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2010 girls lacrosse season preview
Taking a look at the top teams, players and the important dates for the county's teams.
Here is a team-by-team look at the county preseason Top 10, starting with No. 1 Los Alamitos:
No. 1 Los Alamitos: The Los Alamitos girls lacrosse team reached the top last season, winning its first U.S. Lacrosse Southern California championship.
The Griffins, under Coach Meredith Meyran, are hoping to repeat and they have a good shot with a number of players from last year’s team returning.
“So far we are 3-0 in the 2010 season with wins over Beckman (16-14) El Toro (15-6) and La Costa Canyon (12-3). Our goal is to win the Sunset League and repeat as CIF-SS champions,” said Meyran, the Register’s county coach of the year last season.
“Our current seniors have now been starting together for the last four seasons so they have come a long way and they’re in it to win it.”
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The O.C. Top 10 (previews of teams 2-5)
The O.C. Top 10 (previews of teams 6-10)
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The Griffins were the Sunset League and Orange County champions, finishing with a perfect 19-0 mark.
Los Alamitos will have to deal with the loss of senior Francie Crowell, who was the Orange County Register player of the year. Crowell led the county with 149 points on 76 goals and 73 assists. Crowell also had 46 groundballs.
Crowell earned a scholarship to Notre Dame.
The returning class is hoping to pick up some of the slack left by the departure of Crowell.
Among the players are senior midfielder Shaina Denny, who had 65 points on 51 goals with 14 assists, 47 ground balls and 30 draw controls. She has been named all county for three years.
Also back is senior midfielder Ashley Actkinson, who was a second team All-County player last year.
Actkinson had 61 points on 36 goals, 25 assists, 37 ground balls and 20 draw controls. She also caused 17 turnovers.
Another key player is senior defender Kristin Robbins, who was second team All-County last year. Robbins had 18 points on 10 goals, eight assists, 64 groundballs and caused 52 turnovers.
The Griffins will also look for a big year from senior attack Tracy Paulson, who had 63 points on 48 goals, 15 assists, 42 ground balls and 26 draw controls.
Also returning is senior defender Amiya Moretta, an all-Sunset League first team player. Moretta had three goals and two assists and caused 28 turnovers last year.
Other talented players include senior attack Melanie Martinez, a first team All-Sunset League choice and senior goalkeeper Natalie Richards, a second team all-Sunset League choice last season.
Senior defenders Janelle Mais and Michelle Elias, junior midfielder Melissa Hastie and senior goalie Dani Lindquist are also back.
Beckman, Foothill, El Toro and Newport Harbor are among the squads hoping to dethrone Los Alamitos this year.
