Heading into the girls lacrosse season, very little remains consistent but change.
The North Jersey Interscholastic Girls Lacrosse League has completely revamped its divisions. The impact on Morris and Sussex county teams is yet to be seen. But it's likely the top squads will rise quickly, even in the new Stars & Stripes Red, which brings together champions from all over.
Plenty of new rivalries will be born this spring. Watch this space over the next two months to see which local teams sparkle.
With nothing to go on but history and paper, here's the girls lacrosse preseason Top 10.
10. Vernon
After moving to the Independence Blue, Vernon has a new set of Morris and Sussex opponents: Mount Olive, Villa Walsh, Jefferson, Kittatinny, Pequannock, St. Elizabeth and Roxbury. The Vikings need to get off to a better start than last spring, when they lost six of 10 heading into the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament. Senior midfielder Sidney Van Tassel (75g, 12a, 44gb, 114dc) will power Vernon.
9. Sparta
The Spartans wound up in the middle of the Freedom North, which was shaken up into the Freedom White. Junior midfielder Uma Kowalski starts this spring with 200 goals, 70 assists, 280 draw controls, 125 ground balls and 76 caused turnovers in her first two seasons.
8. Morris Hills
Keep an eye on senior midfielder Sydney Mulroony, who signed a National Letter of Intent with Wagner. She had 100 goals last spring, giving her 186 goals and 128 assists for her career, plus 207 ground balls, 239 draw controls and 58 caused turnovers. Younger sister Emily Mulroony, a junior midfielder, is poised for a big season as well.
7. Morris Knolls
The Golden Eagles ended last spring with six losses in nine games. If they can avoid negative streaks, they have plenty of potential – even in the new Stars & Stripes Blue. Senior goalie Gretchen King anchors Morris Knolls' defense, while juniors Aleena Seyam and Addy Walker are back for their third varsity seasons.
6. Madison
The Dodgers went unbeaten in the Freedom South last spring, and have been rewarded with a move to the Stars & Stripes Blue. Junior attack Hadley Holland is the top returning scorer. Junior Sarah Kate Preston jump starts the offense with a team-high 106 draw controls, and the defense with 110 ground balls.
5. Mountain Lakes
Was the NJIGLL kind to the Lakers? They're still in the Stars & Stripes, but they shifted to the new Blue division alongside Madison, Morris Knolls and Randolph – as well as former division foes Kent Place and Westfield. That moves Mountain Lakes away from some of the perennial powerhouses, but doesn't provide many more small schools. The Lakers had just one win in the division, but still advanced to the Group 1 final.
4. Mendham
Mendham hasn't won the Morris County Tournament since 2019, and hasn't been to the a Group final since the same season. The Minutemen lost to eventual Group 2 champion Summit in the sectional final last spring. All that history has built up plenty of motivation.
3. Randolph
Experience is key for Randolph, who will once again rely on senior midfielder Lexi Rodell (244g, 43a, 369dc). The Rams have shifted to the newly created Stars & Stripes Blue.
2. Chatham
Chatham is the two-time defending Group 3 champion. The Cougars have won two of the past three Morris County Tournament titles. But there's been a ton of turnover, with five 2023 graduates on NCAA Division I rosters. Chatham also has a particularly rough schedule, adding a game against Sacred Heart (Greenwich, Conn.) to the Stars & Stripes Red calendar.
1. Morristown
The Colonials won the Morris County Tournament and reached the Group 4 final. They beat Chatham twice, each time by a goal. Morristown isn't slated to run into the Cougars again until April 20, as both shifted into the Stars & Stripes Red.
Also considered: Kinnelon, Lenape Valley, Villa Walsh, West Morris.
Morris/Sussex Girls Lacrosse Players to Watch
Emma Barkauskas, Mountain Lakes senior goalie
Tessa Bowers, Villa Walsh sophomore midfielder
Lauren Carbon, West Morris junior midfielder
Sophia Cardella, Mendham senior midfielder
Samantha Mortimer, Kinnelon senior defender
Sydney Mulroony, Morris Hills senior midfielder
Megan O'Brien, Morristown senior attack
Abbie Rattay, Roxbury sophomore midfielder
Lexi Rodell, Randolph senior midfielder
Julia Swanson, Montville junior midfielder
Sidney Van Tassel, Vernon senior midfielder
Cameron Volpe, Kittatinny senior midfielder
Regina Williams, Lenape Valley junior midfielder
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