Season in Review: Lakeland/Panas Girls' Lacrosse

In going for a fifth straight sectional championship, it helps to have highly talented players, and the Rebels had just that in All-American senior midfielders Anna Jeszeck and Melissa Hanson.

That duo was joined by other enormously skilled teammates in all-section honorees—junior midfielder Emma Bozek, junior midfielder Chyna Hill, and junior midfielder Alexa Bonnes, as well as all-section honorable mention award winners, junior defender Allie O’Mara and junior attack Megan Bradbury.

This group helped the Rebels win their fifth straight Section 1 Class A crown and advance to the state final four.

“We had an incredible season, because this team was so passionate and committed to be the very best,” Lakeland/Panas coach Sharon Sarsen said.  “Players worked hard every day and stayed after practice constantly to improve their own game, but also to help out lesser experienced, yet eager players. They sacrificed their preferences to make our team better.”

It was a group Sarsen said that loved to compete in the big game. Leading this group of big-game players was Jeszeck and Hanson.

Sarsen said that this duo has been the heart and soul of the Rebels program for the past four years, but this year, their play was stellar.

“Anna was the offensive quarterback of the team with 76 goals and 40 assists and scored so many big goals in games for us,” Sarsen said. “In the past, she was a set up girl, looking to set up Kelsey Bub, Casandra Honovich, Kristin Pappalardo and Megan Bozek, but this year with four new starting attackers, she had so much more responsibility and she rose to the occasion.”

Jeszeck will be taking her game to the next level at the University of Richmond, while Hanson, who shut down the opposition’s best goal scorer, will play in college at Duquesne University.

“Melissa was our anchor both defensively and winning the draw,” Sarsen said. “Melissa was one of the top draw players in the section and that made it a strength for our team.  I think she is one of the best we've had there.”

As for the all-section honorees, Sarsen said that Bozek, who has verbally committed to play at the University of North Carolina on a field hockey scholarship, is an amazing competitor and all-around athlete who will work hard to find a way to win. 

Sarsen said that Alexa Bonnes is also an amazing athlete who possesses unparalleled speed and power and has committed to play lacrosse at the University of Connecticut. Hill helped the Rebels out enormously by leading the team in ground balls and was excellent creating turnovers because of her anticipation and athleticism.

Bradbury was a consistent attacker with her ability to get open inside the 8-meter and roll the crease. O’Mara has the best crease defense on the Rebels, and because of this, played some key opponents straight up needing no slide, according to Sarsen.

“I am so proud that this team won our league, won the section and regionals and made it to the state final four,” Sarsen said. “I believe these young ladies have proven that they are winners and will continue to be successful throughout their athletic careers.”