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Girls lacrosse: lohud Top 10 rankings as the 2024 season gets going

nancy haggerty, rockland/westchester journal news
·5 min read

The high school girls lacrosse season launched for a handful of teams last week, seemingly before water coolers were emptied from the winter season.

While some teams already have two games under their belts, others won't play an official game until next week.

Here are the Journal News/lohud's first girls lacrosse rankings of the season, based primarily on last year's results and on the players returning and lost from last year's teams.

Numbers in parentheis reflect team record through March 24.

10. Horace Greeley (0-0)

Greeley's Bae Bounds (6) celebrates her first half goal against Ursuline during the girls lacrosse Class A semifinal at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua May 23, 2023. Greeley won the game 11-8.8 Bounds is one of several all-stars back playing for the Quakers this season.
Greeley's Bae Bounds (6) celebrates her first half goal against Ursuline during the girls lacrosse Class A semifinal at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua May 23, 2023. Greeley won the game 11-8.8 Bounds is one of several all-stars back playing for the Quakers this season.

Greeley, the top seed in last year's Section 1 Class A playoffs before losing the crown to Yorktown, will play multiple tough teams in the early going. That might not always translate to wins, but it's bound to pay dividends down the road. The Quakers return several all-stars, but the question is how long it will take them to replace its top and very versatile player, who was its go-to shooter.

9. Yorktown (0-0)

The Huskers have lost a good deal of offensive firepower but return some key players, including two defensive stars. If Yorktown can find offense, it may well be as good as last year's 14-win squad that won last year's Section 1 Class B championship as an underdog. Yorktown opens its season Tuesday, facing a major challenge in Bronxville.

8. Pelham (0-1)

The Pelicans bring back one of only two Section 1 underclassmen to earn All-American honors last year: Villanova commit Mia Orlando. This team isn't jam-packed with returning all-stars and may face a tough, obstacle-filled road trying to reach a sectional final, competing in Class C, arguably Section 1's most talent-rich class. But its season-opening, double-overtime loss to John Jay-Cross River, last year's state Class C runner-up, is as positive a sign as a loss can be.

7. Ursuline (1-0)

From left, UrsulineÕs Paige Moretti (13) fires a shot in front of ScarsdaleÕs Skylar Matusz (12) during field hockey action at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle Oct. 3, 2023. The teams played to a 1-1 tie.
From left, UrsulineÕs Paige Moretti (13) fires a shot in front of ScarsdaleÕs Skylar Matusz (12) during field hockey action at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle Oct. 3, 2023. The teams played to a 1-1 tie.

Having graduated one star but with a roster that includes three other Division I commits (all gong to military academies), it seems a good bet the Koalas will exceed the 12 wins they had in 2023. Ursuline should be considered one of Section 1's top Class B teams and could prove to be one of its top teams overall.

6. North Rockland (0-0)

North Rockland's Olivia Castaldo (1) works the ball during the Section 1 Class A girls lacrosse championship game against Suffern at Nyack High School in Nyack on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
North Rockland's Olivia Castaldo (1) works the ball during the Section 1 Class A girls lacrosse championship game against Suffern at Nyack High School in Nyack on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

The Red Raiders have lost the Rockland Player of the Year and more than 130 goals to graduation from a team that fell to state Class A semifinalist Suffern by just one goal in the Section 1 title game. But they returns a lot of talent, and with that, the promise that they should be one of the favorites in Class A.

5. John Jay-Cross River (1-0)

Last year's No. 1 team will likely remain one of the area's best. But the Wolves, who made it to the state Class C championship game, have lost a lot of talent from that 19-3 squad. Included was the Westchester/Putnam Player of the Year, two other Westchester/Putnam first-team all-stars and a second-team all-star. John Jay-CR opened the season with a double-overtime win over Pelham.

4. Nyack (0-0)

Nyack goalie Kiera Furey, shown here during a 16-6 win April 25, 2023 against host Horace Greeley, is one of the RedHawk all-stars who've returned for the 2024 season.
Nyack goalie Kiera Furey, shown here during a 16-6 win April 25, 2023 against host Horace Greeley, is one of the RedHawk all-stars who've returned for the 2024 season.

Last year's 15-win RedHawks team lost just three games, each only by a goal and each to top-10 teams. And it defeated both Suffern and North Rockland, no small task. Losing one top-level player but returning the bulk of its offense and defense, Nyack, which fell by one goal to Rye in last year's Section 1 Class C playoffs, should be very much in the mix to win the section crown.

3. Rye (1-0)

John Jay-Cross River's Shannon Nolan (16) works to try to block a pass from Rye's Lilly Whaling (22) during the girls lacrosse Section 1 Class C championship game at Nyack High School in Nyack on Friday, May 26, 2023.. Nolan is now playing for Lehigh University but Whaling, who gained all-American honors for Rye last spring, is back with the Garnets.

The Garnets opened their season by scoring 20 goals against Lakeland/Panas. They return the bulk of their talented 2023 lineup, including All-American Lilly Whaling. Last year's squad handed Nyack two of its three losses − both by a goal, and the second in the Class C semifinals. Last year, Rye fell by two goals in the championship game to John Jay-Cross River. But this team may have an edge this season on the Wolves, who lost more key players to graduation.

2. Bronxville (0-0)

Last year, the Broncos got off to a rough start in their quest to find offense after graduating players who accounted for more than 200 goals for the 2022 Class D state-championship squad. And, yet, Bronxville found itself in the state Class D championship game once again. It did that by following a formula that has long proved successful, playing strong out-of-area teams during the regular season. It will do the same this year as it tries to replace its top 2022 player's 60-plus goals and 60-plus assists. That will be a tough task but after last year, there's little reason to doubt it has a good chance to succeed.

1. Suffern (0-0)

Suffern's Michaela Fay (1) works against Kingston's Katerina Deising (5) in the Class A state regional final girls lacrosse game at James I. O'Neill High School in Highland Falls on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Fay, who received all-star honors last year as a freshman, will be back at midfield for the Mounties. (Credit: John Meor
Suffern's Michaela Fay (1) works against Kingston's Katerina Deising (5) in the Class A state regional final girls lacrosse game at James I. O'Neill High School in Highland Falls on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Fay, who received all-star honors last year as a freshman, will be back at midfield for the Mounties. (Credit: John Meor

The Mounties have graduated three key figures from their 2023 state Class A Final 4 team, which came within a goal of reaching the state final. Suffern returns several young all-stars, who should only be expected to be better this season. As is Suffern's norm, it will play several out-of-area powerhouses to fully prepare for the postseason.

Week 1 2024 girls lacrosse: Blind Brook, Irvington, Brewster, White Plains, Dobbs Ferry win

On the bubble: Briarcliff (1-0), Hackley (0-0), Hen Hud (1-0), Scarsdale (0-0), Somers (0-1)

Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: lohud girls lacrosse: Top 10 rankings as the 2024 season gets going