April 8 was a day years in the making for many involved with the Hampshire Regional girls lacrosse program. Formed as a club team in 2017, the program played its first-ever varsity game against Springfield Central earlier this month.
In 2018, the team became involved with a co-op with St. Mary’s High School in Westfield. Since then, Hampshire’s representation has continued to increase.
“In that first year with St. Mary’s, I want to say we had between 16 to 18 players,” said Hampshire Regional head coach Grace Ahrensdorf. “And we have grown every year. I think we had low to mid-20s the next year — or at least high teens — and had the year off from COVID, then last year we had 28 players total, and this year, when we switched to Hampshire [as the host school], we now have 49.”
In its fifth active season, the program was ready to finally represent Hampshire Regional on the field.
“I think there was a lot of excitement in general,”Ahrensdorf said. “More girls and more families know that it’s definitely been a journey in getting the sport to Hampshire.”
Skylar Duda was with the original club when she was in seventh grade, and is now a senior captain representing the school and leading the team. The only other senior on the squad alongside her is fellow captain Emma Archambault.
Juniors Sam Moran and Caitlin Potts have also been in the program since they were in seventh grade, and look to take a step up in team leadership this season.
In the first two games in the program’s history, Hampshire dominated with a 14-1 victory over Central and a 15-2 win over Pittsfield.
The Belchertown boys’ lacrosse team knows what its biggest strength is, and it showed in a 3-2 victory over St. Mary’s this past Monday.
“Kind of the focal point of our team runs through that defense,” said Orioles head coach Nick St. George. “In two of our games, we’ve played really good defense. And we’ve had strong play from our goalie.”
The team is 1-3, but the group is excited to finally have a full season back on the field. They know that either way however, there is not much time to prepare in the preseason.
“The start of the season is basically the same all the time,” St. George said. “You have so many things you’ve got to get to, and cover, and get ready for the first game. So, whether it starts in March or it starts in May, it doesn’t really matter. It’s still a short window from your first practice to your first game.”
The Amherst boys’ lacrosse team is also excited to reap the benefits of a full season.
“It’s fantastic,” said Hurricanes head coach Charlie Edwards. “We lost the whole COVID year and then half of last year or more. This is our first time back in the locker room — we weren’t in the locker room last year. Things like having a full team that sees each other in school — it makes a difference.”
Fans should expect great contributions from senior captain Tanner Selig, who has a large role in Amherst’s defense.
“Tanner (Selig)’s really emerged,” Edwards said. “He was a big contributor last year, but he’s even bigger this year being one of a few seniors.”
Max Frenette is starting as the team’s goalie for the first time in his junior season, and sophomore Skyler Ferro is expected to be one of the Hurricanes’ most effective goal scorers.
The Granby girls’ team is fresh off a successful 10-6 season, and the Rams have their two leading goal scorers back from a year ago. Ella Laliberte and Gabby Walz scored 83 and 54 goals, respectively, in last season’s campaign.
The South Hadley girls’ team has already toppled last year’s win total, as the Tigers are 3-2 to open the 2022 campaign after a 2-10 season in 2021.
Seniors Gabi Moroney and Olivia Marion are joined by freshman Raquel Losty as players on the team with double-digit goals thus far this season. Evelyn Gingras has also provided solid goalkeeping between the pipes by saving at a 56-percent clip.
The Belchertown girls’ lacrosse team went 11-2 in the shortened 2021 season, setting the bar high for this season.
Their two leading goal scorers from last season graduated, so there are some roles that need filling. However, their elite goalkeeper Mabelle Bessette remains on the roster for her senior year. In 2021, she saved 81-percent of the shots that came her way.