Severna Park, Spalding expected to dominate
So where does Broadneck girls lacrosse go now?
For three years, its starting midfield trio starred in the Bruins’ three-year conquest of Class 4A, crowding the plaque case at the school.
But now, they’re gone. The defense has tasked its leadership to Susanna Moore. The scoring, for now, is up to those played supporting cast in the past and are faced with the level-up.
Athletic midfielder Lily Trout, for instance, will be expected to lead a unit that longtime coach Katy Kelley said is “filled with skill, grit and purpose” and will “continue right where it left off.” The attack will be spearheaded by Olivia Orso, an Ohio State commit who tied for a team high with 41 goals last spring.
“Each year the Broadneck lacrosse team strives to build off of prior leadership, sound fundamentals and a culture built around selfless team play,” Kelley said. “This is our intention for the 2024 season.”
Severna Park, meanwhile, said goodbye to six seniors from its Class 3A state and county championship team, including the team’s all-time assists leader.
But you couldn’t dare say the Falcons were depleted when the 2023 player of the Year, Alyssa Gore-Chung, is at the charge.
Coach Annie Houghton is far from a fool when it comes to knowing how competitive the season will be, but she knows what she’s got.
“And when faced with setbacks, they must remain resilient,” the coach said. “If we lose a game, they must learn from that loss and bounce back stronger.”
That must be something the Falcons keep in mind April 19 when they face Archbishop Spalding.
The Cavaliers’ promising 2023 season snapped off abruptly in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference quarterfinals, but that’s just history now, considering what they return.
Already considered one of the best teams in America, ranked seventh in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason rankings, the Cavaliers are loaded with speed and skill — even if there is some new talent stepping into a few holes.
“Lots of strong scoring options should give this Spalding team added looks offensively,” coach Tara Shea said, “[and] defensively, returning four starters from last year should be a huge help in creating extra opportunities to score.”
Back on the public side of things, one of the steps along Severna Park’s path last playoffs was Chesapeake, but no longer. The Cougars have been reclassified to 2A.
Without the Falcons to await them, Chesapeake may just be on the doorstep of its most prosperous season in years.
“Our program is returning a strong group of last year’s varsity starters, [though] we are a young team with a lot of talent throughout the field,” Hines said. “With an established team culture heading into year two we are looking to make a strong run through playoffs.”
As a private school, Annapolis Area Christian School is switching conferences instead of class. But since the Eagles are down to the IAAM C Conference — and under new coaching — coach Maggie Bickhart is eager to see what that will mean for a small, yet “gritty” group.
Crofton’s season will look a little different, too, coach Caroline Kerr said, but mostly because of its schedule: a daunting mix of in-and-out-of-county opponents. Kerr hopes her veterans, especially dual-sport stars like Kylie Corcoran, Ryleigh Osborne and Bree Riggs, will help set the buy-in as the Cardinals walk the coals.
Arundel picked up a transfer goalkeeper from Crofton in Cooper Small, and rests its faith in its eight returners and six seniors to guide the program back towards the prominence it held when it was in the 2021 state championship.
South River on the other hand graduated its star goalkeeper, leaving a trickier path ahead for the inexperienced follow-ups. That said, the Seahawks return nine of 12 starters.
“This group is extremely dedicated and wants it more than any team has since my coaching here,” Seahawk coach Annie Martin said. “There have such grit and a very high level of skills.”
There’s changes sprouting up in other areas, too, namely, new leadership.
Old Mill balances both raw and seasoned players in its brew, but what first-year coach Rebecca Wilson really thinks will be the biggest hurdle is, in a way, her.
“We’re looking to make an improvement on last season and see what we can do. An obstacle for this team will definitely be a new coaching staff,” Wilson said. “We’re hoping to be able to raise the team culture at Old Mill and be competitive in county play.”
St. Mary’s may likewise be adjusting to a new environment under the guise of Tom DeMaio.
The longtime lacrosse coach landed with the Saints in August, and is faced with a program that turned over 13 spots on the roster to college.
“The senior and upperclassmen leadership will be critical to our competitiveness and development as a team, as they understand what level of play it takes to compete in the IAAM,” DeMaio said.
Here’s a little more on each team:
ANNAPOLIS
2023: 3-10
Coach: Erica Kopf, third season Top players: Seniors Amelia Skinner (M) , Sarah Ericson (A) and Reagan Parker (A); juniors Molly Donovan (D), Brooklynn Ricker (A) and Sadie Steffens (GK).
ANNAPOLIS AREA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
2023: 2-8
Coach: Maggie Bickhart, first season
Top players: Senior CJ Summa (M); juniors Brooke Sensenbrenner (D), Skylar Sensenbrenner (M) and Ellie Hansen (M).
ARCHBISHOP SPALDING
2023: 12-5
Coach: Tara Shea, 10th season Top players: Seniors Gabby Greene (M), Clare McGuire (M), Lily Mullen (M) and Maddie Wrenn (M); juniors Maeve Cavanaugh (M) and Ava Baselga (A); sophomore Ella Jane Ostrowski (A).
ARUNDEL
2023: 5-8
Coach: Kim McNemar, sixth season
BROADNECK
2023: 15-5, Class 4A state champions
Coach: Katy Kelley, 11th season Top players: Seniors Olivia Orso (A), Lily Trout (M) and Susanna Moore (D).
CHESAPEAKE
2023: 11-5
Coach: Kaitlyn Hines, second season
Top players: Senior Sarah McWilliams (D) and Kelsie Payne (M); junior Lilly Patrick (M); sophomore Austin McFarland (M).
CROFTON
2023: 8-7
Coach: Caroline Kerr, second season
Top players: Seniors Kylie Corcoran (A/M) and Caroline McDonough (A/M); juniors MaryCate Parks (D) and Lyla Poknis (D/M).
INDIAN CREEK
2023: 8-4
Coach: Danielle Stanton, third season
Top players: Seniors Elia Alewine (GK) and Sophia Gomberg (A); juniors Abbey Bunker (M), Naima Bead (M), Maisie White (D) and Sophia O’Connell (D); freshman Stephanie Bunker (A).
NORTH COUNTY
2023: 12-5, Class 4A state semifinalists
Coach: Dave Mueller, 16th season Top players: Seniors Macy White (D), Taylor Price (A), Lily Castle (A) and Darby von Berg (A); juniors Maggie Blanford (M), Riley Sheets (M), Gracie Boritz (M), Madison Feuerherd (A), Isabella Feuerherd (D), Arianna Ruiz (D) and Mikayla Petersen (GK); and sophomore Livia Behegan (D).
NORTHEAST
2023: N/A, Class 2A South Region I champions
Coach: Leah Abendschoen, third season
Top players: Seniors Faith Schmitz (M) and Ceci Hartford (D); juniors Aleigha Dubroc (M) and Allison Zimmerman (A); and sophomore Jules Dailey (A).
OLD MILL
2023: 6-6
Coach: Rebecca Wilson, first season
Top players: Senior Reagan Chilton (M); juniors Camyrn Smith (GK) and Addison Guthrie (GK); and sophomore Fallon Liddy (A).
SEVERN
2023: 6-11
Coach: Kathy Rudkin, fourth season
Top players: Seniors Dylan Ulehla (D), Issy Leech (A), Giselle Torain (M) and Makenzie Eakins (D).
SEVERNA PARK
2023: 17-3; county champions; Class 3A state champions Coach: Annie Houghton, second season
Top players: Seniors Alyssa Gore-Chung (A), Sara Kreis (A), Ryn Feemster (D) and Allison Schiavone (GK); juniors Bella Van Gieson (M), Erin Hussey (M) and Avery Saviano (D); and sophomore Maria Bragg (M).
SOUTH RIVER
Coach: Annie Martin, third season Top players: Senior Kam Lee; juniors Annabel Burke and Adella Norton; and sophomore Ava Linell.
SOUTHERN
2023: 9-6, region champions Coach: Cortney Yeatman, fourth season
Top players: Seniors Lilly Breen (M), Rachel Breen (M), Paige Benson (D), Gabrielle Tompkins (D), Emmie Mudd (A) and Abby Wallis (G); juniors, Molly Durkin (D) and Cecelia Rock (M); freshman Mollie Schiavone (M).
ST. MARY’S 2023: Coach: Top players:
6-10
Tom DeMaio, first season
Senior Grace Mitchell (M) and junior Anna Ervin (M)