OCTOBER 25, 2015
BY ED MILLS
STAFF WRITER | THE RECORD
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CLIFTON – When the game was on the line Saturday, Will Woodfin delivered. It was a gambit by Woodfin, one of the best playmakers in North Jersey, that turned into the magical moment of a lifetime for the Hawthorne Christian boys soccer team.
The Callahan goal set up a big postgame celebration for Hawthorne Christian at Clifton School Stadium, as the Defenders claimed their initial Passaic crown in history in any sport – boys or girls.
“I just was praying that the ball would find me and I would be able to connect it into the back of the net,” said Callahan, a midfielder from Bergenfield. “I saw the ball coming, I ran onto it and after that I got enough on it to push it past the goaltender. We all kept the faith and this is a great, great team reward.”
Woodfin, a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior midfielder from Hawthorne, leads his team with 15 assists and also has 14 goals. The throw-in by the returning first-team All-County performer was run on to by senior midfielder Michael Kriesel, who dished it off to Callahan for the game-winner.
Second-seeded Hawthorne Christian (14-3) opened its doors in 1981 and became a member of the NJSIAA in 1997. Before that the Defenders played mostly against other smaller private schools (such as Timothy Christian and Parsippany Christian), then joined the BCSL Olympic Division. Now, the Defenders are members of the NJIC Patriot Division.
With only 150 students (65 boys, 85 girls), Hawthorne Christian is the smallest high school in Passaic County and one of the smallest in the state. The giant-slaying Defenders defeated Group 4 Passaic, 3-1, in the quarterfinals and then Group 3 Wayne Hills, 5-1, in the semifinals before the triumph over Group 3 Wayne Valley.
