LaMaina and Collingswood Lacrosse Hope to Compete in 2011

As the seasons change, so do the mindsets of three Collingswood High School Panthers.

With the start of lacrosse season just around the corner, returning starters Beth LaBar, Jordan Calderone and Ellie O’Neill prepare to take their athleticism from the hardwood to the grass—in hopes that the spring sport is more memorable than their winter one.

All three girls were main contributors to the Panthers' basketball team—a group which only saw five wins this past season.

And while last year’s lacrosse team didn’t fare much better (5-14 overall), head coach Stephanie LaMaina has high hopes for 2011.

“Calderone and LaBar will definitely be our leaders at both ends of the field,” said LaMaina, who said she's looking to add to her 280 career wins with Collingswood. “O’Neill is a strong midfielder, and she’s an extremely talented all-around athlete.”

Along with seniors LaBar and Calderone, and sophomore O’Neill, the Panthers will return five additional starters from last season—which means this year’s version of Collingswood lacrosse will be a far more experienced team than the one fans saw in 2010.

On the defensive end, high expectations are being held for seniors Katie Smith and Allison Riss, and sophomore goalie Ashley Walters looks to improve upon her second season in the net.

“Walters did a great job for us last year,” said LaMaina. “She’s a hard-working athlete and I really expect great things from her over the next few years.”

Collingswood will also look to newcomers for key contributions. Junior Krystal Valianti could be an asset to the team’s attack, and LaMaina said sophomore mid-fielder Amber Stefano is an “extremely hard-working athlete.”

While the season may appear promising for the Panthers before it begins, one mustn’t lose sight of the tasks at hand.

In addition to the fact that high schools like Seneca, Sterling, and West Deptford plan on fielding strong programs this season, the Panthers are losing their top three scorers from 2010. Attackers Sam Gregg, Caitlin Hawco and Claudia Alpizar—each of who recorded their No. 100 career goals last season—have all since graduated.

“We only lost five girls from last year’s team, and we have a group of hard-working, returning players (this year),” said LaMaina. “Our goal for this season is just to have a competitive program. We’re excited to compete.”