From an outsider’s perspective, a team that entered the Passaic County Tournament winless in divisional play and facing one of the tournament’s biggest threats–West Milford–seemed to have no shot. This was the place the Wayne Valley Boys Lacrosse team was in: a controversial 1 seed that would be swiftly eliminated. However, an insider perspective showed something different. “We had no doubts at all,” said head coach Thomas Pellegrino. “We knew we were gonna pick it up towards the end of the season. It just took a little bit of time.” Although entering the county tournament with a record of 2-8, Wayne Valley was still passionate about its goal of winning the Passaic County Championship. “The guys were dialing in,” said Max Prekel. Prekel has been a key to Wayne Valley’s success as a long-stick midfielder and hit the outstanding 100 ground balls milestone this past season. He is receiving several Division 3 offers as he approaches his senior season. “Everything was going right. Our energy, our vibe, it was exactly how we wanted it to be.” 

After securing a bye, Wayne Valley went straight to the quarterfinals and faced off against Eastern Christian High School, then DePaul Catholic High School in the semifinals. The two games saw Wayne Valley’s offense heat up, as they scored a whopping 36 goals while the defense stayed firm and solid and only allowed 8 goals. “The two previous games really boosted our energy and gave us the confidence to go into the finals and win,” said Prekel. The momentum of the quarterfinal and semifinal games transferred tremendously to the championship game where Wayne Valley faced off against West Milford. After taking a 4-2 lead in the first quarter, Wayne Valley stood firm and held its lead for the whole game, winning 10-8. From the defensive side of the game, junior goaltender Dylan Belot held his ground in the net, saving 14 of the 22 shots he faced. Possession was dominantly secured with faceoff specialists: senior Alex Perez and sophomore Rocco Destefano won 70% of faceoffs. On the offensive side of the ball, Brayden Rude helped Wayne Valley cruise past West Milford with his commanding 5 goals. When asked about the team’s performance, Prekel remarked, “It shows that when the pressure is truly on and a championship is on the line that Valley will show up!”

The organization’s success over the past three years has been nothing short of hard work and determination. After all, not many organizations can claim they have won three consecutive county championships! However, the motivation and pressure to win a fourth consecutive county championship now looms around the team. “We just have to start making this a tradition now. That’s kind of the standard every year now,” Pellegrino claims. “The kids have to do extra stuff on their own. Keep their lacrosse stick in their hand during the summer, keep playing, keep working out, stay in shape, and continue what we have.” The weight of expectations has only motivated Wayne Valley to continue to strive for excellence. With their legacy now in the making, the team understands that maintaining their performance, energy, and work ethic is imperative to their culture and success.