By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Three members of the North Reading high girls’ lacrosse team were named to the Cape Ann League All-Star teams this season. One Hornet made the CAL First-Team All-Stars while the two others were named to the Second Team.
Alaina Driscoll was the team’s CAL First-Team All-Star. The junior attacker, who was a Second Team All-Star last spring, scored 35 goals and she had six assists this year. She was second in goals and total points and third on the team in assists.
“The biggest thing about her was that she won 108 draws,” pointed out Hornets head coach Matt Costello. “With her hustle and heart she was phenomenal in draw controls.”
Costello also praised her spirit and her character on the field.
“She is a fierce competitor and is an amazing kid,” he added.
Addison Hajj made the CAL Second-Team All-Stars for the second year in a row. The junior midfielder was first in goals with 49 and first in total points with 51 as she had a pair of assists.
“She made a huge jump for last year to this year,” said Costello. “She gets a lot of credit for helping Alaina winning all of those draws. She is an aggressive driver to the goal and is good at being able to dodge defenders.”
Also a Second Team all-star is senior captain Lindsey Rosenthal as she made the Second Team All-Stars for the third consecutive season.
Rosenthal, a midfielder, finished with 26 points as she had 26 goals and three assists.
“She is a solid all-around player but her superpower is her defensive ability,” noted Costello. “She has a high lacrosse IQ and led our team in eight-meter shot percentage.”
The Hornets reached the MIAA Division 4 state tournament Round of 16 before falling to Cohasset to end the year at 11-9.
Cohasset lost to Norwell, 9-8, in the state title game on June 12.
In the CAL, the Hornets finished at 5-8. They were 4-4 in the CAL Kinney Division as they came in third place.
The Hornets had their team awards banquet at Hillview Golf Club a few weeks ago and Costello gave out several individual awards.
The Unsung Heroine Award went to junior midfielder Makenzie Murphy while the Coaches Award went to two players, junior Maya Menis and senior Jill Ball. Both Menis and Ball were attackers.
Senior defenseman, Madison Hopfer took home the Respect Award while Rosenthal received the Love Award.
The Resilience Award went to senior defenseman, Alexa Pepper.
“To win 10 games in the regular season and have a dominant playoff win over Monomoy (16-7 final) was a big accomplishment,” said Costello, who just finished his seventh-year at the helm. “The team showed growth and exceeded my expectations and I was proud of them.”
The Hornets will lose four seniors to graduation: Pepper, Rosenthal, Hopfer and Ball. Pepper and Rosenthal were the captains.
Rosenthal was also named an Academic All-American by USA Lacrosse and she will be playing at Division 2 St. Leo in Florida next year.
The two senior managers, Ava Levine and Grace Higgins, will also be leaving.
“The senior class was very special,” stated Costello. “They showed a lot of character and they grew as leaders and people.”
Next year, the Hornets will be one of the most experienced teams in the CAL as they are slated to return around 20 veterans with nine of them being starters.
“We have a very strong core coming back,” said Costello. “This will be one of my most experienced teams.”
The captains for next year were also voted on by the players and they will be juniors Murphy, Sara Suny (defenseman), Driscoll (attacker), Hajj (midfielder) and Mikaela O’Driscoll (attack).