Shining stars: Players to watch this spring
If there was one thing of which Laura Sandbloom was certain in her first season as Upper Arlington girls lacrosse coach, it was where her players would fit in the lineup.
Surrounded by a veteran staff that includes longtime assistant Sue Stimmel, a former Ohio State head coach, and state championship players Samantha Arey and Megan Sengelmann, Sandbloom’s return to her alma mater was capped by the team’s first Division I state title since 2019.
This year, the staff’s task might be tougher, but the coaches are relishing every second of the challenge.
A roster headlined by four Division I signees, another two commits and a plethora of midfielders should give UA even more versatility as it pursues a 12th championship.
“We have a lot more depth (from) top to bottom,” Sandbloom said. “It just means we have versatile players. I love that. It’s challenging at times to figure out where (a given) girl is best-suited.”
Midfielders Lilly Boyle and Abbie Dunlap have signed with Louisville. Position mate Ava Stummer, who missed all of 2023 with a knee injury, is headed to Penn State, and midfielder/defender Alex Burns has signed with Boston University.
Junior midfielder Brogan Wiles (Louisville) and junior attacker Bethany Smith (Maryland-baltimore County) also have committed.
Boyle, who also plays attacker, scored 36 goals last year, best among returning players.
Senior Abby Black and freshman Tori Maurer are splitting time in goal.
State runner-up Olentangy Liberty, which lost to UA 14-10 in the final, returns seven starters and four first-team all-state honorees in Tori Bachus (defender), Alayna Bogner (goalie), Corinna Hilmas (attacker) and Isabelle Pohmer (attacker). All are seniors with the exception of Hilmas, a junior. She and Pohmer combined for 156 goals in 2023.
The rematch of the state final between the Occ-central rivals is April 16 at UA.
Division II champion Watterson graduated top scorer Meg Newcomb (81 goals, 44 assists) and has a new coach in four-year assistant Abbey Gay, who succeeded three-year head coach Eileen Barrett in the fall.
The Eagles still have experience to lean on, including attackers Sophia Monesi (76 goals, 17 assists) and Carly Henry
(36 goals), draw specialist Avery Mcclain, defender Marie Rudzinski and three-year starting goalie Amelia Brown. All are among a class of 10 seniors.
Here are 12 central Ohio girls lacrosse players to watch this spring:
Lilly Boyle, Upper Arlington
The senior midfielder, one of three Golden Bears who has signed with or committed to Louisville, is the top returning scorer from last year’s Division I state championship team (21-3) with 36 goals. Boyle also had seven assists, 36 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers and was named second-team all-occcentral and all-region 3.
Marissa Dolciato, Worthington Kilbourne
A three-time Occ-capital Player of the Year and last year’s Division I state Goalkeeper of the Year, the Cincinnati signee made 103 saves — 44.3% of the shots she faced —last year.
Bridget Donnelly, Columbus School for Girls
A versatile junior midfielder who has committed to Oregon, Donnelly scored 40 goals and controlled 27 draws as a sophomore.
Carly Henry, Watterson
Henry was third on the team in goals (36) and fourth in assists (12) and points (48) and occasionally took draws.
Leela Henry, Pickerington Central
A junior midfielder and three-year starter, Henry led the Tigers (11-8) with 57 goals in 2023 and was second in assists (20). Henry already is approaching 100 career goals.
Corinna Hilmas, Olentangy Liberty
The junior attacker had 70 goals last spring and was named Region 1 Attacker of the Year and first-team all-state.
Sophia Monesi, Watterson
A senior attacker, Monesi is the defending Division II state champions’ top returning scorer after amassing 76 goals and 17 assists a year ago.
Maddy Paz, New Albany
Paz, who scored the championshipwinning goal as a sophomore and committed to Ohio State in September 2022, was named OCC-OHIO Player of the Year, first-team all-region 1 and secondteam all-state.
Isabelle Pohmer, Olentangy Liberty
The senior midfielder was second on the Patriots (21-3) in goals with 86 a year ago, behind only current Florida player Makena Harrington’s 91. Pohmer, who has signed with Lafayette, also had a team-leading 133 draw controls and contributed defensively. She was named first-team all-region and allstate.
Sophia Schwab, Dublin Scioto
The senior attacker is coming off a program-record 103 goals as a junior. Schwab, who has signed with Detroit Mercy, entered this season with 215 career goals and 84 assists.
Ava Stummer, Upper Arlington
Stummer, who has signed with Penn State, had 23 draw controls, 12 ground balls and seven goals in 2022. She missed last season with a knee injury.
Caroline Weber, Big Walnut
A senior goalie who has signed with Findlay, Weber became the career saves leader in the Ohio High School Athletic Association-sanctioned era (since 2017) on March 19. Weber has 558 saves, two ahead of Solon’s Katie Luciano (201719). Her 203 saves as a sophomore rank seventh in OHSAA records.