Sewickley Academy girls lacrosse team looks to take final step

By: Karen Kadilak
Friday, April 19, 2019 | 8:48 PM

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After coming close last season, the Sewickley Academy girls lacrosse team (6-1, 4-0 in Section 2-AAA) looks forward to its first WPIAL title.

“Our biggest goal is to win WPIALs,” senior Sydney Larsen said. “We made it to the finals last year.

“Even though we had the talent to get there, it was a pretty big stage. We are still a very young team.”

Larsen said the Panthers are fortunate to have a lot of skilled players.

Larsen, a midfielder, is among those players. An Amherst recruit, she was named a US Lacrosse Girls’ High School All-American for Western Pennsylvania last season.

“We are lucky enough to have several gifted athletes (who) have contributed to the scoring and defensive efforts,” Sewickley Academy coach Chelsea Cameron said. “Sydney Larsen and Katie Jones are our two senior captains who have been leading the offensive and defensive ends of the field, respectively.”

Cameron said junior Jill Pollon has held the Panthers in close games as the returning goalie.

Sophomores JJ Jardini and Victoria Keller have been big contributors to a young defense, Cameron said. Both have done a great job with Jones in developing new players, sophomores Mia Delvecchio and Kamryn Lightcap and freshman Fife McCargo.

On the other side of the ball, Larsen and sophomores Elsa Gordon, Emma DiSantis and Lexi Guerin have good chemistry on the circle with draw controls and scoring.

Sophomores Ellie Hughes, Ellie Zack, Madison Recker and Keller have contributed points.

“What we are most proud of as a coaching staff is that we have everyone involved on offense,” said Cameron, in her second season. “About a third of our goals have come off of assists.

“We average six different scorers a game.”

Larsen said the Panthers are determined to make a deep playoff run.

“We are taking it game by game, and we have some big opponents ahead that we need to tackle first,” Larsen said.

Former Panther Maggie McClain joined the coaching staff after ending her playing career with Gettysburg, which she helped to its second consecutive NCAA Division III title last season.

“Being a part of this team that is driven is incredible,” McClain said. “As an alum, looking at the program and seeing what they as players are doing with it makes me nothing but proud.”

The Panthers have two assistant coaches with college playing experience. Katelyn Welch competed for Robert Morris.

Tags: Sewickley Academy