Westfield/Brocton’s Neil Huber is the 2024 Post-Journal/OBSERVER Coach of the Year. Photo courtesy of Amy Swanson

Every season, the goal for the Westfield/Brocton Wolverines boys soccer team is to win a league title and the sectional championship. With his group this year — and the outlook of the division and section — Head Coach Neil Huber knew the Wolverines had a good opportunity.

Then, through the first three games of the season, Westfield/Brocton recorded a win, a loss and a tie. The Wolverines shut out Fredonia 3-0, lost to eventual Section VI Class C finalist Randolph 2-0 and tied rival Maple Grove 4-4.

Westfield/Brocton trailed perennial Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division III champions Maple Grove by two goals with 10 minutes remaining and it looked like the Red Dragons would continue to reign supreme. But senior Carson Swanson scored twice in the final 10 minutes to complete his hat trick and tied the game, once from Anthony Gatto and Parker Gambino.

That rally did not result in a win that day, but the impacts were felt and the Wolverines went on to win their next three games, getting the best of Maple Grove in a nonleague game just a couple days later 4-1, qne then rolling Class AAA finalist Jamestown 8-2 and Class D finalist North Collins 6-1.

The Wolverines then tied Randolph 3-3 and followed up with another three-game win streak, defeating Chautauqua Lake 4-1, Jamestown 5-0 and Silver Creek/Forestville 6-0.

Westfield/Brocton soon found itself in the driver’s seat with a home game against Maple Grove with the opportunity to seize control of the league.

Things did not go according to plan for the Wolverines as they dropped that game to Maple Grove 4-1, now needing help and to finish perfect for a share of the league title.

The Wolverines did not give up hope or crumble, but instead finished the league schedule with a 3-0 win over North Collins, downed Chautauqua Lake 4-1 and shut out Silver Creek/Forestville 8-0. In doing their job, the Wolverines got the help they needed when Chautauqua Lake knocked off Maple Grove 1-0, delivering Westfield/Brocton a share of the league title.

Among those league victories, Westfield/Brocton faced its toughest test of the season in a nonleague match against Allegany-Limestone, losing 4-0 to the 12th-ranked team in Class C in New York.

Westfield/Brocton appeared to have learned a lot from that loss, finishing the regular season with shutout victories over the Black Knights and then Fredonia 3-0.

The Wolverines were just hitting their stride as the Section VI Class C playoffs began and they entered as the 6-seed with a road game against the CCAA Division II champion and 3-seeded Portville Panthers.

An early second-half goal from Swanson put the Wolverines ahead 2-1 and they held on for a spot in the Class C semifinals against No. 2 Allegany-Limestone.

In less than a month after being blanked by Allegany-Limestone 4-0, the Wolverines were headed back on the road in the playoffs against the No. 8 team in the state.

Westfield/Brocton was out to prove itself and the Wolverines jumped on the Gators, scoring the first two goals of the game, once from Tahner Stow in the 14th minute and then Braylon Swanson in the 49th, both assisted by Carson Swanson.

The Wolverines had Allegany-Limestone on its heels, but the Gators showed they were a team of destiny, rallying with three second-half goals to regain the lead and a narrow 3-2 win. That Gators team went on to win the section, then the Far West Regional and even managed to secure a spot in the state finals.

Allegany-Limestone came up short in the state final against Section I’s North Salem, but that run was almost cut short all the way back in the Section VI semifinals by a team that it had dominated earlier in the season.

Westfield/Brocton finished its season with a 12-4-2 record, improving as the year went on, scoring 66 goals while only giving up 27 and making 89 saves with six clean sheets.

There were 17 different players to register a point for the Wolverines with Carson Swanson leading the way, scoring 26 goals and collecting 19 assists, Danny Bratton scored eight goals and nine assists, Anthony Gatto scored eight goals and was credited with seven assists and Tristen Phillips scored six goals and dished out assists.

The Wolverines had several players recognized with Swanson receiving an All-WNY Small School selection and the CCAA Division III Player of the Year. Swanson, Anthony Gatto, Tristen Phillips and Zach Maguire were all named to the Division III First Team.

For all of these reasons Westfield/Brocton’s Neil Huber is the 2024 OBSERVER/Post-Journal Coach of the Year.