Can NDA be challenged? South Shore top 10 high school girls lacrosse rankings
The South Shore has always been a hotbed of high school girls lacrosse.
That trend will continue this spring.
Notre Dame Academy, now aiming for a three-peat in Division 2, is one of the best programs in the state (no matter the sport). South Shore League rivals Norwell and Cohasset are always in the state championship mix. Duxbury and Hingham are two of the top teams in the Patriot League, while others like Scituate and Hanover are accustomed to tournament runs. Weymouth has been a tough out in Div. 1 in recent years.
The 2024 season is shaping up to be another good one for the area. Let's delve into our first top 10 ranking of the season.
WHERE WE ENDED 2023: NDA leads the way again: Top 10 South Shore high school girls lacrosse rankings
Record as of Tuesday morning and last year's final ranking in parenthesis.
On the bubble: Scituate (1-2), Hull (2-2), Quincy (2-3), Marshfield (2-2), South Shore Tech (4-0)
10. Pembroke (3-2, NR)
The Titans are one of the most surprising stories of the spring so far. After going 2-18 last season, Pembroke has already surpassed last season's win total. The Titans will learn a lot about the potential of this year's team with some tougher competition this week.
9. Plymouth North (3-2, NR)
Addie Pyy is one of the top returning players in the Patriot League and she recently tallied her 100th career goal in a 14-10 win over Dartmouth. The Blue Eagles pulled out a solid 9-8 win over Old Rochester Regional on Saturday.
8. Hanover (3-0, 8)
Last season, the Hawks exploded for 57 goals in three tournament games before bowing out in the Division 3 Elite 8. The Hawks have decisive wins over Plymouth North (14-6), Marshfield (11-4) and Silver Lake (13-3). Eva Kelliher scored her 100th career goal in the season opener. Look for the Hawks to compete for the Patriot League Fisher Division title this spring.
7. Braintree (3-1, NR)
After missing the tournament last season, the Wamps have been on a torrid start to open the season, outscoring their foes 45-17 before a loss to Walpole on Tuesday. Callie Burchill tallied her 200th career point with a 13-point day against Bridgewater-Raynham. Another tough test looms against Weymouth on Thursday.
6. Duxbury (2-1, 4)
The Dragons have reached the Division 2 Final Four each of the last two seasons. Duxbury will be in the mix once again in Division 2 and will battle Hingham for the Patriot League Keenan Division title. Over the last three seasons, the only teams to beat the Dragons have been the state's most elite programs.
5. Weymouth (1-2, 6)
Since opening the season with an impressive win over Norwell, the Wildcats have dropped tough games against Needham and Walpole. Weymouth has big ones against Braintree (Thursday) and Cohasset (Friday) still on the slate for this week.
4. Norwell (1-1, 2)
Last year, the Clippers reached the Division 2 state final before falling to Newburyport, 13-10. Norwell upset Cohasset and Medfield en route to the state final. Expectations are always high for the Clippers. Norwell has dropped competitive games against Central Catholic and Weymouth.
3. Cohasset (2-0, 3)
The Skippers made their long-awaited season debut with an 18-4 win over Needham on Saturday. Coach Joe Fitzgerald, a longtime assistant, takes over as head coach this spring. Circle May 20 on your calendars. That's when the Skippers host Norwell for the de facto South Shore League Championship.
2. Hingham (1-2, 5)
The Harborwomen have long been knocking on the door of breaking into the elite ranks in Division 1. This might be their year. Hingham played powerhouse and 2023 finalist Westwood to a one-goal loss on Saturday. They followed that up with a competitive showing in a 9-4 loss to Notre Dame Academy on Tuesday. Last season, Hingham lost to eventual state champion Lincoln-Sudbury, 7-4, in the Division 1 Sweet 16.
1. Notre Dame Academy (3-0, 1)
The Cougars held this spot for the entirety of 2023, and it sure seems like that will happen again in 2024. Last spring, NDA went 25-0 en route to a Division 2 state title repeat. This spring, the Cougars are looking for their third consecutive state title. NDA already has decisive wins over Walpole (16-10), Duxbury (15-2) and Hingham (9-4).
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore high school girls lacrosse top 10 rankings
