2010 girls lacrosse season preview: Teams 2-5
A team-by-team look at the county preseason Top 10. These are teams 2-5. Click on the links below to see the entire preview.
2. Beckman: The Patriots were 18-2 last year and won the Pacific Coast League title last year. Under new Coach Monica Cullinan, they hope to make to make another run at the title and a have another long run in the playoffs.
The team returns senior midfielder Ashley Miller, who was the MVP of the league last year and a first team All-County player. Miller scored 55 goals and had 50 assists and 92 groundballs for the Patriots.
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The O.C. Top 10 (preview of No. 1)
The O.C. Top 10 (previews of teams 6-10)
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Also back is junior midfielder/attack Abbey Messmer, who was a first team All-County player last year. Messmer scored 48 goals with 35 assists and 65 groundballs.
The Patriots are also counting on big seasons from sophomore Kylie Wong, a defender and attack player; senior Megan Lawson, a midfielder and defender; senior attack Brooke Thornton, junior defender Alyssa Mathes and junior midfielder and defender Chelsea Baker.
Also back are junior midfielder-defender Ari White, junior midfielder-attack Alex O’Connor, senior goalie Calle LaFlam and junior midfielder-defender Allie Lehner.
3. Foothill: The Knights reached the Orange County title match last year, losing to Los Alamitos, 15-10, and finished with a 16-5 overall record and 7-1 Sea View League mark, sharing the title with El Toro.
The Knights are hoping to contend for the league crown again this year under Coach Brian Cross and are hoping to make another long run in the playoffs.
Foothill loses Natalie Cross, a first team All-County player as a senior last year. Cross had 47 goals, 30 assists and 56 groundballs last year.
Two all-Sea View League players, senior midfielders Allison Langius and Kaylee Navarette, return to lead the Knights. Navarette was a second team All-county player.
Also returning is junior attack Lindsay Alex, junior defender Carly Beall, senior defenders Cami Caudill and Erica Embro, senior attack Christen Furniss, senior defender Reagan Guariello and junior midfielder Laura Gustafson.
Foothill is also looking for contributions from sophomore midfielder Kaelin Hales, junior midfielder Brittany Paquette and senior attack Danielle Peralta.
Senior attack Ali Rische, senior center Wendy Siino, sophomore attack Courtney Valdez and freshman goalie Emily Kift are other key players, according to Cross.
4. El Toro: The Chargers, under coach Lee Danbara, reached the semifinals of the county playoffs last year and tied with Foothill for the Sea View League title.
The Chargers’ prospects appear bright with two returning All-county players, senior midfielder Jacky Craycraft and junior goalie Danica Kristiansen, leading the way.
Also returning for El Toro are senior midfielders Maria Pedreira and Jaycee Slack and junior midfielders Megan Guilfoyle, Kylie Gilmour and Lindsay Perry.
Senior midfielders Kayla Donley and Sara Digregorio, junior midfielder McKinna Kreighoff and senior midfielders Amanda McCaulley and Michelle Mendoza are also back.
Sophomore midfielder Nikki Taylor and junior midfielder Sara Jurenkova are other key players for the Chargers.
5. Newport Harbor: The Sailors were 12-7 and finished second in the Sunset League, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs before losing to Foothill.
First-year coach Sarah Queener has a talented group returning, led by junior midfielder Sierra Michaelsen, who was first team All-Sunset League last year.
“It’s a strong group of players,” Queener said. “They are very talented both athletically and with their sticks. I am hoping to build on what the program has been able to accomplish and start to solidify Newport Harbor as a dominant force in not only Southern California but in the country.”
Among the other top players are senior goalie Paige More, who has first team All-Sunset League last year and had a save percentage of .595.
The Sailors are also looking for big contributions from junior attack Zoie Wolfe, junior midfielder Taylor Cordeiro, senior midfielder Morgan Fabian, junior defender Nicole Perrier, junior midfielder Amanda Olevsky and junior defenders Stephanie Storch and Madeline Storch.
Senior defender Lauren Sanchez-Rojas, junior attack Chelsie Delameter and junior defender Laura Civillo are other key players.
Also expected to contribute are senior defender Lauren Chandler and freshman midfielder Hannah Vigil.
