All-Delo Girls Lacrosse: Nealons, Springfield state-title duo led postseason runs
In addition to Player of the Year Olivia Dirks of Episcopal Academy, the All-Delco team includes:
Emily Wills, Agnes Irwin: The senior attacker was simply the most lethal scorer in Delco. Wills led the county with 103 goals to go with 38 assists, good for a Delco-best 141 points. She paced the Owls to 21 wins in a national schedule, third place in the Inter-Ac and second place in the Pa. Independent Schools Athletic Association tournament. Wills scored multiple goals in every game but one and had as many two-goal games as five-goal outings (five each). She scored six times in a win over Penn Charter, six times in a win over Maryland’s Holton Arms and six times to beat PIAA Class 2A runner-up Villa Maria. She added five goals and five assists in beating Germantown Academy in the regular season and scored five goals in each of the first two PAISAA games. Not just a scorer, Wills added 47 draw controls and 31 groundballs. An All-Inter-Ac and All-American pick, she’ll attend Loyola University in the fall.
Cate Cox, Radnor: The two-time All-Delco was the driving force behind a Radnor attack that earned the Central League title and made the quarterfinals of the District 1 and PIAA Class 3A tournaments. Even with injuries (in particular to second-team All-Delco Ellie Mueller), Cox still did her thing. Her 52 goals were second only to Mueller, and she added 65 assists, the most in Delco. Her 117 points were second only to Wills (though in five fewer games). Cox’s best game was against PIAA Class 3A champion Harriton, tallying six goals and five assists in a 23-11 victory in April. She added four goals and three assists against Strath Haven, three and five in a win over Springfield and four and three against Abington. In the states opener, she fired home three goals and one assist against Parkland. An All-American and Academic All-American, Cox will continue her career at Lehigh.
Kara Nealon, Garnet Valley: The senior midfielder did almost as much offensive work as her more prolific scoring sister and was a similarly active two-way force, but Nealon added the wrinkle of using her size on the center circle for draws. Nealon scored 60 goals, third-most on Garnet, and led the way with 38 assists, seventh-most in Delco. Her 98 points were 13th in the county. She was a steady scorer, topping out at four goals and three assists in the first round of the District 1 Class 3A tournament. She added three and three in the PIAA quarterfinal win and four goals to beat Ridley. She also led the Jaguars’ comeback attempt in their state semifinal loss to Manheim Township with three goals and two assists. An All-America and Academic All-America, she’ll continue her career at Penn State.
READ: The full list of All-Delco honorees
Regan Nealon, Garnet Valley: The senior midfielder earns her second straight All-Delco nod as the leading scorer on a squad that made the District 1 and PIAA Class 3A semifinals. Nealon was tied for the team lead in goals with 69, was second to her sister in assists at 34 and the points leader with 103. In Delco, Nealon is ninth in assists, eighth in points and tied for eighth in goals for the 21-game winners. Nealon scored six goals on three occasions – in a regular-season loss to Harriton, in a win over Downingtown East and in the state quarterfinal win over Owen J. Roberts. She had three seven-point outings. An All-American, Nealon will join her sister at Penn State.
Alyssa Long, Springfield: In her third year as a contributor, the junior finally got a season unblemished by injuries to display her skills. The result, not coincidentally, was a state championship for the Cougars. Long was tied with Belle Mastropietro for the team lead with 67 goals and second with 77 points. She led the way in groundballs (76) and draw controls (98). After playing as a defender as a freshman, her more natural position, she showed her goal-scoring ability and used her athleticism to burn opponents in the open field. Long scored six goals in a win over Haverford and five to beat Ridley and Penncrest. The All-America and University of North Carolina commit tallied four times in the PIAA Class 2A semifinal against York Catholic, a one-goal win, and added two markers in the state final.
Claire Gola, Notre Dame: The senior midfielder was a dynamic, two-way presence that led the Irish to a PAISAA title and a 19-win season. She finished second on the team in goals (53) to crack 100 for her career and third in points with 69. But she also did the dirty work on the other end, leading the Irish with 87 draw controls and second to Maggie O’Brien at 43 groundballs, plus 23 caused turnovers. Gola scored in every game, notching 11 hat tricks. She posted three goals and two assists on three occasions, scored five goals and an assist to beat Agnes Irwin to clinch second in the Inter-Ac and added five goals and two assists in dominating the PAISAA final. The All-Inter-Ac pick is a Boston University signee.
Belle Mastropietro, Springfield: The stats don’t say it quite as blatantly as those who saw Mastropietro play: The senior midfielder was the beating heart of Springfield’s run to a state title. The numbers are impressive – a team-best 67 goals, tied with Long, and 90 points. She was also second on Springfield with 60 groundballs and 71 draw controls. Mastropietro would not be denied in the playoffs, with six goals against Merion Mercy and Gwynedd Mercy to start districts. The two-time All-Delco led Springfield with a hat trick in the District 1 final loss to Villa Maria, added three goals and two assists against Cocalico in the state quarters and had a hat trick in the state final. More importantly, the All-American and Temple commit’s stick was the secure home for the ball as the Cougars saw out postseason wins.
Natalie Pansini, Agnes Irwin: The two-time All-Delco pick continued her success as a junior. Pansini would’ve led plenty of teams with her 83 goals, but on the vaunted Agnes Irwin attack, that was good only for third. She added 33 assists for 116 points, third-most in Delco. Pansini was also a demon in the middle with 157 draw controls, 31 caused turnovers and 69 ground balls, on the way to collecting All-Inter-Ac, All-America and Academic All-America honors. Pansini scored five goals on four occasions, including against Canada’s Hill Academy and in downing New Jersey power Moorestown in overtime. She added five in the PAISAA first round. Like her older sisters – All-Delco Laura and 2018 Daily Times POY Maria – she’s committed to Princeton.
Maggie O’Brien, Notre Dame: The senior midfielder was the Irish’s MVP on the way to second place in the Inter-Ac and a PAISAA title. She scored 33 goals and 11 assists, but that’s only a fraction of what she provided. She was second on the team with 73 draw controls, making an even 200 for her career, and added a team-best 51 groundballs and caused 18 turnovers. Her biggest offensive game came in the opener with four goals and an assist against Springside Chestnut Hill, and she added two goals and four assists in a win over Baldwin. An All-Inter-Ac and All-American selection, she’ll continue her career at the University of Richmond.
Madison Henry, Archbishop Carroll: The senior midfielder was the leader on a balanced Carroll squad, earning the Catholic League MVP award. She tied for second on the team in goals (with Amber Germer) at 47 and was third in points with 61. She also led the Patriots in draw controls as they won 22 games, a 19th consecutive Catholic League title and advanced to the PIAA Class 2A semifinals. Henry recorded 10 hat tricks, including in both victories over Cardinal O’Hara. The Bryant signee tallied four goals in a loss to Radnor and added three goals and three assists in the Catholic League playoff opener.
Izzy Rohr, Episcopal Academy: The senior makes her second All-Delco appearance after solidifying her reputation as one of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s elite defenders. With Rohr at the back, the Churchwomen allowed just 7.6 goals per game on the way to an outright Inter-Ac title and 18 wins. EA nearly scored twice as many goals as their opponents, and only six of 19 foes crossed into double-figures, none scoring more than 12 goals (Holton Arms and Owen J. Roberts). Rohr was responsible for muting opponents’ top threats and did so with aplomb. She scooped 36 groundballs on the season and caused 29 turnovers. She also contributed 63 draw controls whenever Dirks (with 186) allowed one to slip through. Rohr was an All-Inter-Ac and All-American who’s signed with Penn.
Phoebe Proctor, Radnor: The junior was the best goalie in the county, backstopping Radnor to a Central League title. With Proctor in goal, the Raiders won 18 games and allowed only 7.3 goals per game, nearly outscoring opposition by a 2-to-1 margin. Proctor was at her statistical best with 14 saves against Springfield in a win as Radnor knocked off both the PIAA Class 2A and 3A state champs. She made 11 stops in a District 1 3A quarterfinal loss to Conestoga and 10 to beat Downingtown East in playbacks. Proctor has committed to Fairfield.
