Anne Arundel County girls lacrosse capsules
March 19, 1997By Bill Free
Outlook: If team spirit, enthusiasm and successful fund raising to buy new team kilts and away jerseys mean anything, the Patriots will be hard to handle on the lacrosse field this spring. “It may not mean we’ll win a lot more,” said Diacont. “But it’s the first step towards a winning attitude. Our girls are trusting each other more and going out in the feeder systems and coaching. That has to help, plus we are getting better athletes out for the team. It used to be everybody made the team here.” Other players being counted on to help Old Mill this season are sophomore attacker Lauren Ethridge, sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Johnson and freshman midfielder Laura Shores.
Severna Park Falcons
1996 record: 13 2
Coach: Carin Peterson
Top players: Amy Noble, Sr., M; Julie Shank, So., D; Dana Cappello, Sr., M; Kristin Crawford, Sr., M; Lauren Hancock, Sr., D; Ashley Evans, Sr., A; Jessica Gaither, So., D.
Outlook: Noble and Shank are coming off second team All Met seasons and are ready to mix it up again with Annapolis and St. Mary’s for the right to be considered the “best of the best” in girls lacrosse. Unbeaten Annapolis dealt the Falcons both their losses last season, giving Peterson’s team a psychological advantage in a rematch this spring. But it may take more than a mental edge for Severna Park to handle a loaded Panthers team. “People think Annapolis will be down this year because they lost three top players (Amy Brew, Becky Morris and Stephy Samaras),wholesale jerseys from china but they still have some players,” said Peterson. “We’re going to try to be the most balanced team. I believe St. Mary’s is the team to beat. People sit there and look at Severna Park like we never get beat. Before we used to kill all these teams around here. Now you have teams like Annapolis, St. Mary’s and Broadneck who can beat us.” Severna Park has gone three seasons without winning the Class 3A 4A state championship, after capturing five straight state titles from 1989 93.1996 record: 11 5Top players: Jessie Popham, Sr., A; Bess Freedlander, Sr., A; Amy Galebach, Sr., D; Gussie Habeck, Sr., D; Carol Prickett, Jr., M; Carrie Staines, So., M; Becky Sawyer, Jr., D. “We had three hour sessions every day, did a lot of bonding and went to the beach together.” With the entire starting defense returning from last year, the focus is on rebuilding the attack that lost four gifted players in Kate Graw, Julie Tice, Meghan Bauer and Jessica Burke. “We do have a lot of speed this year and should be among the top teams in the A Conference,” said Sotiropoulis.1996 record: 8 7
Coach: Linda Kilpatrick
Top players: Lindsey Lowman, Sr., M; Karli Talbott, Sr., A; Ashley Wermine, Jr., M; Devon Pierce, Jr., M; Melody Johnson, Jr., M; Sarah Thornton, Jr., D; Kim Manas, So., G; Megan Raley, Jr., D.
Outlook: The Bulldogs lost seven seniors from last year’s Class 1A 2A state semifinalist team, but they have a lot of young athletes with speed around this season to replace the experience. Other main assets are the coaching of Kilpatrick, who has guided Southern to three state lacrosse championships and five state basketball titles, and the presence of two outstanding senior leaders, Lowman and Talbott. Lowman just finished leading the surprising Southern basketball team to a second place finish in the Class 2A state tournament. “Anything less than a trip to the states would be disappointing,” said Kilpatrick. “I’m pleased with the way the girls worked in the off season. They were undefeated in fall ball.”
South River Seahawks
1996 record: 11 4
Coach: Steve Barry
Top players: Caitlin McElhenny, Sr., A; Lauren Waleryszak, Sr., A; Lorie Zamarripa, Jr., D; Nicole Zamarripa, So., D; Lorin Smith, So., A; Eryn Belt, So., A; Eryn Strickland, Jr., D; Stephanie Schaeffer, So., G.