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Meet the 2022-23 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area Girls Lacrosse Team

chris boyle, the daytona beach news-journal
·5 min read
Nominees for players of the year will be honored at the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns Award Show on June 6 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.
Nominees for players of the year will be honored at the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns Award Show on June 6 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

Bartram Trail and Ponte Vedra had to go through one another last year to reach the FHSAA girls lacrosse Final Four. Split into separate classes this time around, both teams booked trips to Naples and qualified for the state semifinals.

Ponte Vedra reeled off six consecutive victories after a 19-11 defeat against the Bears in late March, but came up a goal short against Lake Highland Prep. State runners-up in 2014 and '15, the Sharks still seek an elusive first championship.

More: Bartram Trail edges St. Thomas Aquinas, repeats as FHSAA girls lacrosse champion

More: Bartram Trail's Ryann Frechette wins Florida's top girls lacrosse award

Bartram Trail, on the other hand, successfully defended its Class 2A championship, fending off a frantic last push from Fort Lauderdale powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas for a 5-4 victory. The Bears have tallied 41 wins across the past two seasons, and will have a new coach in their quest for a three-peat in 2024.

Senior-heavy St. Augustine advanced to the second round, but were foiled again by the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. Tocoi Creek qualified for its first postseason appearance in the school's second year of existence, and Creekside made the cut thanks in large part to its strength of schedule.

The Ponte Vedra Sharks celebrate their trophy and win after the game of a FHSAA Region 1-1A girls lacrosse final Friday, April 28, 2023 at Ponte Vedra High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The Ponte Vedra Sharks defeated the the Episcopal Eagles 15-8 and advance to the state semifinal in Naples, Fla.
The Ponte Vedra Sharks celebrate their trophy and win after the game of a FHSAA Region 1-1A girls lacrosse final Friday, April 28, 2023 at Ponte Vedra High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The Ponte Vedra Sharks defeated the the Episcopal Eagles 15-8 and advance to the state semifinal in Naples, Fla.

Those teams featured some special athletes, some of whom are fortunate enough to stake a claim for the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.

The six nominees of the Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns All-Area Girls Lacrosse Team are up for Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year. The winner will be announced at the 2023 Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns High School Sports Awards on Tuesday, June 6 at the Ocean Center Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The show is produced with support from Halifax Health.

More than 200 high school athletes from across Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties area will be honored. The show will also name players of the year for 28 state-sanctioned sports and feature several major awards, including overall Players of the Year, Teams of the Year, Coaches of the Year and the Kayne Finley Courage Award.

The Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns High School Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

Let's meet the top lacrosse players within the three counties.

Nominees

Bartram Trail's Adri Ferrara (6) prepares to pass the ball against Ponte Vedra during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Bartram Trail's Adri Ferrara (6) prepares to pass the ball against Ponte Vedra during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Adrionna Ferrara, Bartram Trail: The senior formed a two-headed monster for the Bears with the next player on this list. Ferrara ripped home 86 goals, provided 15 assists, led the team with 23 turnovers caused and finished second in both ground balls (40) and draw controls (78).

Bartram Trail attacker Ryann Frechette (10) advances upfield as Ponte Vedra's Aubrey Schmidt (16) defends during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Bartram Trail attacker Ryann Frechette (10) advances upfield as Ponte Vedra's Aubrey Schmidt (16) defends during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Ryann Frechette, Bartram Trail: Named Miss Lacrosse by the Florida Dairy Farmers and an All-American for the third time, the junior scored an area-high 135 goals with 26 assists, 49 ground balls, 168 draw controls and 21 turnovers caused. Frechette, committed to Florida, has totaled 350 goals in three seasons with the Bears.

Ponte Vedra goaltender Ava LaManna (29) looks for passing options against Bartram Trail during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Ponte Vedra goaltender Ava LaManna (29) looks for passing options against Bartram Trail during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Ava Lamanna, Ponte Vedra: The junior All-American played all but 55 minutes in goal for the regional champion Sharks, making 136 saves at a 46.7% rate. Ponte Vedra held opponents to 8.3 goals per game with Lamanna between the sticks.

Ponte Vedra's Ruby Lynch (24) advances the ball against the Bartram Trail defense during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Ponte Vedra's Ruby Lynch (24) advances the ball against the Bartram Trail defense during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Ruby Lynch, Ponte Vedra: The senior midfielder ranked at or near the top of Ponte Vedra's squad in virtually every major outfield category, totaling 51 goals, 17 assists, 93 shots on goal, 31 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.

St. Augustine midfielder Skylar St. John (9) and Episcopal midfielder Ella Parker (1) pursue a ball during an FHSAA Region 1-1A high school girls lacrosse semifinal on April 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
St. Augustine midfielder Skylar St. John (9) and Episcopal midfielder Ella Parker (1) pursue a ball during an FHSAA Region 1-1A high school girls lacrosse semifinal on April 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Skylar St. John, St. Augustine: The tenacious All-American senior midfielder is one of the area's top two-way threats. St. John scored 60 goals with 42 assists, and made key contributions in other areas with 65 ground balls, 11 interceptions, 20 takeaways and 98 draw controls.

Bartram Trail goaltender Maddie Stevens (26) prepares to pass the ball downfield against Ponte Vedra during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Bartram Trail goaltender Maddie Stevens (26) prepares to pass the ball downfield against Ponte Vedra during the Rivalry on the River high school lacrosse tournament on March 25, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Maddie Stevens, Bartram Trail: The junior recorded nine shutouts and made 143 saves this season for the Bears, but none bigger than her last two. Stevens stopped a pair of St. Thomas Aquinas shots in the final 10 seconds of the Class 2A championship game to preserve Bartram's 5-4 win.

Other Athletes of Note

Carsyn Christel, Creekside: The senior filled up the stat sheet for the Knights, sharing the team lead with 47 goals and recording 12 assists, 30 ground balls and 62 draw controls.

Oak Hall Eagles midfielder Sarah Miller (8) gets a stick to the head by St. Augustine Yellowjackets attack Katie Cotter (1) in the first half. Oak Hall girls lacrosse hosted St. Augustine in class 1A playoffs at Oak Hall High School in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 20, 2023. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]
Oak Hall Eagles midfielder Sarah Miller (8) gets a stick to the head by St. Augustine Yellowjackets attack Katie Cotter (1) in the first half. Oak Hall girls lacrosse hosted St. Augustine in class 1A playoffs at Oak Hall High School in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 20, 2023. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Katie Cotter, St. Augustine: The Jackets' senior attacker is one of Northeast Florida's best pure scorers, lighting up opponents for 62 goals with 11 assists and 29 ground balls.

Stella Lynch, Ponte Vedra: The sophomore hit the 30-30 mark in goals and assists, scoring 38 times and setting up 32 while also forcing 25 turnovers.

Samantha Michlitsch, Bartram Trail: The senior captained and quarterbacked the Bears' defense, filling in any gaps, calling out crashers and cutters and clearing boundary balls.

Lily Toole, Ponte Vedra: The junior attacker notched a team-high 53 goals for the Sharks and was effective on the draw, winning 66 in total at a 54.5% success rate.

Kaitlyn Williams, Bartram Trail: The senior controlled the ball and picked out killer passes down low throughout the season, collecting a team-high 45 assists in addition her 24 goals.

Top Coach

Meghan Jackowiak, Bartram Trail: In her 12th, and final, season in charge of the Bears, Jackowiak steered her team to a 19-4 record with nine straight wins to close, 366 goals and a second consecutive FHSAA state title.

Honorable Mention

Bartram Trail: Ava Allamon, Emily Barnette, Peyton Morris, Savannah Payne, Haley Van Camp

Beachside: Ashlyn Heck, Naveah Ruff, Ava Wilkerson

Creekside: Natalie Charyak, Hailey Josleyn, Avery Mendheim

Flagler Palm Coast: Cristina Calidonio, Mikiya Fitzgerald

Matanzas: Kendall Duckett

Menendez: Amelia Fuentes, Kaiah McKay, Cassidy Vandermark

Nease: Victoria Lenoir, Carmen Palenik, Logan Wiesler

Ponte Vedra: Jenna Lewin, Lily Mosser, Emma Toole, Hannah Toole, Aubrey Schmidt

St. Augustine: Brooke Birkett, Hannah McGuire, Marissa Myers, Neely Taylor, Alyssa Rosenfeld, Kendal Weber

St. Joseph: Tatum Hill

Tocoi Creek: Ashley Cotter, Riley Cronin, Ella Hill, Gia Honahan, Mia Naughton, Emma Reed

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia-Flagler-St. Johns 2023 All-Area High School Girls Lacrosse Team