Connecticut players star for USA at Fall Classic

Eight Connecticut high school lacrosse players were part of the USA Select U-16 and U-18 lacrosse teams which swept the competition at USA Lacrosse’s Fall Classic in Maryland this weekend.

That group included seven girls players, five of whom are part of the Connecticut Grizzlies program, which is run by Lisa Lindley, head coach at Darien High.

The U-18 girls roster included New Canaan’s Kaleigh Harden, Darien’s Ceci Stein and Ellie Traggio of Hotchkiss at midfield, along with Ludlowe’s Kennedy Carr in goal. Harden and

Stein also play for the Grizzlies and Carr is in the Nor’Easter Lacrosse program.

The U-16 girls lacrosse roster featured three more Grizzlies: Taft’s Truus van Wees on attack, and Darien’s Ryan Hapgood at midfield and Kate Demark on defense.

The U-18 boys team included Aidan Aitken, a midfielder at the Salisbury School.

All four USA Select teams swept four games — two each against Ontario and the Haudenosaunee — to claim the Brogdon Cup championship.

Dave Stewart / Hearst Connecticut Media Darien’s Ryan Hapgood, left, and Cheshire’s Taryn Ugrin battle for a groundball in June.