The J. Taylor Finley Middle School girls’ lacrosse team enjoyed a splendid season under first year coaches Hildi Stanford and Greg Dieterich, compiling a 7-2-1 record.
Finley was captained by Mia Johnson, Riley Uvena, Shannon Koepele and Domenica Elgart. The 30 player squad was the best girls’ lacrosse team at Finley is many seasons.
Midfield Ava McDonald led the team in goals and assists. Giselle Salmeron was Finley’s talented new goalie.
“Ava is simply a remarkable player with all-around excellence on the field,” Stanford said. “She makes everyone around her better. Giselle completely picked up the goalie position as if she has always played it.”
The team’s seven wins were the most by a Finley girls’ lacrosse squad in recent memory. “Our best accomplishment was simply the way every girls on the team helped to build up one another,” Stanford said. “The seven wins were nice, too. It was an amazing team that acted and felt like a family.”
About half the team is eligible to return next spring. “Hopefully, we will be able to pick up where we left off in terms of success on and off the field,” Stanford said.
The roster also included Julianna Ackerman, Kennedy Banner, Grace Callery, Amelia Carino, La-Khiasja Casey, Sage Cicciari, Andie DiGioa, Leighton Evans, Chelsea Gordon, Katherine Gordon, Alexis Haas, Madyn Kalb, Olivia Kaufman, Grace Kline, Erin Langton, Alexandra Learned, Emili Licona Banegas, Fiona Lynch, Elliot Manu, Caroline Mitek, Grace Oliva, Breilin Perez, Dakota Respass, Zoe Selleri, Louisa Skrobela and Darcy Verville.
