After losing their head coach a determined lacrosse team finds the leadership in each other to maintain another winning season 

Brian Schuckman, the new head coach for the girl’s lacrosse team is a previous junior high coach that most of the players on the varsity team had played for in junior high. Schuckman has had hopes to join the varsity team in some way for multiple years, and he finally got his opportunity. 

“I love him, he’s great. He’s overall super nice and fun but has been taking everything very seriously throughout the preseason because he knows if we want to win we have to be focused,” Maya Hicks said. 

Last year the Lady Knights team went 15-five on the season, and six-one in the conference only losing to Loveland. Despite the great year, the girls had last year, they lost a few seniors and got a new head coach, so underclassmen aren’t sure what to expect for this season. 

Hicks, and Katie Gabert, two of the upcoming seniors returning this year, are ready for an even better season out of the Knights.

“We plan to win the ECC and to stop the streak of losing in the regional final four, and make it to the 4th round of the playoffs, therefore securing the regional title,” Hicks said. 

The last time the lacrosse team won the ECC was in 2019, then in 2020 the season got canceled and then in 2021 they lost to Loveland, and placed second in the ECC.

The Lady Knights won the ECC in 2019 with a 16-five record. Following a canceled 2020 season the girls then placed second in the ECC in 2021.

“The only other time I won ECC was my freshman year, and after getting second last year, I think we have the returning talent to sweep the conference and win the ECC,” Gabert said. 

 Hicks was a starter last year as a junior and went through all of the varsity practices and drills. This year she realized early on that it will be much tougher with a new head coach, Schuckman coaching the team.

“In practice and scrimmages, we are already seeing great success that will hopefully translate to games. Our practices are a lot tougher, which is good and it will help us have another successful season,” Hicks said.

Grace Sims, a sophomore on the team knows that she and the team are going to have to be open to changes that the new coach will bring.

“It is definitely hard to adjust to different expectations and break down old habits we had built, but hopefully it will be a good thing for our team to get a fresh start,” Sims said. 

The Knights are returning multiple notable players who were leaders in most of the team’s statistics.

“Katie Gabert is an amazing athlete and her ability to get to the goal through any defender is amazing, Maya Hicks is a beast on defense and her caused turnovers are unmatched, Sophia Folchi can catch any pass and place it perfectly in the goal no matter who or what is in the way,” Sims said. 

Gabert who was fourth in the ECC for goals, Sophia Folchi who was fifth, and Sami Drew who was 16th were the team’s leading scorers last year, all returning for another season. Along with Sims who was fifth in the ECC for assists. On the defensive end, the Knights are returning Josie Luck, and Maya Hicks who was second in the ECC for interceptions. 

The senior Knights are fully committed to this team and are looking forward to kicking off their season. They want to finish their high school lacrosse career strong. They want to continue building their philosophy of no unfinished business.

“I think that resonates with a lot of us, especially those who remember what it felt like to lose our season 2 years ago due to COVID,” Gabert said.