One of the most exciting days on the lacrosse calendar is here.
It’s Opening Day.
The mad sprint to the state finals gets underway across New Jersey.
Before the first draw is taken and the first goal is scored, let’s look at the preseason rankings. Here is the preseason NJ.com Top 20 for the 2024 girls lacrosse season.
1- Summit
- Final 2023 record: 20-2
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 1
Summit again starts the season as the No. 1 team in the state after going 20-2 and winning its second-straight Group 2 title. The Hilltoppers weren’t spared in graduation losses, but return experienced players on both sides of the field, including All-State Third Team selections Anya Wardle, Lauren Riley and Susannah O’Connell. The next-player-up mentality should be in full effect as Summit will again look to be one of the top teams in the state this year.
2-Oak Knoll
- Final 2023 record: 18-4
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 3
Oak Knoll finished the last year ranked No. 3 after going 18-4, winning its third-straight Union County Tournament title and eighth-straight Non-Public A title. Darby Campbell, Emma Ramsey, Julia Ramsey and three-year starter Madeline Sepe graduated, but leading scorer and All-State First Team selection Sophia Loschert returns, along with a number of younger players who received invaluable tournament experience last year.
3-Ridgewood
- Final 2023 record: 20-2
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 2
After falling just short in 2022, Ridgewood rebounded in a big way last year. The Maroons, under new head coach Jim Montegari, won their 18th-straight Bergen County Tournament title and won their first Group 4 title since 2019. Reigning State Player of the Year Lindsey Devir graduated, but Ridgewood was on the young side last year, which means a host of players will be returning, including All-State Third Team selection Keira Schwartz and Isabella Winn.
4-Shawnee
- Final 2023 record: 19-2
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 5
Shawnee rode a 14-game win streak into the Group 3 final last year, including an upset-win over Moorestown in the sectional final, but fell to Chatham in the state title game. The Renegades should rebound in a big way this year under new head coach Mike Jackson as All-State Second Team selection Mackenzie Borbi returns after a dominant season as a sophomore, along with Bella Calvanese, Abby Davidson, Avery Dunbar and Charlotte Kent.
5-Haddonfield
- Final 2023 record: 16-5
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 8
Haddonfield makes a bit of a jump after going 16-5 last year and advancing to the Group 2 final, where it ran into Summit. But the Bulldawgs return almost their entire squad from a team that went 16-5 and 8-0 in the SJILL American Division, including goalie and All-State First Team selection Lexi Gwaku, Chloe Gwaku and All-State Second Team selections Stella Stolarick and Lena Stolarick.
6-Moorestown
- Final 2023 record: 18-4
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 10
Moorestown saw a 12-year streak of winning a sectional title come to an end with a one-goal loss to Shawnee in the South, Group 3 final last year. Count on the Quakers to return with a chip on their shoulder this season as All-State Second Team selections Katie Bianco and Maddie Miceli, Emma Greer and Mae Murphy will lead a talented team that should have what it takes to restart a sectional title-winning streak.
7-Morristown
- Final 2023 record: 18-3
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 6
After winning its first Group 4 title in program history in 2022, Morristown fell just short last year, losing to Ridgewood in the sectional final. The Colonials, which won the Morris County Tournament title over Chatham, lost Braeden Siverson and goalie Olivia Licardi, but return a host of tournament-savvy players, including All-State First Team selection Megan O’Brien, Anna Szporn and Anna Rivetti.
8-Rumson-Fair Haven
- Final 2023 record: 23-3
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 9
Rumson-Fair Haven is coming off a season in which it went 23-3, went undefeated at 9-0 in the Shore Conference B North Division, won the Shore Conference Tournament title and the Group 1 title. The Bulldogs lost 12 seniors from last year’s team, but had 19 underclassmen on its roster. Abby Boyle returns, along with Rachel James and Daisen Iwan.
9-Cherry Hill West
- Final 2023 record: 17-3
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 11
Cherry Hill West finished atop the Olympic Conference National Division at 6-0 and also advanced to the South, Group 3 semifinals where it fell to Shawnee. The Lions will have to replace the likes of Carolyn Kirk and Ava Hawk, but return a number of players who played big roles as underclassmen, including Lilly Legato, Addison Petti, Tatum Woods, Charleston Pike and Samantha Bruno.
10-Pingry
- Final 2023 record: 21-4
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 7
Pingry, which started last season on a 14-game win streak, only lost four games, won the Somerset County Tournament title and advanced to the Non-Public A final, where it fell to Oak Knoll. The Big Blue will have the difficult task of replacing Bella Goodwin, but returns All-State Third Team selection Annabelle Mahoney, Becca Kirschner, McKenna Dwyer and Charlotte Diemar.
11-Allentown
- Final 2023 record: 22-2
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 14
One thing’s for sure, this team looks like it’ll be able to score plenty of goals. This group had 22 wins and scored 370 goals in 2023. Most of that crew comes back. Delaney Nolan has a great shot at hitting 100 goals and she could be one of five different players to score at least 50 this season. The only two losses this group had last year came in championship games. The first was the Mercer County final and the second was the South Jersey, Group 2 final.
12-Kingsway
- Final 2023 record: 12-10
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 20
Kingsway took home a sectional title and marched all the way to the Group 4 final a season ago before falling to Ridgewood. This team has the potential to make it right back there and win it. The Dragons have a star-studded cast featuring two potential 100-goal scorers in Ally Phalines and Phoebe O’Rourke and one of the best on draws in the state in Madi Rothwein. This team is scary good.
13-Chatham
- Final 2023 record: 18-4
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 4
Chatham wrapped an 18-4 2023 season with a Group 3 state championship. It was quite a run, but this team lost roughly a dozen seniors from that squad. There will be new faces, but there are some key pieces coming back highlighted by Addison Barrett and Grace Hallahan. Chatham will once again be among the best in Morris County, but the big question is if this new cast of talent can put together a repeat performance.
14-Mendham
- Final 2023 record: 13-8
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 16
Mendham nearly took down Chatham to punch a ticket to the 2023 Morris County final, but came up just short and then came one win shy of reaching the Group 2 state final. A large percentage of that team comes back, making this team a threat to make another deep run in 2024. Sophia Cardella has what it takes to contend for 75 or more goals this year.
15-Bridgewater-Raritan
- Final 2023 record: 18-4
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 12
Bridgewater-Raritan will be one of the top teams in Somerset County once again this year. That comes even while losing a few key seniors. The tandem of Giada Catanzaro and Emma Ciocon has the talent to take this group a long way. The Panthers always put together a demanding schedule, which will benefit the new faces once the playoffs come around.
16-Manasquan
- Final 2023 record: 12-5
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 19
Manasquan enters the 2024 season with a roster that could contend for a Shore Conference title and reach a sectional final. It’s not a roster that will feature 100-goal scorers but that’s not a problem. The team is balanced with six returning players scoring at least 10 goals. The team also welcomes back a stellar goalie in Kiki Noe. The ingredients for a successful season are there.
17-Ocean City
- Final 2023 record: 16-5
- Final 2023 ranking: No. 15
Ocean City captured a Cape-Atlantic League Tournament title last year and fell to Moorestown in the South Jersey, Group 3 final. There’s a lot of talent on the returning roster highlighted by Delainey Sutley fresh off a 64-goal season with 147 draw controls. The Red Raiders are the team to beat in the Cape-Atlantic League and has what it takes to contend for a sectional title.
18-Randolph
- Final 2023 record: 16-6
- Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Randolph had a six-game winning streak down the stretch that almost resulted in the team reaching the North Jersey, Group 3 final. The run came to an end in the semifinals with a one-goal loss to Northern Highlands. A 100-goal scorer in Alexis Rodell comes back and she’s also the top player on draw controls with 185 wins a year ago. In all, the top seven scorers from 2023 are back along with key pieces of the defense like Katherine Tighe and Judy Maloney in goal. The Rams are another big threat coming out of Morris County.
19-Hunterdon Central
- Final 2023 record: 15-6
- Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Hunterdon Central was one of the top squads in a strong Skyland Conference last year and is shaping up to do the same again this spring. The team has a good chance of completing a five-peat in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and can push for a sectional championship.
20-Mountain Lakes
- Final 2023 record: 9-12
- Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Mountain Lakes finished three games below .500, but that’s a product of playing a perennially difficult schedule and it won four in a row in the state tournament to reach the Group 1 final. Kaylin Oey, Kayla Plotts and Emma Barkauskas are a terrific trio to build around, and there are plenty of strong supporting players around them to lead Mountain Lakes to success in 2024.
Lauren Knego may be reached at lknego@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on X at @laurenknego
Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @BrianBobal.
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