Sports
With New Coaches and Experienced Captains Leading the Way, MHS Girls Lacrosse Team Hits the Field
Head coach Megan Lowler may be new to Middletown High's Lacrosse program, but along with assistant coach Kat Tajima, they hope to lead their varsity squad to victory in 2011.
The first day of practice for the girls lacrosse team in 2011 was like many meetings in which the two sides don't really know each other.
While Megan Lawler certainly knows the game of Lacrosse, her team players were basically strangers to her and to her assistant coach Kat Tajima, who played at Salve Regina.
Lawler set up drills quickly for the team. Passing, defense, and above all communication.
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"I really want to hear you all calling out to each other," She could be heard saying to the girls.
One thing that none of the Middletown teams are short on is camaraderie. In soccer, basketball, and lacrosse among others, the girls can always be heard cheering for each other. This was none more apparent than when Taylor O'Malley took the goal for a scoring drill in which her teammates fired shots from five different spots on the turf. Taylor let few by, and her team loudly called her name the entire time. It is both impressive to watch and to hear.
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Speed drills followed the passing. Then some offensive drills, and finally a scrimmage.
Kirsten Perry and Taylor O'Malley, who were members of the 2011 Division III Girls State Championship Basketball team, are seen as leaders. While Kirsten served as co-captain on the basketball team, fellow co-captain Lauren Paiva did most of the talking. Here on the lacrosse field, it's Kirsten's voice that's immediately heard.
The Islanders play in Division II South in 2011, the same division as Chariho, Narragansett, Pilgrim, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Warwick and Westerly.
The girls play a 14-game season and split their home and away games on the year at 7 a piece.
They open this year at home against Chariho and will close their regular season on Friday, May 20 at home against Westerly.
Assistant Coach Kat Tajima, when asked how the team looks so far, said, "They're looking good, they all have the right skill set to compete at this level. I think they'll do well."
Head coach Megan Lawler expects "Sportsmanship, hard work, and communication." Above all. "We have a lot of freshman and sophomores on the team this year so it may take some time for them to find their groove together, which is to be expected."
They will open up their 2011 season at home on Thursday when Chariho High comes to visit. The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on "The Grass" at Middletown High School.
Can the 2011 Girls Lacrosse team add another banner to the wall of the Middletown gym? Check back all year to find out.
