Franklin Regional girls lacrosse adjusts under new coach

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, April 6, 2018 | 4:18 PM

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Coming back from a tough, overtime loss to Hampton in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals and losing nearly half the team to graduation, first-year Franklin Regional girls lacrosse coach Mackenzie McGuire decided it was time to make exactly two changes.

The first change was a complete overhaul to the offense and the second was a change of philosophy on defense.

McGuire looked on as a casual observer last season while also coaching as an assistant at Norwin. She said the Panthers' defense, while stout at the beginning of the season, wore down at the end. She points to Franklin Regional's two games against Hampton last season, one of which was during the regular season and the other ended the season.

“We just told them straight up, we're doing zone defense this year,” said McGuire, a 2011 Franklin Regional grad. “They lost by one goal in overtime (to Hampton) during the season and lost by six goals (in the playoffs).

“It was a lot of learning, and (they) observed the girls who already knew how to do it. We have a large focus on zone defense, and it all starts with them being competitive with themselves at practice.”

Even with the high turnover from last season, McGuire has generated enough interest around the program to boost numbers from 28 players last season to a 44-player roster this year.

“When the girls got on board, they seemed to be all about it,” McGuire said.

McGuire has created a competitive atmosphere since being hired last fall. She started her philosophical transition by taking the Panthers to a few fall lacrosse tournaments, finishing off with a successful first-place finish at St. Vincent.

“We had a really good showing at the tourneys,” senior defender Grace Scherpereel said. “We really played well together as a team and in a good way.”

One of the players who took part was senior defender Julia Kukalis. Having missed her junior year with a knee injury, Kukalis is back where she left off as a sophomore. McGuire was the Franklin Regional junior varsity coach that year before spending last season with Norwin. McGuire, who went on to play club lacrosse at the South Florida, mentored Kukalis during her junior varsity days.

“Julia was the one I took under my wing,” McGuire said. “I was a defender, and that was my thing. I went crazy with her over zone defense.”

Lining up with Kukalis and Scherpereel in the back end are fellow seniors Leah Myers and Juliana Merlina.

“For some of us who played as sophomores, we knew how to play defense already but the initial adjustment was a little harder,” Kukalis said. “We learned how to communicate better as a team.”

The second change was on the offensive end, where McGuire moved to a spread motion-type offense.

“We told them the biggest thing is spreading out, keep moving, communication and making the defenses tired,” McGuire said.

Starting in the midfield are sophomore Noelle Boyd and seniors Angie Giannangeli and Hanna Turacy. Giannangeli, who led the team in scoring a year ago, said last year's loss to Hampton still stings.

“It's definitely still a touchy subject for us,” Giannangeli said. “We feel that we blew it because we had all the potential last year to go all the way.”

McGuire is looking to attach opposing defenses with four attackers — senior Fracesca Giacchino, sophomores Lauren Callahan and Christina Hodowanec and junior Payton Shilling, who is new to the team.

Sophomore Kendra Delissio starts in goal.

“In practices she's good,” McGuire said. “She's not afraid to take a chance, which I like a lot, and she doesn't get stressed when someone attacks.”

One thing is for certain, if the Panthers are going to take the next step, they will to it as a team.

“Our biggest thing this year is, worrying about ourselves and not so much the other team,” McGuire said.

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Franklin Regional