The WE-JC Knights finished the season with a record of 10-11-1 while playing one of the toughest and most grueling schedules in high school hockey, with the team lined up against powerhouse teams on a weekly basis. The Knights were led in scoring from the line of Luca Infusino (West Essex ‘24) with 22 Goals and 24 Assists, as well as Connor Maniscalco (West Essex ‘25) and Patrick Devaney (Caldwell ‘25) with 12 Goals and 18 Assists each.

In the net, Goalie Evan Zieminski (Caldwell ‘25) led the team with 690 saves on 765 shots for a .902 goals against average. The team also received scoring from sophomores Silas Levy (6 goals, 2 Assists) and Alex Hriczov (2 goals, 8 assists) as well as major contributions from junior defenseman Jameson Oswald and Sam O’Hern. 

The team struggled early, after starting the season with a record of 2-5 the team found themselves on the Christmas Break failing to meet expectations and needing a regroup. The team then pushed their way out of the struggle with a four game winning streak beating Ramsey,  Passaic Tech, and Summit, as well as tying NJ.Com top 20 team Westfield. 

When the team finally thought they found their stride, they fell to teams Randolph and Gov. Livingston and were back to square one. They finished the last five gaves of the season 4-1, going into the prestigious McInnis Cup Playoffs lined up against Summit. 

Before the playoffs showdown, the team had beaten Summit once 6-2 and lost once 5-4. Unfortunately, the team could not find any success against Summit and fell 6-3. 

The team then had nearly two weeks to prepare for their first round game in the NJSIAA State Playoff Tournament against Ramsey-Indian Hills. These teams met earlier in the season and the Knights were victorious in a 4-1 effort. Following a week of preparation, the team was ready to go and came out on top with a 3-2 win, which led them into the second round lined up against Kinnelon-Jefferson-Sparta. KJS had a tremendous year and a fantastic season which led them to the #2 seed in the state tournament. The 2 vs 7 seed matchup ended in a 2-0 victory for Kinnelon-Jefferson-Sparta despite the Knights outshooting them 37-15. This marked the end of the 2023-2024 season. 

Looking forward to next season, rising seniors Sam O’Hern and Connor Manicalco shared their thoughts: 

“We didn’t end up with the results we wanted last season, but the foundation was laid for this upcoming year.  We are very excited to get started with the new group and get ready to work”-Sam O’Hern (Caldwell Class of 2025).

 “We were all disappointed with the finish to this season.  It’s our third season in a row with an early round state exit, but we have a very solid core group of seniors upcoming as well as a great group of juniors and underclassmen to fill roles. I think we’ll have a lot of success next season, and I’m excited to get started.-Connor Maniscalco (West Essex Class of 2025). 

Wrapping up, the team found success at certain points throughout the year, but overall, there are many improvements to be made. The team now embarks on a journey towards the 2025 High School Hockey State Championship.