Three Midwest Newcomers Highlight USA Lacrosse Girls' Regional Top 10 Update

Every Tuesday during the high school lacrosse season, USA Lacrosse updates Regional Top 10 and National Top 25 rankings to reflect the results of the previous week. Below are the USA Lacrosse High School Girls’ Regional Top 10 updates through games played May 5.

Wilton (Conn.) made a huge leap in the Northeast Region when it picked up a rare win over Darien (Conn.) to vault six spots to No. 4. Wilton might climb higher this week if it can knock off No. 2 New Canaan (Conn.). Darien remains just behind at No. 5, and there’s still plenty of season to move up again. No. 1 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) continues to plug along unbeaten, as do Hotchkiss School (Conn.) and Sayville (N.Y.).

There were only two moves in the Mid-Atlantic Region, as most teams had perfect weeks. Archbishop Spalding (Md.) slipped two spots after a loss in the regular-season finale that helped to iron out IAAM playoff seeds. Stone Ridge (Md.) leapfrogged Spalding by virtue of wins over Notre Dame and St. Paul’s, two teams to beat Spalding. Agnes Irwin (Pa.) fought back into the top 10 by avenging one of its early season losses to show measurable improvement.

It's a hardware grab in the South Region, where playoffs are ramping up. Last week, American Heritage-Delray (Fla.), Plant (Fla.) and Bartram Trail (Fla.) all secured regional championships. Georgia teams Milton and Blessed Trinity are hoping they can win some crowns this week, while Hockaday and Anderson are marching toward Texas titles.

The Midwest Region rankings look a lot different with three newcomers occupying the last three spots. Grand Rapids Catholic (Mich.) is unbeaten, Lakeville South (Minn.) held the upper hand in a matchup against last year’s state champ, and Carmel (Ind.) avenged its 2023 state title game loss. Second-ranked New Albany (Ohio) got a scare, while top-ranked Loyola Academy (Ill.) sealed its spot with a high-quality win.

Playoff lacrosse is right around the corner for the West Region. Valor Christian (Colo.) jumped Fairview (Colo.) after a head-to-head win, but that was the only change in the ranking after the rest of the teams were spotless last week. Oak Ridge (Calif.) claimed a section championship to highlight the top teams, many of which face playoff challenges.

NORTHEAST

1. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), 13-0

Tess Calabria had seven goals and four assists, Brooke Long had two goals and one assist, Jena Binkis and Emma Speed each scored a goal and Lexi Zenk made seven saves for the Friars in an 11-6 win over Sacred Heart (N.Y.). Previous: 1

2. New Canaan (Conn.), 11-1-1

Maddie Tully had five goals, two assists and four draw controls, Sydney Patten had three goals and five draw controls, Devon Russell had three goals and one draw control and Lexi Tully had one goal and one assist, reaching the 200-point milestone in a 12-7 victory over Sacred Heart (N.Y.). Previous: 2

3. Garden City (N.Y.), 13-1

Kyle Finnell had three goals and three assists, Kendal Morris had three goals and one assist, Tori Ottomanelli struck for a hat trick, Kathryn Monaco had a pair of goals and Maureen Arendt had one goal and one assist in a 15-5 win over Seaford (N.Y.). Previous: 4

4. Wilton (Conn.), 11-1

The Warriors soar up the rankings courtesy of a historic win over Darien (Conn.), their first since 2011, followed by an 18-10 victory over Ridgefield (Conn.) 48 hours later. Addie Pattillo had eight goals and three assists, Ashleigh Masterson had seven goals and Paige Leung added four goals in the massive wins. A showdown with New Canaan (Conn.) comes up May 9. Previous: 10

5. Darien (Conn.), 8-3-1

Kat Reynolds had four goals and one assist, Kelly Holmes had three goals and two assists, Annabel Adams, Sadie Stafford, Annabel Von Kennel and Hope Hapgood had one goal apiece and Hope Schoudel made 13 saves in an 11-7 win over Summit (N.J.). Previous: 3

6. Hotchkiss School (Conn.), 10-0

Avery Doran had five goals and one assist, Charlotte Dorman had three goals and four assists and the defense stood tall in a shutout second half as Hotchkiss School (Conn.) defeated Deerfield Academy (Mass.) 17-4. Previous: 5

7. Noble & Greenough (Mass.), 11-1

The Bulldogs made it 10 straight wins, defeating Thayer Academy (Mass.), 14-8, at home on May 1 before doubling up Brooks School (Mass.) on the road, 14-7. Previous: 6

8. Sayville (N.Y.), 15-0

Dylan McNamara had four goals, Sophia Buffardi scored three times, McKenna Farrell had one goal and three assists, Olivia DeSimone had a pair of helpers and Sofia Cangelosi added a goal for Sayville (N.Y.) in a 9-7 win over Islip (N.Y.). Previous: 7

9. Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.), 13-2

Julia Fusco scored four goals, Kailey Bruckner netted a hat trick, Aubrie Eisfeld and Ava Meyn added two goals apiece, Olivia Brady scored once and Shannon Alden made six saves for the Phantoms in a 12-5 win over Comsewogue (N.Y.). Previous: 8

10. Sacred Heart Greenwich (Conn.), 11-2

Maggie Bacigalupo netted three goals and had two draw controls, Kaitlin Robinson had a pair of goals and six draw controls and Payton Sfreddo and Daphne Fallon had one goal and one assist in a 7-6 win over Chatham (N.J.). Previous: 9

— Dylan Butler

MID-ATLANTIC

1. McDonogh (Md.), 16-1

McDonogh opened the IAAM playoffs with a 15-6 win over Bryn Mawr (Md.) in the quarterfinals of the IAAM playoffs May 3. The top-seeded Eagles have won 13 straight games. They closed the regular season with a 10-8 win over St. Paul’s (Md.) behind four goals and an assist, eight draw controls and three caused turnovers by Kate Levy. Amanda Lawson scored twice. The Eagles take on fourth-seeded Archbishop Spaulding (Md.) on May 8 in the semifinals. They will be without Remi Schaller, the Michigan commit who suffered a season-ending knee injury. The finals are set for May 10 at 7 pm. At USA Lacrosse in Sparks. Previous: 1

2. Good Counsel (Md.), 18-0

The Falcons closed the regular season with a 22-2 win over St. Mary’s Ryken (Md.) on April 30. Good Counsel takes aim at a third straight WCAC title. They host Elizabeth Seton (Md.) in the WCAC quarterfinals on May 7. Semifinals are slated for May 10 and the final is May 13. Previous: 2

3. Episcopal (Pa.), 17-1

The Churchwomen won a pair of games by a combined 24-9 score. They stopped Academy of Notre Dame (Pa.)13-8 before shutting down Germantown Academy (Pa.) 11-1. Maura Irish had four goals and two assists, Sydney Richter had a hat trick and six draw controls in the win over Notre Dame. Grace Holland made nine saves, Irish scored three goals and Quinn Whitaker had a hat trick, two draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers plus an interception in the win over Germantown. Episcopal plays at Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on May 7. Previous: 3

4. St. Anne’s-Belfield (Va.), 17-1

The Saints wrapped up their regular season. They will be the top seed for the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I state championship. The playoffs don’t begin until May 14 with quarterfinal action. Previous: 4

5. Maryvale (Md.), 16-2

The Lions’ sixth win in a row came in a 10-5 triumph over seventh-seeded St. Mary’s Annapolis (Md.) in the quarterfinals of the IAAM playoffs on May 3. Emma Mohn and Cayden Reese had three goals apiece and Reese also won four draw controls. Lainey Minderlein scored twice. Tess DeLuca stopped 10 shots. Second-seeded Maryvale will host third-seeded St. Paul’s (Md.) on May 8. Maryvale had locked up the No. 2 seed with a 15-8 win over John Carroll (Md.) in the regular-season finale as Mohn scored seven goals, DeLuca made nine saves, Minderlein had a hat trick and four draw controls, and Reese scored twice and had five helpers as well as seven draw controls. Previous: 5

6. St. Paul's (Md.), 14-5

The Gators opened the IAAM playoffs with a 7-5 win over sixth-seeded Notre Dame (Md.). Third-seeded St. Paul’s plays at Maryvale in the semifinals May 8. The Gators lost the regular-season finale to McDonogh 10-8. Caroline Hoskins scored a hat trick in the loss. Previous: 7

7. Stone Ridge (Md.), 13-4

The Gators ended the regular season with wins over Potomac (Va.) and Episcopal (Va.). Stone Ridge held off Potomac 11-7 then two days later took it to Episcopal in a 17-4 victory. The Gators are the No. 2 seed for the ISL playoffs. They host seventh-seeded Episcopal in the quarterfinals. The semifinals are scheduled for May 9 at the higher seed. Previous: 8

8. Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 12-4

The Cavaliers had a tough ending to the regular season when they suffered an 8-7 loss to Notre Dame (Md.) in their regular-season finale. That left them as the No. 4 seed for the IAAM playoffs. The Cavaliers opened the playoffs with a 12-10 win over John Carroll (Md.) in the quarterfinals May 3. Gabby Greene scored five goals and Maeve Cavanaugh had four scores while Ella Davis made seven saves. Spalding takes on top-seeded McDonogh on May 8. Previous: 6

9. Manchester Valley (Md.), 14-0

The Mavericks closed a perfect regular season with a 17-6 win over Liberty (Md.) that followed a 14-1 win over Oakdale (Md.). Manchester Valley had to rally from a 4-2 first-quarter deficit and was tied 4-4 at halftime before a 7-2 third-quarter edge helped them establish control. Taylor Fique scored seven goals, Emma Penczek fired in four goals and Carolyn Lowe and Haylee Bittinger each had two goals apiece. Penczek also had five assists. The Mavericks have won 33 straight games in all. Previous: 9

10. Agnes Irwin (Pa.), 9-4

The Owls have won five in a row, including some wins over established teams in a high-end schedule. They avenged an early season loss to Penn Charter (Pa.) with a 15-12 win to end April, then opened May with a dominant 16-8 win over Villa Maria Academy (Pa.). In the win over PC, Mairyn Dwyer had four goals and three assists along with four draw controls, Elle Brady scored four goals and Blair Fox had a hat trick. Catie Holmes scored twice, and Molly Chorin had three helpers while Ella Springer had two assists. They’ll take aim at showing again how much they have improved when they try to avenge a loss to Academy of Notre Dame (Pa.) on May 8 before playing at Germantown Academy (Pa.). Their only other losses are to higher ranked teams Good Counsel and St. Paul’s. Previous: NR

— Justin Feil

SOUTH

1. American Heritage-Delray (Fla.), 20-1

The Stallions faced little resistance in earning a regional title, defeating St. Andrew’s (Fla.) 18-4. The win followed Delray’s 11-5 win over American Heritage-Plantation 11-5. Sophomore Madison Vargas notched a hat trick in the win. Previous: 1

2. Plant (Fla.), 22-0

The Panthers’ route to a perfect season will come to an end one way or another this week. The team won a regional title against Manatee (Fla.) 17-10. Mckenzey Craig had seven goals and four assists. Plant won its regional semifinal by defeating Riverview Sarasota (Fla.) 21-11 Craig had four goals and five assists while junior Ashlyn Bell had six goals and five assists. Previous: 2

3. Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.), 16-4

Charlotte Jackson’s four-goal, four-assist effort led the Crusaders over Panther Creek (N.C.) by a 21-1 margin. Izzi Hammond and Lexi Mullahy both had six-point performances. Previous: 3

4. Milton (Ga.), 17-4

The Eagles will go for their seventh consecutive state championship thanks to a 13-3 win over North Gwinett (Ga.). Milton also picked up a 19-6 victory over Cherokee (Ga.). Milton faces West Forsyth (Ga.) for a state championship. Previous: 4

5. Bartram Trail (Fla.), 16-5

The Bears rallied from being down a goal in the final three minutes to defeat Lake Mary (Fla.) 13-12 to claim a regional title. In the regional semifinals, Bartram Trail topped Oviedo (Fla.) 17-12. Emily Barnette had a team-leading seven goals while Ryann Frechette had five goals and two assists. Previous: 5

6. Hockaday (Texas), 15-4

The Daisies returned from a two-week break strong with a 21-11 playoff win over Westlake (Texas). Texas’ final four is this coming weekend. Previous: 6

7. Anderson (Texas), 12-3

The Trojans are two wins away from a state title after a pair of victories. After defeating Southlake Carroll (Texas) 18-3, Anderson picked up a victory over St. John’s (Texas). Previous: 7

8. Bishop England (S.C.), 19-0

The Battling Bishop won another state championship, easily defeating Riverside (S.C.) 22-2. Henley Bredemann had a team-leading 112 points, while Bo Rosato had 111 points. Previous: 9

9. Blessed Trinity (Ga.), 18-1

Clark Hamilton’s six-goal performance helped Blessed Trinity (Ga.) to a 15-12 win over Creekview (Ga.). Blessed Trinity also defeated Pope (Ga.) 17-7. Hamilton had four goals against Pope. Blessed Trinity will face Cambridge (Ga.) for a state championship. Previous: 10

10. Kentucky Country Day (Ky.), 21-2

The Bearcats enter the state playoffs on a five-game winning streak after defeating Carmel (Ind.) 14-8. Sophomore Ellie Beam leads the team with 65 goals. Previous: NR

— Justin Boggs

MIDWEST

1. Loyola Academy (Ill.), 14-3

The Ramblers had another impressive week, doubling up on a leading in-state rival in Hinsdale Central and then routing Cranbrook Kingswood (Mich.). In their 12-6 victory over the Red Devils, senior Emma Burke and freshman Molly Dwyer had hat tricks, while seniors Charlie Cassady and Erin Keating had three assists apiece. Previous: 1

2. New Albany (Ohio), 15-0

The Eagles stayed undefeated, just edging Jackson, 8-7, on May 4. New Albany’s ability to win possession has been key, with 40 draw controls over three games this week, led by freshman Logan Snyder. Maddy Paz also had a big week, with 23 of those draws to go with 12 goals and 12 ground balls. All of which sets up a must-watch game May 7 between the Eagles and Olentangy Liberty, also among the Buckeye State’s best. Previous: 2

3. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 13-2

The Golden Eagles battled their way to a 3-0 week, edging Springboro (Ohio) and Guerin Catholic (Ind.) by two goals apiece. In their 6-4 win over the Panthers, senior Ava Stummer provided half of the Golden Bears’ goals, along with five ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers. Seniors Lilly Boyle and Alex Burns added three caused turnovers and ground balls apiece. Previous: 3

4. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), 11-3

The Patriots picked up a 12-9 win over one of the top Division II teams in Ohio, Mariemont, behind five goals, six draw controls, five caused turnovers and four ground balls from junior Madeline Pohmer. Senior Isabelle Pohmer and junior Corinna Hilmas added hat tricks and four-plus draw controls apiece for Liberty, which next takes on arguably the state’s top Division I team May 7 in undefeated New Albany. Previous: 4

5. Benet Academy (Ill.), 17-1

The Redwings continue to impress, winning a pair of road games against top-ten teams in the state: St. Ignatius (15-10) and Sandburg (14-11). Among the recent highlights for Benet Academy: Michigan commit Madeline Jensen making her 600th career save. This week will bring two more top-ten Land of Lincoln opponents in one-loss Marist May 7 and Hinsdale Central May 9. Previous: 5

6. Kentucky Country Day (Ky.), 21-2

The regular season is complete and the Bearcats are surely a leading contender for a Bluegrass State title. KCD has remarkable balance offensively, with five players finishing the regular season with 68-plus points: Ellie Beam (65 goals, 43 assists), Leighton Spears (53 goals, 40 assists), Dylan Yonover (40 goals, 52 assists), Ceci Flowers (51 goals, 30 assists) and Christine Martin (51 goals, 17 assists). Previous: 7

7. New Trier (Ill.), 11-5

The Trevians had another dominant week, combining for 40 goals in wins over in-state foes Deerfield and St. Ignatius. Twelve players scored against the Warriors and eight scored against the Wolfpack, a game in which senior Claire Ratke tied a school record with seven assists to go with two goals. Senior Hana Asghari and junior Ellie Bornhoeft added four goals apiece against St. Ignatius, with Bornhoeft also earning five draw controls. Previous: 8

8. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (Mich.), 14-0

The Cougars are off to a dominant start, including big victories over fellow Michigan powers in Detroit Country Day (20-8), East Grand Rapids (14-10) and Rockford (20-7). The fun is far from over for GCC, which looks to avenge last year’s regional semifinal loss against Spring Lake on May 8 and also has a rematch against EGR on May 15. Previous: NR

9. Lakeville South (Minn.), 5-0

The Cougars are off to an impressive start, most notably knocking off 2023 state champion Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 15-5. Five players had at least four points for Lakeville South, including five apiece by Sivanna O’Brien (3 goals, 2 assists), Katie Grubbs (2 goals, 3 assists) and Charlotte Fannin (1 goal, 4 assists). Ella Mills added four goals while Tori Tschida had a goal and three assists. Previous: NR

10. Carmel (Ind.), 13-2

The Greyhounds remained undefeated in Hoosier State play, edging Guerin Catholic, 11-9, in a rematch of last year’s state championship (which the Golden Eagles won). Sophie Mock had five goals, Avery Goehl had 12 draw controls and Brookelyn Jenkins made 11 saves to lead the way for Carmel. The Greyhounds then dropped a nail-biter to Detroit Country Day despite six goals, three assists and three draw controls from Mock. Previous: NR

— Jonah Rosenblum

WEST

1. Colorado Academy (Colo.), 15-0

Slated as the No. 1 seed in the 2024 CHSAA Class 5A State Championship playoffs, the Mustangs stayed perfect all season after securing their final two victories over Denver East (Colo.) and Regis Jesuit (Colo.). Senior middie Alex May (USC) had four goals, three assists and 10 draw controls across both games. Previous: 1

2. Oak Ridge (Calif.), 20-2

Oak Ridge claimed the CIF Sac-Joaquin state championship crown in an 8-6 victory over St. Francis (Calif.). They took down Woodcreek (Calif.) and Del Oro (Calif.) on their way to state. Previous: 2

3. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), 14-5

The Wildcats clinched an automatic berth to the Central Coast Section playoffs after ending their season at No. 1 in West Bay Athletic League’s Foothill Division. Playoffs begin May 10. Previous: 3

4. San Ramon Valley (Calif.), 18-1

No. 1 seeded San Ramon Valley advanced to the state championship semifinals after a bye week and a 14-4 victory over Tamalpais (Calif.). Up next is Carondelet (Calif.) for a spot in the finals. Previous: 4

5. Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.), 16-2

Sacred Heart finished second in their Foothill Division of the West Bay Athletic League, earning the Gators an automatic bid to the Central Coast Section playoffs which begin May 10. Previous: 5

6. Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.), 14-2

The Knights defeated Chaminade (Calif.) and Murrieta Mesa (Calif.) to secure their spot in the semifinals against Redondo Union (Calif.) on May 7. Previous: 6

7. ThunderRidge (Colo.), 14-1

The Grizzlies took down league opponents Cheyenne Mountain (Colo.) and Palmer Ridge (Colo.) to stay undefeated, 6-0, in Class 5A conference play. Playoff brackets are pending release. Previous: 7

8. Valor Christian (Colo.), 10-5

The Eagles had a perfect week, securing victories over Columbine (Colo.), previously-ranked No. 8 Fairview (Colo.) and Regis Jesuit (Colo.). Playoffs are up next. Previous: 9

9. Fairview (Colo.), 11-3

Fairview, 6-0 in league play, added three wins and a loss last week to remain No. 1 in the 5A East conference. They defeated Liberty (Colo.), Cherry Creek (Colo.) and Mead (Colo.) then fell to previously-ranked No. 9 Valor Christian (Colo.). The postseason schedule is coming soon. Previous: 8

10. Kent Denver (Colo.), 11-4

On a five-game hot streak, Kent Denver closed out its regular season with dominant performances against Regis Jesuit (Colo.), league opponent Dakota Ridge (Colo.) and Cherry Creek (Colo.). Playoffs are on deck. Previous: 10

— Theresa Palmquist