Davie girls lacrosse is fielding its first official North Carolina High School Athletic Association team this year after two years at the club level. Davie joins the Central Piedmont Conference with West Forsyth, Reynolds, Reagan, East Forsyth and Glenn fielding a varsity and JV team. Coaches remain the same as previous years with Laura Kiricoples and Marjorie Foster handling both teams.

Varsity returns seven key players from last year’s varsity team that went 2-5 against CPC teams with wins over Glenn and West Stokes. The Watauga game could have gone either way until the final minute of play.

Key returners for the War Eagles are midfielder/attackers Jill Staley (senior), Sierra Foster (junior), Emery Rosenbaum (junior), Jessie Crosby (sophomore) and Paige Riordan (sophomore). Returning defenders are juniors Morgan Athey and Alexis Dulin. Senior goalie Latoyia “TT” Doulin returns after missing last year to give Davie experience in the goal circle.

Several key starters for varsity in 2018 stepped up from JV to fill major roles.  Senior Katie Trader and junior Caitlyn Sagraves complete the attack positions, with junior Morgan Flores and sophomore Mallory Smith at defense. Varsity is rounded out by junior Maggie Junker and sophomore Claire Smith at attack and juniors Leanna Kinyoun and Makenzie Dalton on defense.

“Given the level of experience most of our players now have, we have been able to settle the offense and get the girls to execute the plays much better this year,” Foster said. “Two games in and we look like a vastly different team from the previous ones. We have been very pleased so far with both attack and defense. Staley, Foster, Crosby and Riordan have really stepped up at handling the ball and playing pressure defense while the defensive crew of Athey, Dulin, Flores and M. Smith have kept the crease locked down. Doulin hasn’t missed a beat in the goalie circle. Sagraves, Rosenbaum and Trader have been impressive with their back and wing attack. We look for an exciting season this year for this group of girls.”

Junior Varsity

Davie will field a conference JV team again this year. Last year’s team went 0-4 due to limited opponents and only playing East Forsyth (twice), West Forsyth and Reynolds. This season includes eight games with East and West Forsyth, Reynolds, Reagan, South Iredell and Northwest Guilford.

“We have been very excited with the number of players coming out for a new sport, so the future looks bright,” said Kiricoples.

Key experienced returning players are junior Natalie Folsom and sophomores Katie Walton, Lilli Haire, Kinley Hatherlee and Lauren Smith.  New players are junior Michaela Robbins, sophomores Tiffani Lengerich and Lydia Pilcher, and freshmen Haley Lyons, Presley Jones, Yasmin Andrade, Lauryn Yountz, Calista Turcios, Hailee Stanley, Hannah Roels, Makayla Smith, Katlin Howell, Isabel Harrelson and Hayley Cornell.

Midfield leaders are Walton, Lyons, Jones and Andrade.  Attacks are led by Folsom, Haire, Lengerich and M. Smith. Defensive leaders are Robbins, Yountz, Turcios and Stanley. Goalie is Hannah Roels.

“We look for a great learning experience for these younger girls as they adjust to a new game,” Kiricoples said. “They are coming together and improving everyday.”

Varsity Win

Davie’s varsity opened the 2018 season with a game at St. Stephens on March 2.

Davie allowed an early goal by the Indians and then turned up the pressure, scoring 15 straight times before allowing another score.  The final score of 18-2 was an impressive opener.

Doulin defended seven shots by the Indians, with five being saves. Davie shot 26 times with 18 goals and four assists. Points leaders (goals plus assists) were Foster with seven; Crosby, Riordan, and Sagraves with four each; Rosenbaum with two; and Staley with one.  Defensively, Athey, Flores, Dulin and M. Smith were solid all night.

“We are so elated that this team shows such vast improvement from last year,” Kiricoples and Foster said. “They are learning to play together as a team and help each other. The first two games (including a scrimmage) have been really fun to coach and watch.”