Here’s what you need to know for the 2024 high school girls lacrosse season in the Baltimore area.
Storylines to watch
New coaches take the helm
Two of the area’s top programs, McDonogh and Glenelg Country, enter the season with new coaches. At McDonogh, Megan (Huether) Nicotra succeeds Taylor Cummings, who announced her departure in May after five seasons at the helm and a pair of Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference titles. Nicotra is a former standout goalie at Maryvale Prep and Duke and has extensive coaching experience at the college and high school levels, specializing in working with goalies. And at Glenelg Country, Chrissy (Lombard) Adair takes over for Paige Walton, who guided the Dragons for 24 years and led them to an 84-25 record since joining the IAAM A Conference in 2017. Adair was a star midfielder at Mt. Hebron and went on to play at Boston University, where she was a three-time All-American.
Locals abound in national polls
Five teams from the IAAM A Conference begin this spring nationally ranked. They include McDonogh (No. 1 in Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse), St. Paul’s (No. 3 and No. 4), Maryvale (No. 5 and “also considered”), Archbishop Spalding (No. 7 and No. 8) and Glenelg Country (No. 8 and No. 17). USA Lacrosse also placed Manchester Valley, Notre Dame Prep and Severna Park just outside of its top 25.
Carroll County dominating states
At least one team from Carroll County has claimed a state title each year since 2006, by far the longest streak in the state. That’s 17 straight seasons (excluding the 2020 pandemic year) with at least one state champion. Anne Arundel County is next with five. Both Manchester Valley (2A) and Liberty (1A) accomplished the feat a year ago, but Century, South Carroll, Westminster and Winters Mill also have claimed state crowns during the span. That’s quite an accomplishment for a county with just seven public high schools.
Shooting for four straight
Both Broadneck and Liberty will be vying for their fourth straight state titles this season, a rare feat that no other state team has accomplished since Mt. Hebron won 11 straight ending in 2007. Broadneck last season edged Dulaney, 9-8, in the Class 4A final, while Liberty topped Fallston, 14-10, in the Class 1A final. Both have realistic chances of extending their streaks at this year’s state finals, scheduled for May 21-23 at Stevenson University in Owings Mills.
City College reigns supreme
City College continues to be the class of Baltimore City after an undefeated 2023 season. The Knights will be seeking at least a share of their 11th straight city title. The team, under the direction of new coach Cassidy Sauvageau, a former standout at Severna Park, is led by senior midfielder and draw specialist Montgomery Bedford (Longwood University) and senior defender and midfielder Charlotte Marshall (Oberlin College). Only three other teams will compete in Baltimore City, including Poly, Western and the Academy for College and Career Exploration (ACCE).
Players to watch
Kira Balis, St. Paul’s, senior, midfielder
The Clemson commit moves to the midfield this season after spending last season as a defender and helping the Gators allow an IAAM A Conference-low 6.4 goals per game in earning a spot in the championship game.
Maeve Cavanaugh, Archbishop Spalding, junior, midfielder
The speedy midfielder was a catalyst all over the field, racking up 58 goals and 22 assists while contributing on draws to lead the Cavaliers to a 10-4 mark in the IAAM A Conference and a No. 7 national ranking. She has committed to Notre Dame.
Alyssa Chung, Severna Park, senior, attacker
The Naval Academy commit shattered a school record with 75 goals, including 10 against South River and four in the team’s Class 3A state title win over Towson. She also finished with 16 assists, 12 caused turnovers, 19 ground balls and 64 draw controls.
Tess DeLuca, Maryvale Prep, junior, goalie
Quick hands and accurate clearing help this 5-foot-10 left-hander rank as one of the top goalies in the nation. The Clemson commit will be a critical player this season for a young Lions squad.
Kamryn Henson, Glenelg, senior, midfielder
The two-way middie and Virginia Tech commit never came off the field for the Gladiators last season, finishing with 42 goals, 12 assists, 38 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers.
Kit Laake, McDonogh, sophomore, defender
Laake caused havoc on defense all last season for the IAAM A Conference champions. She finished with 14 caused turnovers and 13 ground balls.
Amanda Lawson, McDonogh, senior, midfielder
The speedy Stanford-bound midfielder came into her own last season, finishing with 42 goals and 17 assists. She also added 62 draw controls, 25 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers for the Eagles, who won their first IAAM A Conference title since 2019.
Kate Levy, McDonogh, senior, midfielder
The North Carolina commit was a do-it-all midfielder last season for the Eagles, finishing with 47 goals and 21 assists to go with a team-high 73 draw controls, 13 caused turnovers and 18 ground galls.
Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, junior, midfielder
The returning All-Metro Player of the Year and Clemson commit finished with 94 goals and 43 assists, including nine goals in the championship game against Middletown, tying a 14-year-old state record. She also won 129 draw controls and caused 37 turnovers to lead the Mavericks to the Class 2A state title.
Sophia Trahan, McDonogh, senior, attacker
The Virginia Tech commit was the primary finisher for the Eagles last season, racking up 53 goals and nine assists. She also had 32 draw controls on a team that finished last season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Preseason Top 15 poll
1. McDonogh
Coach: Megan Nicotra
Last season: 20-1 overall, ranked No. 1
Postseason: IAAM A Conference champion
Outlook: Loaded with high-level Division I talent, McDonogh enters this season as the nation’s consensus No. 1 team and favorite to repeat in the IAAM A Conference. The Eagles return their top four scorers in Sophia Trahan (Virginia Tech), Kate Levy (North Carolina), Amanda Lawson (Stanford) and Remi Schaller (Michigan), as well as the core of its defensive unit in sophomore goalie Reagan O’Donovan and defenders, Kit Laake, McKenzie Brown (Northwestern) and Paige Pearre. Nicotra, an assistant the past two seasons, takes over as coach after the departure of Taylor Cummings.
2. St. Paul’s
Coach: Mary Gagnon
Last season: 18-3, No. 2
Postseason: IAAM A Conference finalist
Outlook: The Gators, ranked No. 3 in the nation by Inside Lacrosse and No. 4 by USA Lacrosse, are looking for their third IAAM A Conference title in four years after falling to McDonogh in last year’s final. Despite graduating a trio of All-Metro players, Gagnon’s squad returns an array of talent, led by senior midfielder Kira Balis (Clemson) and goalie Susan Radebaugh (Florida), with junior midfielders Caroline Hoskins (Florida) and Riley Vasile (Southern California) and attacker Marleigh O’Day (Clemson) moving into larger roles. St. Paul’s allowed a league-low 6.4 goals per game last year and has won 50 of its past 55 games over the past three seasons.
3. Archbishop Spalding
Coach: Tara Shea
Last season: 12-5, No. 5
Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist
Outlook: Boasting an extremely fast and athletic lineup, Spalding begins play ranked No. 7 in the nation by Inside Lacrosse and No. 8 by USA Lacrosse. Back are All-Metro midfielders Maeve Cavanaugh (Notre Dame) and Gabby Greene (Florida), who last season combined for 126 goals. In addition, lockdown defender Maddie Wrenn (Clemson) is one of four starters returning on the other side of the field. That experience, along with the addition of several talented newcomers in key roles, should help the Cavaliers pull out the close games they couldn’t a year ago when they lost three times to Glenelg Country and Maryvale Prep by a total of four goals.
4. Maryvale Prep
Coach: Brian Reese
Last season: 16-3, No. 3
Postseason: IAAM A Conference semifinalist
Outlook: The Lions enter the spring ranked No. 5 in the nation by Inside Lacrosse, and with good reason. Despite graduating 16 seniors, they return three of their top six scorers, including sophomore Cayden Reese, who led the team in scoring as a freshman. Midfielder Ryan Kinkead (Georgetown) will be one of just four seniors on a squad that is young but also immensely talented. And junior left-hander Tess DeLuca (Clemson) is a five-star recruit ranked as one of the top goalies in the nation.
5. Manchester Valley
Coach: Shelly Brezicki
Last season: 19-0, No. 6
Postseason: Class 2A state champion
Outlook: Six starters return for a team that outscored opponents 312-88 last season, including reigning All-Metro Player of the Year Emma Penczek, a junior midfielder committed to Clemson. Junior Haylee Bittinger (Mount St. Mary’s) and senior Natalie Burmeister (LaSalle) lead an attack that should continue to put up big scoring numbers, and junior Sophie Baer (Jacksonville) headlines a young defense. The Mavericks will rely on several newcomers on both the midfield and defense, and how quickly they develop could determine how far they go.
6. Glenelg Country
Coach: Chrissy Adair
Last season: 14-4, No. 4
Postseason: IAAM A Conference semifinalist
Outlook: For the first time in more than two decades, the Dragons have a new coach. The team’s elite talent pipeline, however, remains unchanged. The defense will be led by goalie Natalie Eastwood (South Florida), who was recently selected to the U20 Australian national team, and sophomore Ella Dyer. Seniors Maggie Flanagan (Virginia Tech) and Lilly Fortin (Oregon) pace an offense that adds freshman Lily Preston, who brings speed and aggressiveness to the midfield. Glenelg Country starts the season ranked No. 8 in the nation by Inside Lacrosse and No. 17 by USA Lacrosse.
7. Severna Park
Coach: Annie Houghton
Last season: 17-3, No. 9
Postseason: Class 3A state champion
Outlook: The defending Anne Arundel County and Class 3A state champions graduated six starters but returns a plethora of talent, led by first-team All-Metro attack Alyssa Chung (Navy), who scored a school-record 75 goals last season. Also back are seniors Francesca Dunoyer (midfield), Ryn Feemster (defense) and Allison Schiavone (goalie), juniors Avery Saviano (defense), Bella Van Gieson (midfield) and Erin Hussey (midfield), and sophomore Maria Bragg (midfield). Houghton said the team is already showing great chemistry, a big plus as it pursues its state-record 16th state title.
8. Glenelg
Coach: Alex Pagnotta
Last season: 14-3, No. 7
Postseason: Class 2A West Region I finalist
Outlook: The Gladiators ended last season losing an overtime heartbreaker to eventual Class 2A champion Manchester Valley and are eager for another chance. They appear to have the talent to get there. Four-year starter Kamryn Henson (Virginia Tech) is a do-it-all midfielder who can control the game at both ends of the field, and seniors goalie Emily Altshuler (California) and defender Lara Hoeflich (Delaware) anchor a stingy defensive unit that held opponents to eight goals or fewer 13 times. The squad also gets back several key players who were sidelined with injuries a year ago.
9. Broadneck
Coach: Katy Kelley
Last season: 14-5, No. 10
Postseason: Class 4A state champion
Outlook: The three-time defending Class 4A state champions are retooling after graduating a pair of All-Metro midfielders but will once again contend with abundant athleticism, sound fundamentals and a culture built around team play. A trio of seniors — attacker Olivia Orso (Ohio State), midfielder Lily Trout (High Point) and defender Susanna Moore — will lead the way for the Bruins, who are expected to battle it out in Anne Arundel County with Severna Park, South River and Crofton.
10. John Carroll
Coach: Laura Seifert
Last season: 8-10, not ranked
Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist
Outlook: This should be the year the Patriots turn the corner and post their first winning season since 2016. Led by Maryland-bound twins Julia Ward (goalie) and Lydia Ward (midfield), both members of the 2023 USA Select U18 team, John Carroll boasts a core group of returning juniors and seniors mixed with some new young talent that could give the top teams in the IAAM A Conference some headaches. Sophomore attacker Pieper McCue, senior midfielder Natalie Kelly (South Florida) and junior midfielder Grace Marchetti (James Madison) also return to a squad that posted six more wins last season than the previous year and looks to continue that trend.
11. Liberty
Coach: Thomas Brandel
Last season: 16-1, No. 8
Postseason: Class 1A state champion
Outlook: Coming off their third straight state title, the Lions return 11 players who have spent at least two years on the varsity squad. They include attacker-midfielder Annika Wray (UMBC), All-County goalie Halley Feaga (RPI) and defender Sydnie Bolger (Akron). After graduating eight seniors, however, Liberty will rely on several newcomers in key roles. Brandel will get a a good look at what he has when the team hosts its 4 Causes 4 Champions tournament at Troy Park against Baltimore County champion Towson, and state champions Manchester Valley and Broadneck.
12. Century
Coach: Becky Groves
Last season: 10-6, not ranked
Postseason: Class 2A West Region I finalist
Outlook: After several close losses a year ago, the Knights are looking for a rebound season behind a handful of top returners. Senior Marley Carfine (Mercer) returns to the attack after missing last season with an injury and should help boost an offense that includes seniors Delaney Sandbank (33 goals, 32 assists) and Harli Hamlett (35 goals). Midfielder Madi Prietz (Robert Morris) and defender Emily Rutledge (South Florida) also are back for the Knights, who were state champions in 2022 and have advanced to at least the state semifinals in four of the past six seasons.
13. Towson
Coach: Taylor Carhart
Last season: 15-2, No. 11
Postseason: Class 3A state finalist
Outlook: Despite some key graduations, the youthful Generals should still be in position to defend their Baltimore County title. Several key starters return, including attacker Chloe Gibson (Tampa), midfielders Finlay Harmon (Denison) and Lilywynn Holman, and defenders Hannah Mazhari and Elise Longanecker (New Haven). Towson might not start the season quite as dominant as a year ago, but look for the Generals to improve throughout as several younger players gain experience.
14. Garrison Forest
Coach: Courtney Connor
Last season: 7-10, not ranked
Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist
Outlook: Led by an entirely new coaching staff, the Grizzlies are poised to turn a corner this season after finishing .500 in the IAAM A Conference last year for the first time since 2017. The senior-laden squad is led by several future Division I players, including Virginia-bound sisters Livy and Gaby LaVerghetta. Livy (46 goals, 14 assists), in particular, has led the team in scoring for the past three seasons, despite being the focus of opposing defenses. Also back are midfielder Eva Thomsen-Marr (Denver) and defender-midfielder Tiana Griffin (Navy). Garrison came on strong toward the end of last season, beating Notre Dame Prep before giving Maryvale Prep a battle in the playoffs.
15. C. Milton Wright
Coach: Faye Brust
Last season: 11-5, not ranked
Postseason: Class 2A state semifinalist
Outlook: After recovering from a slow start to dominate the second half of last season and nearly knocking off unbeaten Manchester Valley in the state semifinals, C. Milton Wrights returns a well-rounded team eager to take the next step. Though faced with rebuilding their midfield, the Mavericks return several standout players, led by senior attacker-midfielder Shelby Sullivan (Maryland), who led the team with 65 goals and 78 draw controls a year ago. Juniors Emma Jankowiak (Campbell) and Sam Wolfkill (Flaggard) also are back on the attack, and senior Winslow DiPeso, The Aegis’ 2023 field hockey Player of the Year (Temple for field hockey), leads the defense. Brust’s team went 10-2 down the stretch last year.
Others considered: Dulaney (11-6), Fallston (15-4), Marriotts Ridge (10-5), Mt. Hebron (11-5), Notre Dame Prep (9-9), South Carroll (10-6), Westminster (13-5)