Baltimore Sun girls lacrosse preview: Storylines, players to watch and top 15 teams heading into 2023 season

Here’s what you need to know for the 2023 high school girls lacrosse season in the Baltimore area.

Storylines to watch

IAAM A Conference is as loaded as ever.

Need further proof that the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference is the most respected lacrosse league in the nation? Look no further than the preseason rankings. The two main national polls include seven of the league’s 15 teams. They are: St. Paul’s (No. 2 in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Preseason National Girls Top 25 and No. 1 in the ILWomen Preseason Top 25), McDonogh (No. 5 and No. 4), Archbishop Spalding (No. 8 and No. 10), Glenelg Country (No. 13 and No. 7) and Bryn Mawr (No. 15 and No. 12). Two other teams, Maryvale Prep and Notre Dame Prep, each received consideration in the Nike/USA Lacrosse poll. With so many strong teams this season, look for a plethora of competitive matchups, and perhaps more than a few upsets.

Mercy is hungry for more.

Mercy returns to the IAAM A Conference for the first time since 2009 after going unbeaten in the B Conference last year and claiming its fourth title in five seasons. The Magic played competitive games against several A Conference teams, including a win at Gerstell, before beating eventual Class 1A state champion Liberty and Towson, a regional champion in Class 3A. Now, the question becomes whether Mercy can hang with the A Conference heavyweights, including five teams ranked in preseason national Top 25 polls.

Three teams target a three-peat.

Among public schools, three teams — Broadneck, Marriotts Ridge and Liberty — each will be shooting for their third straight state titles. The last team to accomplish that was Glenelg from 2016 to 2018. On paper, each has a solid chance to match that feat, but none might have the support of the students, parents and community as much as Liberty. That’s because Karyn Brandel, the wife of head coach Tom Brandel, was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer called glioblastoma just a few days after the Lions celebrated their state title victory last season. Though she travels to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatments, she’s insisted that her husband continue coaching, and remains the team’s biggest fan.

Carroll County aims to continue impressive streak.

Speaking of Carroll County, teams from that area will be looking to continue an incredible streak. At least one team from Carroll has won a state championship in 16 straight seasons, dating to 2006. That compares to four straight for Anne Arundel County, two for Howard County and none for Baltimore County and Harford County. Century took home the Class 2A championship and Liberty the 1A a year ago. Though the Knights will face challenges with the graduation of several top players and an injury that could keep Clemson-bound attack Jasmine Stanton (68 goals) out for at least the regular season, Manchester Valley also will be a top contender in 2A and Westminster is always a threat in 3A.

City, Poly look to take next step.

City College will be vying for its 10th straight Baltimore City title this season under first-year coach Kristen Miller. A year ago, the Knights’ biggest challenge came from Poly, a team they beat, 11-10, in a key early-season showdown. Now, those teams are scheduled to square off twice, beginning with their March 29 meeting at City. The challenge for both will be faring better in the Class 3A North Region Tournament, where last year they each suffered lopsided losses to Catonsville. But the bigger challenge for city teams seems to be fielding teams at all. Though as many as six schools have participated in girls lacrosse in recent years, several have struggled of late to find coaches and fill rosters. This season, only two or three teams are expected to take the field.

Players to watch

Regan Byrne, Glenelg Country, attack, senior

The Clemson-bound attacker is ranked as the No. 21 senior in the nation by Inside Lacrosse after racking up 37 goals and four assists for the IAAM A Conference finalists.

Maisy Clevenger, Marriotts Ridge, midfield, senior

Ranked as the No. 7 senior in the nation by Inside Lacrosse, the Maryland commit finished with 64 goals, 11 assists and 55 draw controls and was a difference-maker on both ends of the field in leading the Mustangs to a Class 3A state title.

Lexi Dupcak, Broadneck, midfield, senior

The Maryland commit, ranked by Inside Lacrosse as the nation’s No. 16 senior, set a single-season school record with 145 draw controls. She finished with 62 goals and 18 assists as the Bruins breezed to a Class 4A state championship.

Alyssa Gore-Chung, Severna Park, attack, junior

Gore-Chung, a Navy commit, led the Falcons in most categories, including goals (48), points (64), draw controls (84) and ground balls (35), and tied for the team lead in caused turnovers with 22.

Frannie Hahn, St. Paul’s, attack, senior

The Florida-bound captain of the Gators’ offense finished with 40 goals and 48 assists despite often being face-guarded, helping her team to its second straight IAAM A Conference title.

Emma Penczek, Manchester Valley, midfield, sophomore

Penczek stormed onto the scene as a freshman last year, finishing with 66 goals and 28 assists to lead Carroll County in points. She also had 54 draw controls and 30 caused turnovers.

Remi Schaller, McDonogh, midfield, junior

A member of the USA Select Women’s U16 Team each of the past two years, the Michigan commit should be a big offensive weapon for the Eagles after finishing with 30 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore.

Lexi Reber, Bryn Mawr, defender, junior

The Syracuse commit is a lockdown defender who led her team in ground balls and caused turnovers last season. She was a member of the 2022 USA Select Women’s U16 Team and is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 defender among juniors.

[ St. Paul’s girls lacrosse star Natalie Shurtleff needed a push. Now she’s one of the nation’s top seniors. ]

Natalie Shurtleff, St. Paul’s, midfield, senior

The Clemson-bound midfielder is ranked as the nation’s No. 3 senior, according to Inside Lacrosse. She finished with 62 goals, 20 assists and 54 draw controls, including five goals in her team’s IAAM A Conference final win over Glenelg Country.

JJ Suriano, Bryn Mawr, goalie, senior

Fearless and extremely active out of the cage, the Maryland commit is ranked as the second-best senior goalie in the nation by Inside Lacrosse after saving 52% of shots against her last season.

Preseason Top 15

1. St. Paul’s

Coach: Mary Gagnon

Last season: 17-1 overall, ranked No. 1

Postseason: IAAM A Conference champion

Outlook: The Gators open this season ranked No. 1 in the nation in the ILWomen Preseason Top 25 High School Power Rankings — exactly where they left off a year ago when they captured their second straight IAAM A Conference title. All told, eight starters return, led by Clemson-bound midfielder Natalie Shurtleff, USA Lacrosse Magazine’s reigning Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Player of the Year, and All-Metro attack Frannie Hahn (Florida). Gagnon’s squad features Division I talent all over the field, including midfielder Anna Reagan (Southern California), perhaps the best draw specialist in the league; attacker Lauren Steer (Georgetown); defender Kira Balis (Clemson); and goalie Susan Radebaugh (Florida). Junior defender Christina King (Georgetown) returns after missing last season with an ACL injury.

2. McDonogh

Coach: Taylor Cummings

Last season: 16-2, No. 5

Postseason: IAAM A Conference semifinalist

Outlook: The Eagles take the field with an uncharacteristically inexperienced team after graduating 14 seniors. But don’t be fooled — they begin the year as a top-five national power and have the talent to vie for their first IAAM A Conference title since 2019. Midfielders Remi Schaller (Michigan) and Amanda Lawson (Stanford) are the heart of a lightning-fast midfield. Last season, they combined with attacker Makena London (Brown) to score 73 goals. Defensively, Codi Johnson (Brown) and Natalie Little (Hofstra) provide senior leadership to a unit that last year allowed 10 goals or fewer 15 times. The question will be if they can hang with St. Paul’s, which ran out to big early leads in both of their meetings a year ago.

3. Archbishop Spalding

Coach: Tara Shea

Last season: 12-4, No. 13

Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist

Outlook: With players returning at every position, the Cavaliers boast an impressive combination of speed and skill that has made them a preseason consensus top-10 national team and should help them make a run at the IAAM A Conference title. Maeve Cavanaugh, a member of the 2022 USA Select Women’s U16 Team, racked up 41 goals and 14 assists as a freshman last season while also taking the majority of draws, and junior Gabby Greene (Florida) is a strong finisher who led the team with 52 goals. In addition, the Cavs get back playmaker Ally Keith (Cincinnati), midfielder and draw specialist Lily Mullen (Cornell) and defender Maddie Wrenn (Clemson).

4. Broadneck

Coach: Katy Kelley

Last season: 17-3, No. 6

Postseason: Class 4A state champion

Outlook: A trio of standout senior midfielders will lead the way as the Bruins pursue their third straight Class 4A state title. Lexi Dupcak (Maryland) racked up 62 goals and 18 assists last year and set a single-season program record with 145 draw controls. Lilly Kelley (James Madison) added 46 goals, 38 assists and a team-best 33 caused turnovers, and Mary Moore (Villanova) had 39 goals and 48 assists. A pair of talented juniors, Olivia Orso (Ohio State) and Lily Trout (High Point), lead the attack for a team that likes to spread the ball around and outscored opponents by at least 10 goals 14 times last season.

5. Marriotts Ridge

Coach: Amanda Brady

Last season: 15-4, No. 7

Postseason: Class 3A state champion

Outlook: Speed in the midfield and experience on the attack will be invaluable for the Mustangs, who are chasing their third straight Class 3A state title. Senior Maisy Clevenger (Maryland) is an elite midfielder who is hard to stop in transition, as evidenced by her 64 goals a year ago, and senior attack Sofie Bender (Florida Tech) can both force turnovers and finish, as she did for the game-winner in last year’s state championship game. Senior attack Annika Huelskamp, midfielder Sophia Baxter and defender Hope Hettinger also will play key roles, as will sophomore Sydney Proper, the team’s new goalie.

6. Severna Park

Coach: Annie Houghton

Last season: 16-3, No. 8

Postseason: Class 3A state finalist

Outlook: Houghton takes over a team that advanced to the Class 3A state final a year ago and returns a talented core of players. Chief among them are junior attack Alyssa Gore-Chung (Navy), who boasts an elite set of offensive skills and led the team in nearly every statistical category, including draw controls, goals (47) and assists (15). Senior Charlotte Diez (Villanova), a four-year starter, is hard to beat in one-on-one situations, and senior Olivia Tramontana (San Diego State) is an impact player on defense. The Falcons also feature young depth across the field and a hunger to finish what they started last season.

7. Glenelg Country

Coach: Paige Walton

Last season: 17-2, No. 2

Postseason: IAAM A Conference finalist

Outlook: Despite the graduation of four All-Metro players, the Dragons enter this season as a consensus national top-20 team, thanks in large part to their standout midfield and defense. Seniors Ashley Dyer (Florida), Cate O’Ferrall (Rutgers), Julia Dustin (High Point) and goalie Natalie Eastwood (South Florida) anchor a defense that allowed an IAAM A Conference-low 7.2 goals per game a year ago. On the offensive end, Clemson-bound sisters Regan Byrne and Blair Byrne are back after combining for 64 goals and 11 assists last season, and Maggie Flanagan (Virginia Tech) was a standout in the draw circle.

8. Maryvale Prep

Coach: Brian Reese

Last season: 12-6, unranked

Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist

Outlook: With 15 seniors committed to play in college, the Lions have a legitimate shot to top last year’s win total, which was the program’s most since 2010. Reese’s squad will be particularly strong on defense, led by senior goalie Abby Francioli (Richmond), who saved 52% of shots against her last season and racked up 20 saves against McDonogh. Other top returners include midfielders Noel Cumberland (Northwestern) and Sam Paradise (Delaware), defender Kayla Wehberg (Monmouth) and attack Kendall Barnes (Pittsburgh), who will lead an offense that’s young but talented.

9. Notre Dame Prep

Coach: Mac Ford

Last season: 10-9, unranked

Postseason: IAAM A Conference quarterfinalist

Outlook: Ford’s squad will be young, but talented, as evidenced by its season-opening 11-10 win over Bryn Mawr. Five starters return for the Blazers, who last season lost by a goal each to powers McDonogh, Glenelg and Archbishop Spalding and twice gave battles to IAAM A Conference champion St. Paul’s. Junior goalie Emme Martin (Vanderbilt) anchors an improved defense, and senior Sarah Goodison (East Carolina) leads an attack that will need to be efficient with its scoring chances.

10. Bryn Mawr

Coach: Molly Wolf

Last season: 14-5, No. 9

Postseason: IAAM A Conference semifinalist

Outlook: A year ago, Bryn Mawr was the surprise team of the IAAM, dropping just three league games and advancing to the tournament semifinals after starting the season unranked. Now, the Mawrtians are surprises no more, beginning this season ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation before dropping their first two games to Georgetown Visitation and Notre Dame Prep. They are led by a defensive unit that returns all of its starters, anchored by Maryland-commit JJ Suriano, one of the top goalies in the nation. Junior Lexi Reber (Syracuse) is also a lockdown defender who led the team in ground balls and caused turnovers, and senior Reese Woodworth (Duke) is a standout midfielder who shines at both the offensive end and draw circle.

11. Glenelg

Coach: Alex Pagnotta

Last season: 15-1, No. 4

Postseason: Class 2A West Region I finalist

Outlook: The Gladiators graduated a large and talented senior class but also possess the young talent to quickly reload. Senior attack Lauren LaPointe (Maryland) enters her fourth year as a starter after finishing with 45 goals and 14 assists a year ago, and senior Isa Torres (Virginia Tech) is a standout midfielder and draw specialist. Midfielders Sarah Johnson (High Point) and Kamryn Henson (Virginia Tech) also will provide key contributions for a team with a wicked schedule that includes out-of-county games against Notre Dame Prep, McDonogh, Severna Park and Broadneck.

12. Manchester Valley

Coach: Shelly Brezicki

Last season: 13-2, No. 10

Postseason: Class 2A West Region I semifinalist

Outlook: The attack and midfield will be bountiful for the Mavericks, who shouldn’t have trouble putting the ball in the net. With several new players on defense, however, their ability to stop the opposition will determine just how far they can go. Their top four goal scorers return, led by sophomore Emma Penczek, who put up eye-popping numbers (66 goals, 28 assists, 30 caused turnovers) her rookie year. Senior midfielders Casey Meredith (Towson) and Erin Herrold (Sacred Heart) combined for another 79 goals, while defender Aubrey Chopper (Robert Morris) is back to lead the defense.

13. Hereford

Coach: Kelly Swift

Last season: 14-2, No. 11

Postseason: Class 2A state finalist

Outlook: One of the strongest midfield tandems in Baltimore County returns for the Bulls, who lost only three players to graduation. Junior Lindsey Moneymaker (Ohio State) uses her hard, precise shot to control the attack (56 goals, 10 assists), and her strength to win the majority of 50-50 balls. Another junior, Maya Antonakas (James Madison) added 28 goals and 17 assists last season, and goalie MK McGonigle played a key role in helping the Bulls advance to the state finals. Hereford has advanced to at least the state semifinals six times since 2014 but is searching for its first title since 2003.

14. Liberty

Coach: Thomas Brandel

Last season: 12-7, No. 15

Postseason: Class 1A state champion

Outlook: Experienced talent abounds for two-time defending state champions, who graduated only two players and return seven seniors bound for Div. I or II programs. Senior Riley Matthiesen (East Carolina) is back after finishing with 52 goals and 41 assists a year ago, and is joined on the attack by senior Ally Pond (UMBC), who added 31 and 13. Senior Jenna Evans (Robert Morris) had 33 goals and 77 draw controls last season, and identical twin seniors Julia and Izzy Lucas (both Florida Southern) lead the defense. Goalies Halley Feaga and Emily Pond also are back, with Pond among seven sophomores with varsity experience.

15. C. Milton Wright

Coach: Faye Brust

Last season: 11-5, No. 14

Postseason: Class 2A East Region I finalist

Outlook: The Mustangs have some important roles to fill, but also return a core group of standouts who should put them in the driver’s seat in Harford County. Senior Katie Roszko (Towson) is back after finishing second on the team in points the past two seasons, and will be joined at midfield by senior Cailin Hetrick (Penn State) and junior Morgan Perry (South Florida). Junior Shelby Sullivan (Maryland) leads the attack. Several new faces, including in the draw circle, will determine just how far Brust’s squad can go.

Others considered: Century (19-0), Fallston (12-3), Towson (12-3), Westminster (12-4)