South Lakes Girls Lacrosse Off to Great Start With Win Against the Fairfax Rebels

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The South Lakes girls lacrosse team got its season off to a fast start with a resounding 15-4 win on its home field against Fairfax. Not only was the game the first of the year for the Seahawks, but it was the varsity coaching debut for Head Coach Sashah Ramirez and Assistant Coach/Trainer/ Nutritionist Sean McCoy, who with their positive energy coached the team to victory. The St. Patrick’s Day night game began with the surprising return of legendary sports announcer, Bryan Thomas, to announce the starting line-ups as well as offer his somewhat insightful quips throughout the game.

Center Taylor Newman-Farr, fresh off the basketball season, began the game in dominating fashion by controlling the draws for the Seahawks and scoring the season’s first goal. South Lakes’ sophomore goalie Gillian Goodiel, in her varsity debut, made numerous dazzling saves to keep the lead for the Seahawks. Athletic junior Anna Tignor scored the next goal on a precisely aimed free position shot. To set up the Seahawks’ next possession, junior defender Hannah Parisi, playing her usual aggressive game, made a nice steal with fellow defender Olivia Rose racing to control the ground ball and set up Newman-Farr’s second goal. Sophomore speedster Alexandra Heishman and her trademark-colorful socks created the opportunity for the next goal with a steal and assist to Senior midfielder and co-captain Emma Rygiel. Sophomore Samantha Lowe was tenacious throughout the game in tracking down lose ground balls with her excellent track-star speed setting of Heishman’s first goal of the game. Senior midfielder and co-captain Kristina Woodward closed the scoring in the first half with a side-armed free position sending the Seahawks to the half with a 6-0 lead.

The second half began with 5 more goals by the Seahawks - freshman sensation Megan Eden’s first goal of the year, Rygiel’s second, Heishman’s second and Newman-Farr’s third goal for a hat-trick. Not to be outdone by her older sister, sophomore Katherine Woodward took the ball from behind the Fairfax net and rolled the crease for a dazzling goal to provide the Seahawks with a 11-0 lead.

To the Rebels’ credit they did not give up and put sustained pressure on the Seahawks. But the Seahawks defense, led by quick senior defender Caroline Beaulac and tenacious junior Tori Avila held strong and made it challenging for Fairfax to score. The Rebels managed to score two goals to get back to 11-2 But junior super-sub Jessica Greatorex entered the game to provide a much needed lift to the offensive efforts of the Seahawks helping the Seahawks put the game away for good with Tignor’s second goal, another goal for Rygiel for a hat-trick of her own, and another for Heishman for her hat trick – making it a hat trick of hat tricks. The game ended with the Seahawks having earned convincing 15-4 win against Fairfax.

The Seahawks next game is against cross-town rival Herndon on the Monday after Easter. The Seniors for the Seahawks, having yet to defeat Herndon, are looking to come out on the winning end.

Photo: The five seniors in front of the Senior Wall at South Lakes.