Main Line lacrosse squads looking strong again this spring
The Main Line high school lacrosse scene featured a full lineup of powerful teams last spring, with the Archbishop Carroll girls capturing the PIAA 3A title, the Conestoga boys finishing second in the PIAA 3A state tourney, and Agnes Irwin capturing the PAISAA title. The Conestoga girls won the District 1 and Central League titles.
This spring, those Main Line lacrosse squads should be as strong as ever. What follows is an early-season look at the Main Line high school lacrosse squads, based on information provided by the team’s coaches as of March 28:
Agnes Irwin
Head coach: Lauren Wray, first year.
Last year’s record 20-5 overall, second place Inter-Ac, PAISAA champions.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Maria Pansini (81 draw controls and 57 caused turnovers last season), senior attack Alex Hark, senior attack Sydney Wolfington, senior defender Emma Macaione, sophomore midfielder Natalie Pansini, junior attack Emily Wills.
Others to watch: Sophomore midfielders Kacy Hogarth and Julianne Carey, junior midfielder Emily Coyne.
Outlook: Wray said, “We have a strong returning attack, the midfield line is fast and impactful on both ends, and the defense is experienced and very deep with senior defenders and junior Camilla Gowen anchoring in goal. Our regional strength of schedule early in the season should help prepare the team for Inter-Ac competition.”
Archbishop Carroll (girls)
Head coach: Lorraine Beers, 19th year.
Last year’s record: 24-1 overall, 12-0 Catholic League, District 12 champions and PIAA 3A state champions.
Key returnees: Senior midfielders Rachel Matey and Katie Detwiler; senior defender Shea Neary; senior attacks Sydney D’Orsogna and Grace Gallagher.
Others to watch: junior midfielder Amber Germer; junior defenders Liza Dellaratta and Keri Daly.
Outlook: Beers noted that the defending state champions’ biggest strength is that the Patriots have plenty of returning seniors.
Baldwin School
Head coach: Megan Cameron, first year.
Last year’s record: 6-14 overall, 2-10 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Myla Barnett. senior midfielder Marissa McGarrey. junior midfielder Lila Tuckman, junior midfielder Sean Tuckman, junior midfielder Natalie Sgro.
Others to watch: junior defender Celia Page. eighth grader defender Clara Page, freshman attack Ellie Capuano, junior goalie Olivia Tornetta, junior defender Lauren Bracken.
Outlook: Cameron said, “Our biggest key to success this year will be mastering the little things. We have a solid group of girls, and if we can master the basics, we can compete with the Inter-Ac teams. Our biggest challenge is going to be staying in the game for the full 50 minutes.”
Barrack Hebrew Academy (boys)
Head coach: Adam Devlin, third year.
Last year’s record: 11-4 overall, 9-1 Tri-County League.
Key returnees: senior midfielder/attack Gabriel Bryant, senior defender Benjamin Wilson, junior midfielder Josh Goldstein.
Others to watch: sophomore midfielder Abe Wachs, sophomore midfielder Benjamin Bernstein, sophomore attack Hayden Ufberg.
Outlook: “Our talent is spread among the grades,” said Devlin. “We will rely on dominating time of possession, ball movement and ability to score from any spot on the field. With championship aspirations this season, a big key to our success is going to be a fast start. Wins in the two league games to start would help set the tone for successful season.”
Conestoga (boys)
Head coach: Brody Bush, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 22-4, Central League co-champions, District One Champions, PIAA Class AAA state runner-up.
Key returnees: senior goalie Scott MacMillan, senior defender Jackson Niness, senior defender Matt Logan, senior long stick middie Joe Walton, senior midfielder Tate Kienzle, senior midfielder Nick Braendel, senior midfielder James Reilly, senior midfielder Clif Madden, senior midfielder Nick Cost, senior midfielder Sean Bailey, senior attack Chris Cara, senior attack Kent Hjelm, senior attack Tom Nagle.
Others to watch: senior defender Henry Friedman, senior defender Barret Pittman, senior defender Matt Dempsey, senikor defender Ryan Bailey, sophomore defender Scott Smith, sophomore defender Michael Prestipino, sophomore goalie Mick Lee, senior midfielder Kyle Nicholson.
Outlook: “Senior leadership and experience is our biggest team strength, as well as a very difficult schedule that will prepare us for the postseason,” said Bush. “Our team’s biggest key to success is buying into the offensive and defensive schemes and playing as one unit by outworking opponents. Our team’s biggest challenge will be to keep healthy and not beat ourselves.”
Conestoga (girls)
Head coach: Amy Orcutt, ninth year.
Last year’s record: 21-3, Central League champions, District 1 champions, lost to Garnet Valley in PIAA state quarterfinals.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Ceara Sweeney (commit to Army, coming back at mid-season after ACL injury); senior midfielder Amelia Kienzle (commit to Delaware); junior midfielder Sydney Sloan (commit to William and Mary); sophomore attack Julia Littlewood (commit to Lehigh); sophomore midfielder Cameron Evitts (commit to Penn State).
Others to watch: junior attack Nia Scott (commit to Louisville); senior attack Tessa Kerin (commit to Mercer); senior attack Maddie Wood.
Outlook: Orcutt said, “With graduating 12 seniors last year – we lost Scottie Rose Growney to UNC, Liz Scott to Loyola, Elisabeth Ingersoll to Penn and Maddie Little to Liberty – we are very young but very talented with lots of speed in the midfield. We look to compete in the Central league and in District 1.”
Devon Prep/Delco Christian (boys co-op)
Head coach: Mark Consolo, second year.
Last year’s record: 8-9 overall, second place Bicentennial League, qualified for District 1 AA playoffs.
Key returnees: senior defender Luke Gutowski (Delco Christian), senior defender Anthony Maiale (Devon Prep), senior attack Tim Fitzgerald (DC), senior midfielder Steve Klauder (DP), senior attack Ethan Gillin (DP), senior goalie Ryan Klauder (DP), senior midfielder Alec Corsi (DP), senior defender Tyler Gazda (DP).
Others to watch: sophomore defender Cole Hines (DC), junior defender Naim Robinson (DC), junior midfielder Alex Furtek (DP), junior attack Noah Thies (DC), junior attack Jason Motley (DC).
Outlook: Consolo said, “We will look to rely on our senior leadership this season. We are excited to play such a competitive schedule with most of the PCL teams before officially joining the Catholic League next season. After qualifying for the district tournament for the first year ever in both schools’ programs, the team is poised to make a run at the playoffs again.”
Episcopal Academy (boys)
Head coach: Chris Bates, second year.
Last year’s record:11-5 overall, second place in Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Chris McCoun, senior defender Ryan McCann, junior face off Jack Henderson, junior midfielder Gabe Furey, sophomore attack Charlie Cunniffe, junior defender Collin Loughead, junior midfielder Quinn Chambers.
Others to watch: sophomore goalie Matt Chess, sophomore attack Nick Bates, junior attack Rowan Brumbaugh, junior defender Kevin King.
Outlook: Bates said, “Our team has a steep learning curve, with lots of young guys getting great experience in a very competitive schedule. The team will continue to grow and improve all year. Our keys to success will be: 1) we must stay healthy in critical areas, 2) ground balls, and 3) our units need to evolve as we gain experience together. Our biggest challenge will be the need to develop depth to compete in a very challenging schedule.”
Haverford High (boys)
Head coach: Greg Decina, second year.
Last year’s record: 15-8.
Key returnees: senior attack Jack Daly, senior attack Cole Lukasiewicz, senior defender Tom Fredericks, senior midfielder Matt Young, senior midfielder Alex McKendry.
Others to watch: sophomore midfielder John Scheivert, senior defender Travis Weiss, senior long atick middie Andrew Wolf, junior midfielder Jaiden Davis.
Outlook: “We are returning a key portion of a highly successful offensive unit,” said Decina. “Our keys to success will be controlling the offensive end of the field and putting our points on the board. Our biggest challenge will be replacing 3 three-year veteran players on the defensive end of the field and graduating Luke McCallion (now at University of Vermont) at the x.”
Haverford High (girls)
Head coach: Nancy McGoldrick, 33rd year.
Last year’s record: 9-9.
Key returnees: senior midfielder and co-captain Nora Janzer (to play lacrosse at Gettysburg), senior attack and co-captain Reilly Morgan (to play lacrosse at Ursinus), senior midfielder and co-captain Alyssa Eder, senior attack Drew Fuentes, senior defender Morgan Pasquerello, senior defender Hannah Bennett, junior midfielder Carly Gannon (Penn State commit for field hockey), junior midfielder Sydney Corcoran (Old Dominion commit for field hockey), junior defender Julia Klein (Virginia Commonwealth University commit for lacrosse), sophomore goalie Lauren Johns.
Others to watch: sophomore midfielders Mia Ciancio, Willa Hetznecker, Abby Rowland and Paige Corcoran; sophomore attack Maya Leblanc; junior defender Orla Fay.
Outlook: McGoldrick said, “The Central League is so tough – to play against all these great teams is the toughest competition. Of course our team goal is to do well in league, but our out-of-league games are just as tough. Our goals are just as lofty. we want to surpass our record of last year and make it to playoffs – work hard and play harder.”
Lower Merion (girls)
Head coach: Laura Lincicome, second year.
Last year’s record: 4-14.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Ashley Roberts, senior defender Izzy Meline, senior midfielder Sophia Shaffer, junior midfielder Melissa Gingold, sophomore midfielder Teresa Cato, sophomore attack Olivia Ruth, junior defender Euna Carpenter.
Others to watch: freshman defender Sage O’Connor.
Outlook: Lincicome said, “This team is really special, because they have a bond unlike any other team I have been a part of, with great leadership and determination to better the program. We have a lot of talented and key returnees that will guide the emerging lower classes. We will look to win most of our out-of-league games this season, and stay competitive within the Central League.”
Malvern Prep
Head coach: John McEvoy, 12th year.
Last year’s record: 17-6 overall, 7-3 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: senior attacks Jack Traynor, Scott White and Seamus Glynn; senior midfielders Quinn McCahon, Jim Gabrielsen and Jordan Donaghy; junior midfielder Luke DiGiacobbe; senior defender San Sweenet; junior defenders Donny Gayhart and Claudio Chieffo; senior defensive midfielders Dalton Pascale and Canm Battisti; junior defensive midfielder Matt Civitella.
Others to watch: sophomore defender Max Jogerst; junior long stick middies Sean Rushton and Billy Carlini; junior goalie Will Pettit.
Outlook: “Attack and midfield should be our strength,” said McEvoy. “We have several returning players and scorers. The keys to our success should be face off wins and possessions, continuing to get better between the lines and on defense.”
Merion Mercy Academy
Head coach: Gretta Ehret, first year.
Last year’s record: 20-8.
Key returnees: senior midfielder Arianna Lavelle, senior defender Marcella Nostrant, senior midfielder Annie Dombrowski.
Others to watch: sophomore midfielder/defender Alexandra Lavelle, sophomore midfielder/attack Emily Hauck, senior attack Quinn Guilday.
Oulook: Ehret said, “We have a strong class of senior leaders who we will use their experience to help us make good, poised, and patient decisions in settled play. We look forward to facing many of the competitive teams in the Catholic Academies League and improving on our record from last year.”
Shipley (boys)
Head cach: Mark Duncan, 17th year.
Last year’s record: 12-8 overall, 4-2 Friends’ Schools League (lost in FSL championship final).
Key returnees: senior defender and co-captain Will Drake (Swarthmore), senior attack and co-captain Griff Gallagher (Gettysburg), senior defender Connor Bryan (Randolph Macon), senior defender Charlie Ryan, junior midfielder Ben Aschkenasy, sophomore attack Luke Grayum (was Gators’ leading point scorer last year), sophomore midfielder Randall Brown, sophomore midfielder Henry Reed, sophomore midfielder Tyler Drake, sophomore defender Hunter Gallo, sophomore goalie Kyle Mezrow, freshman attack/midfielder Josh Galia, freshman attack Braeden Lange, freshman midfielder Jake Olejniczak, freshman defender TJ McCabe, freshman defender Egan Butala, freshman goalie Nate Yi.
Outlook: Duncan said, “We have a core group of sophs and key freshmen, and we’re led by co-captains Will Drake and Griff Gallagher. We have high hopes for this tight-knit group of hard working players, with a tough schedule ahead for them. We are looking to make a statement in our first four games in Florida in late March.”
