the fall, where she plans to play golf recreationally in addition to club tennis; Vogt will attend Penn State University, where she hopes to join an intramural golf team.

Other seniors on the team include Susan Machado, Katerina Rehberger, and Karina Yermachenkova.

Softball

WV Softball senior captains Tristan Morales and Gaby Perez both reflect on the most important lesson the sport has taught them: patience. Morales says that the most valuable piece of advice she has to pass on is simply, “Take a deep breath and play your game.” This wisdom enabled the team to beat rival Passaic Valley and advance to states this season for the first time since 2016. 

As she looks back on these memories with gratitude, Perez adds, “I will always know where my family and my home are, on and off the field.” Although both Perez and Morales will hang up their cleats in the fall when they attend Stockton University and the University of Vermont, respectively, their athletic careers have impacted the courses of their lives. For instance, Morales plans to study exercise science and work with other athletes. 

Morales and Perez lead the team alongside seniors Lindsay Kline and Maddie Petrillo, as well as junior captain Camryn Rosenberg. 

Girls Lacrosse

For Girls Lacrosse senior captain Kendall Ferguson, the 2022 season carried more weight than expected. “Being a captain taught me so much about patience and perseverance,” says Ferguson. “We had a tough schedule this year and lost a lot of people from the previous season, so my co-captain Vivian Testa and I really had to step up and set a good example for the rest of the team even when we were at our lowest points.” Ferguson, who will attend the University of Michigan in the fall, hopes to continue her lacrosse career on an intramural or club team.

Ferguson is joined on the field by senior co-captain Testa (read our spotlight on Testa here!) and seniors Jessica DiCristina and Jane Justin.

Flag Football

As the WV Flag Football team wraps up its inaugural season, it is led by seniors Sydney Betz, Emily Bolson, Erin Clark, Kendall Ferguson, Grace Martin, and Vivian Testa.

Boys Volleyball

The WV Boys Volleyball team is led by senior captain Ryan Kwon. Kwon, who will continue playing volleyball and fencing on club teams at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, reflects, “[The volleyball team] provided me with a brotherhood, and that camaraderie will stay with me forever.” His favorite memory from his senior season was when the team united to defeat crosstown rival Wayne Hills. “One of my favorite things a coach has ever said to me,” he continues, “is that volleyball is a sport where you are always looking up. If you’re always dwelling on the negative, then you’ll never grow as a player—so never look down and face your competition with everything you’ve got.”

Kwon is joined on the court by fellow seniors Chris Cordaro, Vivek Gundani, and Michael Matthews.

Boys Tennis

The WV Boys Tennis team is led by senior captain Yuvraj Gohil. Although Gohil joined the team later in his high school career, he quickly rose to success and clinched the highly coveted position of first singles. Even after sustaining an injury during a match this season, he remains undeterred; he plans to play club or even walk onto the varsity team at Northeastern University, where he will be spending the next four years. To the underclassmen on WV Boys Tennis team, he advises, “Even if you are the most talented guy out there, it’s how you play through your bad days that determines how mentally tough and adaptable you are, which I think are the most important qualities to have as a tennis player—and as a person in general.” 

Leading the team alongside Gohil is junior captain Raffi Madalian. 

Boys Golf

The WV Boys Golf team is led by seniors Joseph Swede and Nicholas Campana.

Baseball

The WV Boys Baseball team is led by seniors Sean DuBois, Drake Flower, Connor McNally, David Ritacco, Enrique Tejero, and Ryan Van Es.

Boys Lacrosse

The WV Boys Lacrosse team is led by senior captains Matt Cartegena, Collin Rovere, and Colyn Schmitz. Joining the captains on the field are seniors Nico Bianciella, Dominic Buonanato, Jack Miscia, Gibson Nichols, and Jaden Scharen.

Track

WV’s Spring Track team is led by seniors Erin Clark, Nino Funicello, Benjamin George, Allison Gorelik, Robert Lee, Mady McDermott, Ryan Pena, Marcus Soler, and Isabella Vazquez. 

McDermott in particular has been recognized for her athletic accomplishments, as she was recognized by the NJSIAA as Wayne Valley’s Scholar Athlete of the Year. Although her senior season has not ended yet, she has already broken the school record for pole vault with a height of 10’. She will be attending North Carolina State University in the fall, where she hopes to join a club team and continue vaulting!