With talent spread to various positions on the field, the Lady Dragons lacrosse team’s level of play is anything but middle of the road. But its biggest strength as a team might be found in the middle of the field.
Led by players such as senior Sophie Patton (East Carolina), junior Logan Risenhoover (committed to Vanderbilt), junior Kaileigh Wallace (Mercer University), junior Bella Van Hoosier (University of Cincinnati) and freshman Ava Valdez, among others, Carroll has assembled a strong midfield core that allows them to transition from defense to attack without missing a beat and putting teams on their heels.
“Our speed in the midfield is something that a lot of teams can’t match,” says Morgan McDonald, Lady Dragons head coach. “We have quick ball movement.”
The midfield is not alone in catching the eye of college scouts. Junior attacker Katelyn Sclafani (East Carolina) is a feeder and finisher with great composure and field vision. Although juniors dominate the roster, younger players like Valdez and sophomore Landry Risenhoover, who McDonald has utilized as a strong defender, have made their presence known. Other young players have high expectations in the future as well, the coach says.
“There are some kids coming up through the pipeline that are going to be powerhouse kids in the future,” McDonald says. “It’s just a matter of training them to get to the elite level where we want them to be.”
SEASON UPDATE
At times this season, coaches and fans might have felt like they were watching a Division I college lacrosse matchup as the Southlake Carroll girls lacrosse team faced opponents in its conference. After all, in some instances, it might truly have been a sneak peek of athletes who could see each other in future college games.
The Lady Dragons, winners of the 2019 girls lacrosse state title, have eight girls committed to playing Division I lacrosse after high school. Flower Mound, one of Carroll’s conference foes, boasts 12 Division I-bound players themselves — basically a full starting lineup’s worth.
“It’s really awesome to see the growth of our sport and how far the sport has come in just a few years here in Texas,” says Morgan McDonald, in her third season at the helm of the Lady Dragons’ program. “It’s incredibly competitive in the DFW area but especially throughout the state.”
At 5-3 heading into the last regular season week before playoffs — playing in less games this season due to travel restrictions — Carroll survived a challenging division schedule. Flower Mound, Hockaday and Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) are the top three teams in their division and are also all ranked in the top three in the state. Carroll is No. 4 in state and is also ranked nationally in the South.
The Lady Dragons lost some close matches, including a 13-12 final to ESD. But McDonald felt good about her team’s chances to capture another state crown at the title game May 9 in Houston.
“We’re peaking at a really good time,” McDonald says. “Every game we’ve improved, and that’s the most important thing.”