In an unusual occurrence, five SOL girls’ lacrosse team won a share of the championship of two conferences.
Two conferences, two champions.
Makes perfect sense, right? Try two conferences and five champions. That’s the improbable scenario that unfolded in the SOL this year. Two teams – North Penn and Pennsbury – are sharing the SOL National Conference title, and while that’s not unusual, the fact that the SOL American Conference has tri-champions – Springfield Twp, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland – certainly is not typical.
All five schools have lost just one game in conference play, and all five will add their names to the banners at their respective schools. It’s safe to say that sharing the crown does not diminish its value to any of the five.
North Penn: SOL National Conference Co-Champs
In a season that looked every bit the part of a rebuilding year, the Knights surprised even themselves by simply reloading and capturing a share of a title they owned. This despite returning just three starters from last year’s conference championship squad.
“It was crazy,” NP senior Lauren Blanch said. “It was a real rebuilding year. I wasn’t a starter last year. Everyone came in with an open mind. We didn’t think, ‘Oh we’re going to be bad because we haven’t been on varsity.’”
The Knights were 3-4 after seven games, which included an overtime loss to Council Rock South (8-7) in their second league game of the season on March 29, but they did not lose again in league play the rest of the way.
“Definitely I did not think we were going to end up with a championship,” said senior Kiera Holt, one of just four seniors in the Knights’ starting lineup. “Our team is so young, but we definitely brought each other up. Kids are playing older than we thought they would. It’s cool seeing that. From the beginning of the year to now, our team has grown so much.”
So, what’s been the key to the Knights’ success?
“It’s a lot of things – hard work, we hang out all the time, we get breakfast after Saturday practices,” senior Kayla Stressman said. “We’re improving every day. Our defense is clicking.”
Grace Macnamara added her thoughts.
“Some of the reasons are hard work, teamwork, and perseverance,” the Knights’ senior said. “Our season started off a little slow as we are a very young team, but we always had talks after each game about what we could’ve done better and then translated those points into our practices. Even though we had a couple losses early on, they were each only by a goal or two, and I know everyone on the team could see the potential we had in those losses, and we wanted to achieve it.
“A big factor I see in most of our wins is how well we play together as a team. We have a lot of trust in each other, and we always stay encouraging no matter what. I am very proud of my team for continuing to always be supportive and hardworking, no matter what.”
There’s an unmistakable camaraderie that didn’t just happen.
“On the field before practice, we’re always goofing around with each other,” Holt said. “We’re always texting our group chats, and we’re always hanging out – we go to dinners, we go to breakfasts, so we’re always together. It brought us all together. A lot of us play different sports with each other, so we brought that aspect into our team this year.”
“That’s very important,” Stressman said. “If you don’t like your teammates and start getting mad at each other, it’s going to wear your teammates down. Since we have such a close bond, we’re able to laugh but also be serious.”
The Knights capped a remarkable run through conference play with an 8-5 Senior Night win over Pennsbury in their final conference game.
“We were hoping to do good, but (a championship) wasn’t on my mind,” Stressman said.
Coach Heather Mellow points to the leadership from the entire senior class as the key to bringing the team together.
“We were missing a big piece to our puzzle most of the offseason with Kayla Stressman playing water polo in the fall and swimming in the winter – a season that extended into States,” the Knights’ coach said. “It was sometimes hard to see how the team would work when she wasn’t there. She didn’t start the lacrosse season until a couple days before our first game because she was swimming at States.
“It took some time to put all our pieces together, learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and really become a close-knit team at this point. They have a lot of fun together and are playing for each other. Just an amazing group of young ladies.”
Pennsbury: SOL National Conference Co-Champs
They lost a pair of Division 1 players who had been the heart and soul of the Falcons’ squad since they set foot on the field as freshmen in Maggie Golder and Darrien Furiness. With just two seniors on this year’s squad, the Falcons entered the season with their share of question marks.
“Going into the season, the team had little hope of being as successful as we were,” senior Chelsea Todd said. “Entering the season our main goal was to stick by each other’s sides through the wins and losses.”
The Falcons opened the season with back-to-back losses to a pair of strong non-league opponents in Strath Haven and Germantown Academy.
“The beginning of our season was a little rocky - we are a young team with only two seniors and almost zero subs, so we were uncertain how the season would play out,” senior Olivia Graebner said. “I don't think other teams were too worried about us at the beginning of the season after so many talented seniors graduated last year. However, our team has a lot of competitive and hardworking players who came to practice every day giving it their all.”
On the hels of their season-opening losses, the Falcons reeled off five straight wins.
“The turning point was our Central Bucks West game, when we realized a title was within our reach,” Todd said of the Falcons’ 16-5 win over the Bucks on March 29. “The whole team played their Falcons’ lacrosse, and it opened up our eyes. We knew we had so much potential.”
“As the season progressed, we really started to come together as a team,” Graebner said. “I saw how much determination we all had. Every one of our players has something to offer, and I think that has been a huge part of our success.
“This is an amazing group of teammates - we constantly support each other and are proud of each other's accomplishments. Our cohesiveness has been crucial through the ups and downs of the season. At the end of the season, we had some really close, one-goal games that were incredibly exciting and really showed our grit and perseverance. I am incredibly proud of this team and what we have accomplished.”
The Falcons took a nine-game winning streak into their final conference game at North Penn including hard-fought wins over conference foes Council Rock South and Pennridge.
“I think the team’s key to success has been our team chemistry,” Todd said. “We play for each other and play as a unit. We all push each other to be better and support one another.
“The best part of the season was making new friends and bus rides to away games.
The Falcons’ loss to North Penn in their final conference game was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect conference season, and it could not detract from the team’s accomplishments under first-year coach Marguerite Piccolo.
“I’m extremely proud of the girls for achieving such an amazing accomplishment, one that they didn’t know was achievable,” Piccolo said. “We had some tough non-league games against GA and Strath Haven in the beginning of the season, which I think helped prepare us for the league. I believe a little adversity is a good thing— not only in sports but will prepare them for the future.
“Throughout the season, they have learned what it takes to be resilient and work together as a team. We are looking forward to playoffs.”
Springfield Township: SOL American Conference tri-champions
The Spartans entered the 2023 season with decidedly high expectations, returning the nucleus of last year’s 7-4 squad that finished three games behind Wissahickon in the battle for conference supremacy.
“Going into this season, we all had high hopes for the year to win challenging games and to push our team to be the best we can be,” junior captain Tess Talbot said. “Everyone had been working hard in the offseason and wanted to build off the progress we made the last year after only losing one starting senior.”
Added junior captain Emma Yoder, “Heading into the season with the same core team as last year only losing three seniors, I was pretty confident that we were going to have a good season. We’ve played together and bonded as a team before, and that is a key to our team’s success.”
The Spartans more than lived up to their lofty expectations, winning their first 13 games of the season.
“I knew we had a good group of girls going into the season, and there were some things we had to focus on, but I knew with this group we could work hard and get it done,” senior captain Shannon Meder said. “I think as the season went on the team realized that we are able to compete at an intense level and that paved the way for us to have great team wins.”
Included in the Spartans’ 13 wins was a 13-11 victory over Upper Moreland in their first league game, and the Spartans followed that with a 7-6 win over Mount St. Joseph Academy.
“A turning point this year actually happened in the beginning when we played the Mount,” Talbot said. “It showcased a full team connection and effort to win the game. Our season has been so fun this far and we can’t wait to see how far we can go in playoffs.”
There are many reasons for the Spartans’ success this season.
“I think communication and the work ethic from everybody (are the key) - every person on our team has really grown as players, and I think the connections we have with each other while playing has been a big factor to our wins,” Meder said. “I think the best part of our season so far has been the feeling of success after giving it our all. Knowing we worked hard and together to have a good team outcome.”
While the Spartans have created plenty of memories on the field, their memories extend beyond the field.
“A fun activity for our team is our team dinners - it allows us to bond as a team without being on the field,” Yoder said.
The Spartans, who start four seniors, suffered their only league loss to Upper Dublin in a classic battle (8-6).
“Our only goal going into this season was a league title - so we accomplished our goal,” coach Marissa Conover said. “We thought it to be possible and we set our sights on it early during fall and winter league. We have so much talent this year we are so excited to continue playing.
“So much of the credit goes to Casey Murray who is my co-coach. He has finetuned his training with these girls and is so talented at creating drills and breaking down skills.”
The Spartans also possess their share of firepower and a goalie between the pipes in St. Joseph’s University commit Tess Talbot who surpassed the 400-save mark.
“We are also lucky to have our goalie who came up with a save average of 62 percent this year,” Conover said. “We are hopeful for playoffs but want to stay grounded in playing our game instead of looking ahead too much.”
Upper Dublin: SOL American Conference tri-champions
The Flying Cardinals entered the season with decidedly modest expectations. With the loss of six starters, there were more than a few question marks on an Upper Dublin squad that boasts a winning tradition.
“I expected to have a similar record to last season’s,” said senior co-captain Alli Gay. “I wasn’t sure what to expect from a goalie standpoint because we didn’t have one.”
The Cardinals tied for second last year behind conference champion Wissahickon but didn’t have any goalies – experienced or otherwise - on their roster this season.
Sophomore Anna Biermaas, who was a field player for the jayvee as a freshman, had no previous experience at the position but agreed to give it a try.
“She wanted to stop playing after two weeks – she wanted out,” coach Dee Cross said. “We asked her to finish out the season, and to her credit, she put the team in front of herself and made it work.
“She now has embraced the role and has improved all season.”
Biermaas anchors a defense comprised of all freshmen and sophomores.
The Cardinals were 1-2 after three games but then went on a roll, winning nine straight. Included in those wins was a pair of one-goal wins over Boyertown and Plymouth Whitemarsh and a 9-7 win over National Conference co-champion North Penn.
“The turning point for me was after we beat Abington and Wissahickon,” Gay said of wins over the Ghosts (9-7) and Trojans (10-6). “It was mid-season, and I realized we only had a few tough games left. We had already gotten through most of them and succeeded.”
“The moment we beat Wiss was a huge turning point for the team,” senior co-captain Kelly Senior said. “We had no idea what kind of potential we had until this win made us realize. We carried the passion from that game all the way through the rest of the season.”
Like Gay, Senior expected a season similar to last year’s.
“It was a little rocky in the beginning but once we settled in, I could tell we were going to do really well,” the senior co-captain said.
Ask the senior captains the keys to their team’s success, and they have varied responses.
“The key has been our defense and the variety of players who score/assist goals,” Gay said. “Our defenders have consistently caused turnovers and come up with the ball. On the attacking end, so many players have scored goals at key times in our games.”
“The key to our team’s success is that we are always working harder,” Senior said. “The fire and heart in us when we step onto the field is consistent and crucial to our play.”
It’s not all work and no play for the Cardinals.
“Our team has ‘families’ with seniors as the ‘parents’ and getting together with them during practice always brings us closer, whether it’s doing shuttles together, running, or just getting to know one another,” Gay said.
“For me the best part of the season is getting so close with the team,” Senior said. “After a hard practice we’ll play a fun game to get to know each other or put on performances. This is important because it brings us closer so we can play for each other.”
The 2023 season has unquestionably exceeded the team’s expectations.
“We started this season with a lot of question marks,” Cross said. “We needed a goalie. We had a lot of positions to fill and had a little bit of experience coming back from last year. With that being said, it is easy to keep saying, ‘Wait until next season’.
“We kept telling the girls, take what is in front of you right now. Don’t wait. You never know what next year brings. They responded and worked hard to become a team. They love playing together and are having fun and that is all a coach can ask. Along the way they started to believe in themselves and watching them win a championship was very rewarding and exciting as a coach. They are a great group.”
Upper Moreland: SOL American Conference tri-champions
It had been a long time between championships for the Golden Bears – 22 years to be exact, and the players entered the season with varying degrees of optimism.
“I came into the season expecting some trouble with the amount of seniors the team lost last year, but I knew that our team this year could get the job done if we really put ourselves into it,” senior Reagan Cummins said.
“My expectations were set high for this team,” senior Allison LaRocco said. “And I believed that this season could be our best season yet.”
“Entering this season, I didn't really have any expectations,” sophomore Annalise Messina said. “I went into it with an open mind ready to see where the season goes.”
Coach Kim Frantz admits there were some question marks.
“I wasn't sure what to expect because we graduated most of our defense,” the UM coach said. “What I didn't take into account is how willing players would be to move to defense and how much they would gel as a group. I could not have asked any more out of our defense, especially with some of them being new to the position.”
A conference championship might not have been on their radar when the Golden Bears dropped their second conference game of the season to Springfield Township (13-11), but they went on to win their next eight, including a 10-9 win in their second last game over the regular season over an Upper Dublin squad previously undefeated in conference play.
“The turning point this season was winning the game against Wissahickon,” Messina said of UM’s 14-9 win over the defending champion Trojans midway through the season. “Last year we fell short of them by one goal, and we were so wanting a win. Once we won, we realized that we are a top competitor in our league and can go the distance if we stay together and perform cohesively every game.”
It was the Wissahickon win among others that suggested this year could be special indeed.
“When we started to win against the so called ‘big dogs’ - bigger schools that always have a great record - I finally realized that this season was in our hands and we were now becoming a big dog,” LaRocco said.
Added Cummins, “When our team started to win against the bigger schools not just by one or two but more than that, I knew that we could win the title if we continued to play how we did.
“The team has strong aspects all throughout the field, which brings us together during the game and helps us be successful.”
Franz also pointed to the win over Wissahickon as a pivotal point of the season.
“That game meant so much to us since we lost to them last year by one goal, and we lost our moment after that game because the team was devastated knowing how close they were to the league title,” the UM coach said. “This year it meant even more and made us realize we can do it - we just have to keep working hard.”
The players point to the team’s camaraderie as one of the keys to their success.
“Our team chemistry has been great with everyone lifting each other up and cheering on everyone,” LaRocco said.
“Even in the bad games, we would still find a way to pick each other up and pull through with the win.”
“The key to the team's success is our energy and heart,” Messina said. “We may not be the most skilled team out there, but we definitely celebrate the little things and give it our all every minute of every game, which gives us an upper hand in close one goal games.”
Ask the players the best part of the season, and their responses vary.
“I think one of our favorite parts of the season as a team is our warm-up playlist we started using a little bit into the season,” Cummins said. “It gets us hyped up for our game all together.
“Our team dinners have always been a hit with team bonding,” LaRocco said. “Also, we have these families where the seniors are considered moms and it really helps us grow closer to each other as a team.”
“The best part of this season has been seeing how far we can go,” Messina said. “Going into this season we thought we would fall somewhere in the middle, but sharing a title and being a high seed in district playoffs has been so fun to be a part of and a huge thing to celebrate every game.”
Winning a share of the title has ended a 22-year drought for the Golden Bears.
“I am beyond excited that we are able to have a piece of the title this year,” Frantz said. “For the past seven years I have coached at UM, this has been a goal for our team each year. Every year during a team scavenger hunt, the players have to take a picture with the banner and point to it as if this was the year, and this year 2023 will be added. Every player from the past seven years is a piece of this title this year. Previous players have set the stage and expectations for the team, like 6 am practices before school and watching film to scout teams. All of this helps us to be a strong team and all previous players have set that tone of what it takes to be successful.
“This year's team was really special, they all get along well, they are willing to play different positions, they aren't concerned about personal stats but rather the success of the team, and the biggest thing of all they work hard each day. I am beyond proud of each of these athletes. The amount of heart these girls play with every day is just amazing. I wish our seniors the best next year and hope they know they always have a piece of history at UM now. To our underclassman we have some shoes to fill, but I know they can do it - next year will be another exciting season.”
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