GIRLS LACROSSE PREVIEW: ARE FRANKLIN, WESTWOOD AGAIN ON COLLISION COURSE?
The landscape of girls lacrosse is going to look very different this spring. For starters, there will be a full slate of games and a wide range of opponents for all teams, unlike in 2020 when the entire season was wiped out, and 2021 when the season was short and opponents were limited.
Beyond that, there will be new power rankings that will determine who makes the state tournament, and an increase from two to four girls lacrosse divisions in 2022.
In Div. 1, the reigning state champions Westwood are gearing up to defend their title and are in great shape to do so, with 12 returning players including seven seniors.
Captains Kate Deehan and Lindsey Diomede are expected to provide plenty of offense, while defenders Kendall Blomquist and Libby Dorsky will highlight the backfield, along with junior Riley Harrington in net.
Franklin, who lost to Westwood 6-5 in least year’s state title bout, are not discouraged by the loss. In fact, the experience in last year’s tournament has them feeling confident heading into this season.
“Our team goal is definitely to go back to the state championship game and win it this time,” said Franklin head coach
Kristin Igoe. “Our team is really hungry for that.”
The Panthers are led by senior captains Kenzie Baker, Anna Grasso, Jackie O’Neil, Kate O’Rourke and Stella Regan.
Chelmsford, the reigning Div. 1 North champions, despite losing some talent from last year’s team, are confident heading into the 2022 season.
Said Lions head coach Ashley Rokas:
“This group of girls is awesome and have been playing together for years. They are pumped to show everyone Chelmsford is still a power house.”
Div. 2 North champs Newburyport feel they can compete with a young roster, and will look to four seniors, captains Audrey Cooper and Emily Fuller, along with Elle Turgeon and Sydney Turner,
to help carry the younger squad.
Lincoln-Sudbury will have eight seniors on the squad this season, including midfielder Nicola Donlan and netminder Sofia Trevino, who coach Kaillie Kelley says are catalysts for the competitive mentality they’re looking for.
Concord-Carlisle are bringing back 10 returning seniors from last year’s East Div. 1 runner up team, while Bishop Feehan, backboned by Kiera Cronin in goal, are aiming to surpass their appearance in the East Div. 1 semifinal.
Caroline Whelan and Natalie Griffin will make Walpole a factor every day.
In a competitive Division 2, Notre Dame Academy of Hingham is looking to come back strong after losing to the eventual champs Westwood in the Div. 1 South final. Hannah Evan, Kelsey O’Brien, Amy Stevenson, Isabela Taylor and Raegan White are five seniors that will lead the way for the Cougars.
Masconomet were Div. 1 North runners up last season, and have loaded their schedule with tough opponents to test themselves ahead of this year’s tournament. The Chieftains will be led by captains Liza Brockelman, Jolie Dalton and Taylor Bovardi. Holliston will look to make improve after getting to the East Div. 2 sectional semifinal last year, further than the program had ever gone in the tournament. Part of that core will be 17 returning players, including senior captain Abby Glenn, who is three goals away from 100 on her career.
Bedford were runners up in the East Div. 2 section in 2021, are led by Allie Zorn, a Tufts commit, who is coming into her senior season with over 200 career goals and 200 career assists.
In Div. 3, Norwell graduated 12 players from last year’s Div. 2 sectional championship team, but the leadership of returning players Anna Kirshner, Mikaela Johnson, Jane Smith and Tia Cantor and the prospect of new talent has them excited to start a new season. The Clippers will have to deal with the likes of Bromfield in Div. 3 this season, who were Div. 2 state runners up last season. Dover-Sherborn will look to dominate Division 4 after winning last year’s Div. 2 state title, but teams like Manchester-Essex, who were finalists in Div. 2 North, and Sandwich, who were Div. 2 South semifinalists last season, will look to stake their claim of the newly formed division.