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Lacrosse's Rising Stars
So maybe our 14 high school picks for 2014 aren't legends yet, but it's only a matter of time.
Maggie Kane
17, senior, goalie, The Bryn Mawr School
When did you start playing lacrosse? When I was four. I played attack until ninth grade, then transitioned to goalie.
What do you love about the sport? The competitiveness and speed. It is a game that never gets boring because the possession is always changing and shots are always being taken.
Complete this sentence: More people would love lacrosse if… they weren’t intimidated by other players’ advanced skills. Most players begin at a very young age, but I think more people would start playing in their middle-school years if they didn’t feel so outmatched by the already advanced and club-level players. It is okay to begin lacrosse in the middle-school years—it is a pretty easy sport to pick up, learn, and love.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? Well, I’m not going to say size, because I’m only 5’2”. Hand-eye coordination is crucial, and confidence in your skills, ability, and agility is essential.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I look up to my Bryn Mawr lacrosse coaches, Wendy Kridel and Kim Simons, along with my goalie coach, Megan Huether. They each have some of the highest lacrosse IQs and understanding of this sport’s strategies. Meg Huether also had an outstanding career at Duke University and went on to become part of Team USA.
College you’ll be attending: University of Richmond.
Will you play lacrosse there? Yes.
Chase Campbell
18, senior, defense, Gilman School
Why do you play the game? My entire family plays lacrosse, and it is pretty special to know that my grandfather and great-uncle played for the same school and on the same field that I do now. Most of my friends play lacrosse as well, and there is no stronger camaraderie than teammates and brothers playing together each day.
When did you start playing? My first year of organized lacrosse was a Kelly Post soft stick league when I was five years old.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Going undefeated for our entire high school careers for the Baltimore Crabs in summer lacrosse was pretty cool.
Complete this sentence: More people would love lacrosse if… more high-profile universities added Division 1 lacrosse to their intercollegiate sports, as Michigan recently did. If schools such as Stanford, Florida, Texas, Oregon, or Northwestern, just to name a few, had Division 1, the sport’s popularity would take off.
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? That we don’t like baseball. Many of my friends are big Orioles fans.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I was on the team with Robby Haus [Gilman class of 2012] sophomore year, where he was a captain and a phenomenal defenseman. He now is at Ohio State and doing great. Not only was Robby an excellent player, he was just a really good teammate who always would help you out if you needed it and came to practice every day ready to work.
Who’s your toughest opponent? Every game in the MIAA [Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association] is extremely tough, but I would say that Loyola has been particularly difficult to beat the past couple years. Individually, La Salle’s Matt Rambo [now a freshman at the University of Maryland] was probably the most challenging person I have ever covered.
College you’ll be attending: University of Virginia.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Acie Newton
16, junior, goalie, Loyola Blakefield
What’s the best practical joke you’ve ever played on a teammate, or they’ve played on you? We don’t play a lot of jokes on each other, but probably the funniest thing we do at Loyola is when all of the rookies have to sing and dance to a song during our annual spring-break trip up to West Point, NY.
Why do you play the game? My goal with lacrosse is to help me get into a great college and make some even better friends along the way.
When did you start playing lacrosse? I was a midfielder when I started at 10. I didn’t play goalie until I was in sixth grade at Loyola when I was 12.
What do you love about the sport? The intensity. Lacrosse is a constantly moving game that involves always being ready because anything could happen in a matter of seconds.
What’s your favorite drill? I love defensive and offensive one-on-ones. The shots are almost always in close so I’m not expected to make the save, but when I do, it looks awesome.
Do you think you’d make a good lacrosse coach someday? Absolutely. I feel like I’ve grown up with some awesome coaches so I’d definitely be able to apply what they’ve taught me to the next generation.
If you weren’t a lacrosse player, what sport would you play? Volleyball: It has got to be the coolest-looking sport I’ve ever watched at Loyola Blakefield.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? The recent Duke Blue Devils have been ridiculously impressive. It seems that every year they are back into the championship picture. This is what I want my remaining high school and college seasons to be like no matter what the team is projected to do.
College you’ll be attending: Brown University, in 2015 .
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Shack Stanwick
18, senior, attack, Boys’ Latin School of Maryland
How long have you been playing lacrosse? Ever since I can remember. All my siblings were doing it so it just seemed pretty natural to start playing.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? It would be when I scored the overtime goal against St. Paul’s School my freshman year. That was a really special feeling.
Why do you play the game? It’s definitely a good way to make friends and I like the competition. I love the sport.
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? It hurts a lot. Since I play behind the goal primarily, I have to be aware.
Have you ever suffered an injury playing the game? I’ve broken my thumb a couple times, but nothing too serious.
What’s your favorite drill? Pretty much anything where the offense has more guys than the defense.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if… the summer circuit wasn’t as serious as it is now. It’s supposed to be fun. I think it’s a little too serious at too young of an age during the fall and summer.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? Good hand-eye coordination.
If you weren’t a lacrosse player, what sport would you play? I wish I played hockey. I have a lot of respect for hockey players even though I’m probably not tough enough to play.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I’ve always been a big Ravens fan, so it was cool seeing Ray Lewis make one last run for the Super Bowl as the underdog.
Who’s your toughest opponent? The MIAA is a really tough conference, so pretty much every team can fill that category.
College you’ll be attending: TheJohnsHopkins University.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Timmy Kelly
17, junior, attack, Calvert Hall College High School
What do you love about the sport? It’s a combination of so many great sports. It has the up-and-down, fast-paced tempo of basketball, the hitting and roughness of football, and it involves speed and strategy like soccer. I love playing a lot of sports and to get a sport that combines it all really suits me.
What is your primary motivation for playing the game? I play because I have a lot of fun and get to know so many new guys from different schools. Through lacrosse, I am also given a lot of opportunities that otherwise I may not have been able to obtain.
Who’s your toughest opponent? My brother Patrick is always my toughest opponent. He somehow always beats me in lacrosse no matter how poorly he’s playing or how well I’m playing.
When did you start playing lacrosse? When I was four.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Winning the MIAA championship.
What aspect of your game do you need to improve? I need to work on my outside shooting power and accuracy. I also can improve my decision making with and without the ball.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? It’s crucial to have good stick work. Without stick work, all the physical attributes of an athlete are useless.
College you’ll be attending: University of North Carolina.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I love the Baltimore Ravens. They always play hard, strong, and never give up.
Kristen Yanchoris
17, junior, defense, Century High School
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? That we are all dumb jocks. There are many lacrosse players who are very intelligent and driven, not only on the field, but in other aspects of life, including academics and community service.
When did you start playing? Twelve years ago, when I was five.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Winning the state championship my freshman year was by far my best accomplishment. Some people never get the opportunity to play in a state championship in their lifetime, so winning my first year of high school seemed unreal.
Do you think you’d make a good lacrosse coach someday? I would love to be a lacrosse coach someday, and I think I would make a good one because of my love for the game and my energy.
Who’s your toughest opponent? I’m my own hardest critic. I am fortunate to play on a really good team. My teammates push me to work hard every day at practice, which has helped me to become the player I am today.
How do you see your lacrosse experience translating to the workplace? I’m still unsure of what I want to do when I graduate. I think that the relationships I have made throughout my lacrosse experience will help me in the future. I also know that my hard work and dedication on the field will translate to my career later in life.
College you’ll be attending: Loyola University Maryland.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Miranda Ibello
16, junior, midfield, Maryvale Preparatory School
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Winning the Under-15 Nationals in Florida with Sky Walkers. We were short several players, and our team had to bring everything we had to the field in the blazing heat to make it to the championship.
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? I’ve heard a lot of people say lacrosse is easy, but it’s not. The training every player puts into their game off the field to improve is extensive. Injury prevention, nutrition, and practice will all bring your game up and each of these things take time and energy.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? Speed is really important in this game. The ability to get down the field before your opponent is critical. The strength to hold onto the ball and stand your ground is also very important.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I would love to play like any member of Team USA. My cousin, Kristen Carr, is on that team, and I watched how much hard work and dedication she put into training.
Who’s your toughest opponent? McDonogh is very tough. Every one of their players is so talented, and they have such a deep bench it is tough to stay with them.
How do you see your lacrosse experience translating to the workplace? Lacrosse has taught me time management and teamwork. You have to juggle your time between training, practice, and homework. The ability to be a team player in the workplace is equally as important.
College you’ll be attending: The Johns Hopkins University.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes. My sister played for Hopkins, and I always dreamed maybe I would play there, too.
Maggie Gallagher
18, senior, midfield, C. Milton Wright High School
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? Endurance, quickness, and speed.
When did you start playing lacrosse? When I was about six. My two older sisters were playing lacrosse and it looked fun.
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? It doesn’t hurt too badly. It’s nothing you can’t shake off.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if…there weren’t as many whistles.
What aspect of your game do you need to improve? Better shot placement, moving goalies, and working on my dodges.
Who’s your toughest opponent? Our toughest opponent in high school would be McDonogh.
College you’ll be attending: Pennsylvania State University.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes, we have a great recruiting class coming to Penn State next year.
Patrick Clipp
Junior, midfield, Marriotts Ridge High School
What’s your main goal this season? To win the [Howard] county championship.
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? That all lacrosse players are “lax bros,” have long hair, and all they care about is lacrosse.
Why do you play the game? I played baseball up until seventh grade, but my dad, who played lacrosse at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, influenced me to try lacrosse.
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? It can hurt a lot, especially if you get hit in a bony spot like the shin.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if… lacrosse got a little more publicity on major sports networks, like ESPN. People would see how fast and intense the game is.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? For me, since I play midfield, the most important thing is my endurance, being able to get up and down the field easily. Also, hand-eye coordination is huge when playing lacrosse.
Who’s your toughest opponent? Glenelg High School.
College you’ll be attending: University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes, I have given my verbal commitment.
Taylor Hensh
18, senior, midfield, Marriotts Ridge High School
Do you think you’d make a good lacrosse coach someday? I think I could because I know the game and I’ve been taught so much by very good coaches. I just need someone to teach me some patience and then I am good to go.
When did you start playing lacrosse? In third grade.
What do you love about the sport? I love everything about the sport, especially how fast the game is.
Why do you play? Because I love it. I enjoy having a team of girls that is like a family to me.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Winning a Brave-heart in a summer lacrosse tournament to win a championship. I play for the 2014 M&D Black team.
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? It hurts pretty badly. That’s why I don’t stand behind the goal too often. But getting cross-checked in the arm every time I drive to goal gives me some nasty bruises.
What’s your main goal this season? To have just as good team chemistry as last year and hopefully win another state championship.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if… it was televised more.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? Ever since I was young, Jen Adams [women’s lacrosse coach, Loyola University Maryland] was my idol. In recent years, I’ve aspired to emulate [University of Maryland lacrosse star] Katie Schwarzmann.
Who’s your toughest opponent? Mt. Hebron High School (Battle of Route 99).
College you’ll be attending: University of Maryland.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Alex Gipe
16, junior, goalie, Century High School
When did you start playing lacrosse? Kindergarten.
How do you see your lacrosse experience translating to the workplace? Well, being a goalie, I’m used to directing my teammates and being a leader, so this could translate to a job in a big way if I ever work in a group project.
What do you love about the sport? It’s the fastest game on two feet and it’s such a unique game compared to many other sports.
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? After playing goalie for so long, you start to get used to it, and once you’re in the game, your adrenaline is too high to feel anything.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Making the Baltimore Under Armour All-American Underclassmen Team and making the Maryland RoughRiders elite team.
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? That we’re all the typical lax bros and all have long hair and say “bro.”
Do you think you’d make a good lacrosse coach someday? I believe I would make a good coach someday because being a goalie, you already are a coach on the field directing your defense. It wouldn’t be a big adjustment.
What aspect of your game do you need to improve? Being more of a leader and more vocal.
Who’s your toughest opponent? Westminster High School. They always have very talented players and always give us a challenge every time we face them.
College you’ll be attending: Hofstra University.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Brinton Valis
18, senior, midfield, McDonogh School
How badly does it hurt to be hit by the ball? If it’s my McDonogh teammate Robby Black shooting, not very bad, but any other time, you’ll be walking away with a nice bruise.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? I try and be myself on the field, and play the game I know how to play.
When did you start playing lacrosse? When I moved to Baltimore. I was five.
Why do you play the game? I’ve always been a competitive person in all sports and I finally found my niche on the lacrosse field. It’s never been about earning a scholarship for the next level, it’s been about loving the sport. I am very fortunate that lacrosse has given me so many opportunities off the field, as well as on.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? So far, it’s probably winning the Under Armour Underclassmen Tournament with Team Baltimore. It was such a great feeling finally bringing the trophy back to Baltimore after a long drought, but the MIAA crown is on the table for this spring, and that’s the ultimate goal.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if…more people had access to watching games. I feel like so many people have just never heard of the sport. Lacrosse publicity has been on the rise recently, though.
What’s the biggest misconception about lacrosse players? That lacrosse players don’t work hard. Lacrosse players work harder than anyone else.
What aspect of your game do you need to improve? All parts of my game can be improved. I’m far from perfect!
Who’s your toughest opponent? All the teams in the MIAA are very talented, but Boys’ Latin and Gilman are always very well-coached and tough teams to beat.
College you’ll be attending: The Johns Hopkins University.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
Megan Whittle
17, senior, attack, McDonogh School
Who’s your toughest opponent? I play the toughest defense in practice every day at McDonogh.
When did you start playing lacrosse? When I was six years old.
Why do you play the game? It’s the sport that best combines my speed, skill, and strength.
What’s your main goal this season? To remain undefeated, keep our title as the No. 1 team in the nation, and continue to perform as the best high school player in the country.
Do you think you’d make a good lacrosse coach someday? Yes, because I play the game at the highest level in high school and will continue playing at that level in college.
What are the most important physical attributes of a good lacrosse player? Speed: You can’t teach speed.
If you weren’t a lacrosse player, what sport would you play? I would’ve played field hockey or run track in college.
College you’ll be attending: University of Maryland.
Do you plan to play lacrosse there? Yes.
How do you see your lacrosse experience translating to the workplace? After the University of Maryland, I’m hoping to stay involved with lacrosse in any way that I can.
Jason Ashwood
18, senior, attack, Hereford High School
Who’s your toughest opponent? I’d say this year it’ll be Boys’ Latin.
What team or player do you aspire to emulate? Probably Mikey Powell, who played for Syracuse University a few years back.
What’s your best accomplishment on the field so far? Making the Baltimore Under Armour All-American Underclassmen Team last year (Jason is being modest by not mentioning his three state championships in lacrosse and one in soccer).
If you weren’t a lacrosse player, what sport would you play? Probably soccer is my next favorite sport.
Complete this sentence: more people would love lacrosse if. . . it wasn’t thought of as such as a class-specific sport.
College you’ll be attending: High Point University.
Will you play lacrosse there? Yes.