Update after press time: Lynnfield falls to Bishop Fenwick 6-4 in home opener (March 27)
TAYLOR VALITON and the LHS girls’ lacrosse team opens their season at home on Thursday against Bishop Fenwick. Their CAL opener is on Sunday against Hamilton-Wenham at Gordon College. Valiton, a CAL First Team All-Star last year, returns for her second season as a captain. (File Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — Last spring, the Lynnfield High girls’ lacrosse team reached the MIAA Division 4 Round of 16 game before losing to Ipswich, 17-10, to end up at 10-12 overall.
Six seniors from that class graduated but fourth-year head coach Christine Serra welcomed back 11 veterans when camp opened on March 17.
Two of the players back are this year’s senior captains: Taylor Valiton and Clara Caulfield. Valiton, a midfielder and attacker, made the Cape Ann League First-Team All-Stars for the second year in a row last spring. She is in her second year as a captain.
Caulfield, meanwhile, is a defenseman.
The other three seniors back are Lily White (midfield- attacker), Kayla Santo (defensema) and Chloe Gromko (midfielder- attacker).
Alex Schmidt and Hannah Ozanian are the two juniors returning. Schmidt will play defense and midfielder while Ozanian will be a midfielder.
The four sophomores back are Hayden Valiton (midfielder- attacker), Ava Damiani (midfielder-attacker), Maeve Wertz (defenseman) and Jordan Calichman (midfielder).
Hayden Valiton was named to the CAL Second-Team All-Stars last year as she had 81 goals to go with 26 assists as she was second on the team in points.
Her older sister, Taylor, scored a team-high 97 goals to go with 11 assists for 108 points.
The biggest question for the team heading into the season is in net as their goalie, Casey Flynn, graduated. Sophomore Olivia Sylvester, and freshman, Gabby Cossano, are battling for the spot.
Lynnfield is slated to play a 20-game schedule this year. They went to North Andover High on Sunday for a Play Day against several schools and scrimmaged Methuen at home on Tuesday.
The season opener is on Thursday as they host Bishop Fenwick in a non-league game starting at 4 p.m.
On Sunday, the Pioneers will play their first CAL game as they visit Hamilton-Wenham at 6 p.m.
“We have a challenging non-league schedule,” said Serra. “But our number-one goal is to still qualify for the states.”
Last year, Lynnfield finished 5-8 in the Cape Ann League as they came in 4th place in the CAL Baker Division.