YAIAA girls' lacrosse: 4-team race for title
Even after a historic season, when Kennard-Dale became the first team to knock off seven-time defending District 3 girls' lacrosse champion Manheim Township in the district playoffs, the status quo could change for the YAIAA's pecking order in girls' lacrosse.
Kennard-Dale has won five of the last six YAIAA tournament titles, with York Catholic winning the 2014 title.
Those two teams could still be the programs to beat this season in the 12-team league, but two more teams are expected to challenge for that top spot.
Susquehannock, coming off a second-round loss in the District 3 tournament with eight returning starters, has been practicing in the preseason's frigid temperatures in part to sharpen its mental toughness for the upcoming season.
"Last year we felt when we found ourselves in a tough situation we weren't at our best," Susquehannock coach Steve Marshner said. "We've been doing extra conditioning and just trying to get better prepared to play in our tough games.
"We have a good team this year, it all comes down to how tough we are."
The Warriors also added goalie Sam McGuire, who played at York Catholic last season.
Red Lion hopes to challenge for one of the top spots after a fourth-place finish and 11-win season a year ago. Top scorer Alyssa Adams (67 goals in 2016) returns to the squad, and the Lions worked in the offseason to improve their defense.
All this could be important since Kennard-Dale and York Catholic both enter the season with some serious questions.
Kennard-Dale is expected to be a force offensively, returning all but about 30 points from last year's state quarterfinal team. But the Rams lost two-year starting goalie Clare Boone when she transferred to St. Paul's School in Baltimore.
During the preseason, the goalie spot has come down to a two-player competition to see who could fill the spot.
"The best defense is often a great offense," Kennard-Dale coach Kelly Wetzel said. "Are we going to have to outscore teams in order to take the pressure off? We have a lot of things to figure out."
The Rams should still be an impressive offensive team, with Maddie Day (70 regular-season goals in 2016) and Emmie Dressel (LaSalle commit) returning. Dressel should move into the Rams' second spot in career points even with a below average showing. She needs about 30 goals and 30 assists to notch her name in the No. 2 spot.
York Catholic, a district semifinalist a year ago, also has some defensive concerns, including replacing GameTimePA first-team defender Maura Palandro.
"We lost a lot of talent from last year's team, and we still have to get by Susquehannock and Kennard-Dale," York Catholic coach Rob Linthicum said.
So even with a talented roster, that will include Amanda Tufano, Kayleigh Pokrivka and Anna Linthicum, the Irish are hesitant to make any bold predictions. That doesn't mean they won't be up to the challenge, taking on Susquehannock, Manheim Township and Kennard-Dale during the first five days of its season.
Players to watch
Alyssa Adams, sr., mid, Red Lion
Elizabeth Antoshak, jr., mid, South Western
Morgan Bowings, jr. mid, Kennard-Dale
Lakyn Brenneman, sr., attack/mid, West York
Maddie Day, jr., attack, Kennard-Dale
Holly Detwiler, jr., mid, West York
Gabriella DiRienzo, sr., attack, South Western
Emmie Dressel, sr., attack, Kennard-Dale
Jordan Gertz, soph, mid, South Western
Lauren Grove, sr., mid, Spring Grove
Emily Harrington, jr., mid, Red Lion
Larissa Herbert, sr., goalie, Red Lion
Kayla Held, sr., attack, Susquehannock
Maddie Lazzelle, sr., def., South Western
Anna Linthicum, sr., attack, York Catholic
Rachel Marshner, sr., mid, Susquehannock
Haley Martinez, sr., defender, Susquehannock
Sam McGuire, soph., goalie, Susquehannock
Kayleigh Pokrivka, sr., def/mid, York Catholic
Sam Richards, sr., mid, Spring Grove
Peyton Shima, jr., attack, Red Lion
Chloe Smith, sr., mid, West York
Gena Speights, sr., attack, Susquehannock
Amanda Tufano, sr., mid, York Catholic