By any measure, Devore’s run set a high bar.
That matters because this was not a short spike. It was sustained relevance. The report also notes that when Devore returned in 2015, the girls’ program was coming off several lean seasons. Within two years, it had reportedly gone 13-0-5, a sign that his rebuild was based on structure as much as momentum.
If West Orange wanted a complete outsider, it does not appear to have gone that route. O'Brien is reportedly arriving after time as an assistant with the school’s boys’ side, which recently won a Group 4 state title. He is also said to have worked on staffs at Westfield and coached at Brearley.
His background as a goalkeeper at high-school and Division I level is relevant. Keepers often come through the game with a strong view of shape, communication and game management. For a program replacing a successful long-term coach, that kind of organisational profile can be valuable.
This feels less like a reset and more like a handover. The challenge for O'Brien will be preserving the competitive edge Devore built while giving the team a voice of its own. At schools with strong recent history, players do not just inherit a jersey; they inherit expectation.
The next storyline to watch is simple: how quickly West Orange settles into the new era once the season begins, and whether the program can keep its place near the front of the county race.