Freeport girls lacrosse gaining experience with young roster

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, April 13, 2018 | 10:00 PM

With only a handful of girls sporting any experience returning and a large crop of freshmen and sophomores who are learning on the fly, Freeport girls lacrosse coach Bob Conklin is starting with a fairly blank slate.

This year serves as a piece in a bigger picture for a program looking to establish a firm base entering its third WPIAL season and fourth overall. The goals aren't set in wins and losses, rather improvement with an eye on building for the future.

“Right now, I'm not really worried about the scoreboard, and I'm more focused on trying to polish their skills,” Conklin said. “At the end of the year, I'm hoping they are catching a higher percentage of their passes than we are right now and things like that. It's going to be a learning season for them. I have a group of girls that want to learn, and that's a good thing.”

Freeport has two players with more than one year of experience in senior Taylor Lichty and junior Mayce Wonderling. A few others played last year, and more than a dozen of the girls on the roster are playing the sport for the first time.

The Yellowjackets graduated their top two scorers in Chrissy Conklin, who is playing at Wheeling Jesuit, and Cameron Lindsay.

Wonderling is picking up the scoring slack, netting nine of Freeport's 10 goals in the team's first three games.

Conklin is working with his young group to become comfortable enough to build confidence and contribute in the goal department. Sophomore Sophia Hower scored her first career goal in the game against Hempfield.

Wonderling has carried the offense, but along with Lichty she's also been asked to help with the development of newer players.

“(Wonderling and Lichty) help on the field by giving our team direction,” Conklin said. “It's definitely a blessing having two girls out there with their knowledge to help us.”

Former goalie Cassie Suran is helping out as well by mentoring current keeper Maddie Ravotti.

Conklin already saw positives in his team's game in the short turnaround between Freeport's first two games: a 15-2 loss to Knoch, followed by an 11-5 defeat against Hempfield.

“They're already showing improvement,” Conklin said. “Each game we're going to try to keep growing and growing. I want to do some work with them in the summer and maybe even play some fall ball tournaments.”

Freeport has six more players than last year. It has a co-op with Armstrong. Four girls, including Wonderling, are from Armstrong.

The co-op forces Freeport to play up in class because enrolment numbers are counted from both schools. The Yellowjackets are in Section 2-AAA with Fox Chapel, Shady Side Academy, Indiana, Norwin, Penn-Trafford and Hempfield. Fox Chapel was a WPIAL finalist last year.

Every section opponent has an advantage on Freeport by having a youth program. Most come into varsity with four years of experience, while Freeport's players start playing varsity. Conklin is hopeful they can get a youth program going in the future.

“Considering the lack of experience and what we're up against, I think my girls are hanging in there pretty well,” Conklin said. “Lacrosse is still a new sport in our area, and a lot of people don't know a lot about it. In time, I think it will grow.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer.

Tags: Freeport