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07/12/2020 12:00 AMEven though the Daniel Hand girls’ lacrosse team was unable to play its high school season due to COVID-19, the Tigers’ athletes have been given the opportunity to compete in newly formed Dream League this summer. The Dream League was created by the non-profit James Vick Foundation and features 10 teams, one of which is the Madison Mavericks, who are coached by Hand girls’ lacrosse Head Coach Lindsey Carroll. The Mavericks played their first two games of the season last week, claiming victory in both of them for an early record of 2-0.
On July 7, Madison hosted the Branford Sting for its season opener and prevailed by a 16-8 final at the Surf Club. One day later, the Mavericks were on the road to face the North Haven Warriors and notched a 16-3 victory.
After her athletes lost out on their high school season, Coach Carroll could see just how happy they were to be together again.
“It felt amazing just to be out there with the girls, being together in the flesh and not over Zoom. I haven’t seen these girls smile like this. It’s just amazing,” Carroll said. “I don’t think they realized how much they missed lacrosse until the first five minutes of that Branford game. They all came off the field beaming.”
With the Mavericks featuring many of the same players as the high school team, they are being led by the same captains who would have held that role during the spring season. Recent Hand graduates Tessie Sheehan and Regan Larson, who play defender and attack, respectively, are serving as Madison’s captains. Coach Carroll said that despite the “highs, lows, and uncertainty” of the past few months, Sheehan and Larson have kept their teammates focused and are doing “everything they can,” to lead the Mavericks.
Madison’s roster also includes recent graduates Janet Howard, Maggie Kallinich, Jill Levis, Lauren Valluzzi, and Chloe Silva. Larson scored three goals for the Mavericks in their 16-8 victory against Branford. Rising junior Kacie Wines netted six goals, while Valluzzi and Silva added two goals apiece.
Coach Carroll said she could feel the energy among her players the second they took the field for their first game.
“The girls were so excited. It was the first time our girls stepped on the turf in 2020. As soon as we walked on that field, the vibe was just electric,” said Carroll. “They were so excited to play. Our season opener was with a rival in Branford. It got their juices flowing.”
Coach Carroll said that Wines has come out of the woodwork after developing her stick work and shot throughout the past two years. She added that Larson is going a great job of leading the Mavericks on the attack, and that Silva’s ability to collect ground balls is helping her team maintain possession in the midfield.
Carroll also said that she is expecting big seasons from rising senior Hadley Houghton, who scored a goal against Branford; and soon-to-be-sophomore Lydia Doraz, who the coach described as a tenacious player.
While the Mavericks were pumped up to face Branford, Coach Carroll said that they were able to stay composed and focus on making crisp passes once the game started. Carroll said that Madison’s physical and mental strength spurred the team to victory.
“We kept the energy high. Our passing was consistent with our transitions. We were controlling the draw,” she said. “We were really calm and patient on attack. We weren’t pressing. We were taking our time and making smart plays. Hopefully, we can continue that throughout the season.”
After beating Branford, Madison posted a 16-3 win versus North Haven in its first road game of the season. The Mavericks were led by four goals from Valluzzi, three goals apiece by Doraz and rising sophomore Macie Pellegrino, and two goals from rising junior Karleigh Kokoruda. Ashlee Wargo, who is heading into her senior year at Hand, played goalie for the Mavericks in both of last week’s victories.
Coach Carroll appreciates how the Dream League is giving her a chance to coach her outgoing seniors one more time. Carroll has been coaching many of these players since they were in the 5th grade. While Carroll is hoping that Madison continues to win its contests, she’s also relishing in that fact that her recent graduates are getting the final sendoff they deserve.
“It means everything. It’s more than lacrosse. These girls are like my lacrosse daughters,” said Carroll. “They have spent hours and hours and hours on the field together. It’s going to give them closure. It’s nice that they’re going to have this opportunity to pass our traditions on to our underclassmen. It’s a huge part of our program.”
There are two divisions in the Dream League. Madison is playing in the North Division with the North Haven Warriors, the Guilford Seahawks, the Branford Sting, and the Wallingford West Side. The teams in the South Division are the Amity Vikings, Shelton Stags, West Haven Bulldogs, Stratford Devil Dogs, and the Monroe Panthers.
Every team in the league has 10 games on its regular-season schedule, including two contests against each of its divisional opponents to go with two games versus non-divisional opponents. Each team will also host a Senior Night game. Madison’s Senior Night matchup is against North Haven on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Following the regular season, there will be postseason tournaments for each of the two divisions. The winners of those tournaments will then square off in the championship game.
Regardless of how far the Mavericks are able to go this summer, Coach Carroll said the most important thing is that her athletes make the most of their opportunity to compete in the Dream League. Carroll wants every player on her squad to realize just how special playing lacrosse can be.
“I just want this to be a positive experience for the girls. Especially with everything going on, this is a silver lining. I want them to be able to create these memories on the field with each other,” Carroll said. “This graduating class, I’ve been coaching them since they were in 5th grade. I’m just really glad that they get to have these memories on the field. Do we want to win? Of course. That would be the cherry on top. These girls have worked hard, and they really deserve this.”