SportsBeat: All-American, All-State, All-Bethel, for Girls Lax

BETHEL: Coach Mike Ferraro reports that the Bethel High Lady Wildcats’ lacrosse team enjoyed a stellar season which saw many firsts.  It was the first year Bethel has made it into the South West Conference Tournament reaching the title game before bowing to Weston.  It was the first time in Bethel’s nine year history they defeated a top ten opponent in Fairfield Ludlowe.  It was the first time in Bethel’s history they placed an All-State and a Super Junior with Serina Ghio and Anna Fiorini respectively.  Additionally, the Lady Wildcats had three players make the All-Conference team in Marcella Lavras, Stephanie Forese and Stephanie Hirst.

Senior captains, Serina Ghio, Stephanie Forese, and Kristina MacNicholl teamed up with junior captain Brooke Ferraro to create a cohesive and unselfish team.  This team worked hard in the off season to prepare and that extra work paid off with another successful season, noted MacNicholl.

Third year coach, Shelly DeSisto, was pleased with the girls’ effort and even more excited with the thirteen freshmen who made the roster.  “Next year’s team will be more than capable of keeping Bethel’s momentum and continue to make more “firsts” for the program”, commented DeSisto.  “The improved talent coming from the youth program has created this success and I am anxious to get started again next year”.

All-American certainly has a nice ring to it and other players from the area were smiling from ear to ear after finding out their names will forever be attached to it. The 2012 Connecticut All-American Girls Lacrosse team was announced recently and the first-team is dominated by a lot of players from the FCIAC.

Heading the list is the dynamic duo from . Sarah Mannelly, the Connecticut Player of the Year,  garnered All-American status after another brilliant season for the Rams. As a midfielder, Mannelly scored 83 goals and dished out 47 assists. Teammate , who is the best hockey player in the state, made the team as a junior after pumping in 84 goals during a season that saw New Canaan win the Class M state championship.

Two players from also earned first-team honors. Emily Conway racked up 58 goals and chipped in with 39 assists to secure a place on the team, while teammate Mary Taussig recorded 13 goals to go along with 19 as a defensive midfielder.

Claire Feeney, a senior attack from made the team after scoring 97 goals in helping the Cardinals win the Class L state championship.

Casey Pearsall, a junior who has already verbally committed to Notre Dame, had a spectacular season, scoring 68 goals while dishing out 42 assists for , who lost to New Canaan in the Class M final.

Taylor Hardison, who set a school record with 46 assists for , made first-team All-American along with teammate, Emily Tropas, a defenseman.

Sarah Nesi, a midfielder from who will play at Brown University, also captured first-team honors.

Area players who received Honorable mention All-American include: Jessie Ambrose (Staples), Maria Blois (Cheshire), Alexandra Crofts (Staples), Tori Dunster (Greenwich), Jena Fritts (Darien), Allison Sciaretta (Sacred Heart).

First team All-State selections include:

Class L

Name

School

Class Alannah Boyle Hall Soph Alyssa Hague Cheshire Senior Caroline Odgen Ridgefield Senior Kendall Stevenson Ludlowe Senior Racel Aronow Hall Junior Lauren Schapiro Stamford Senior Pauline Kaplan Danbury Junior Kathleen Kalbian Cheshire Senior Meaghan Brophy Newtown Soph Erin Kenning Newtown Junior Remy Nolan Staples Senior Shannon Colligan Greenwich Senior Cassandra Ekstrom Newtown Soph Alexis Sansone Cheshire Senior Kaitlin VosWinkel Newtown Senior Hannah Jeffrey Greenwich Senior

Class M

Kelly Armstrong New Canaan Junior Jenna Bellano Brookfield Junior Samantha Blicht Wilton Senior Megan Boepple Wilton Junior Dana Bouwman New Fairfield Junior Shayna Delaney Pomperaug Junior Britt Douglass Avon Soph Brynn Gasparino Darien Senior Serina Ghio Bethel Senior Christina Gould Laurleton Hall  Senior Tegan Helms Wilton Junior Cammie Kirby Darien Senior River Kynoch Joel Barlow Senior Morgan LaBarbera New Fairfield Senior Liz O'Sullivan New Canaan Junior Dillon Schoen Darien Soph Emily Stein Darien Soph Caylee Waters Darien Junior

Class S

Name School Class Emilee Maher North Branford Senior Grace Mattison Weston Junior Emmy Dulak North Branford Junior Lindsay Koch Weston Junior Catie Ledwick Weston Senio