High Hopes for Catholic Lacrosse
- Gianna Renaldi
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Both the Charlotte Catholic girls and boys Varsity Lacrosse Teams have opened their seasons with competitive wins, revealing the potential each team has as they head into conference play. The girls began their season at home with a 10-6 win over Hoggard on February 28th, while the boys started earlier in the week with a 20-4 victory over Christ The King on February 25th.
The girls team, currently ranked third in the conference and fifth in the state, has faced one of the toughest early schedules in years. After their opening win, the Cougars traveled to Providence Day on March 3rd and lost 10-9 in double overtime. Two days later, they faced another one-goal overtime loss at home to Marvin Ridge, ending in an 8-7 final score. Catholic then responded with a 15-7 win over Cannon School on March 10th, demonstrating the team’s ability to redeem themselves quickly.
On March 14th, the girls played in the Crown Classic at Memorial Stadium, which marks the first time high school teams have ever competed in the event. The tournament is typically reserved for top Division II women's programs, but organizers invited Catholic after they were unable to secure another D2 opponent. Catholic played Weddington in the opening game and lost 9-8 in yet another close matchup. Senior Eleanor Mckloskey said, “Being the first high school team to play in the Crown Classic was something we’ll never forget. Even though it didn't go our way, it felt like we proved that we can compete at a higher level.”
The boys team has also shown strong potential, opening 3-2 and holding the top spot in their conference while ranking 17th in the South region. After their win over Christ The King, Catholic shut out Myers Park at home 16-0 on March 4th and defeated Cambridge 11-7 on March 6th. Their first loss came the next night in a
6-5 overtime game against Lambert. A week later on March 13th, the boys faced Hough in a matchup that would determine the number one team in the state. Unfortunately, Hough came away with a 13-9 win.
Despite a couple of early challenges, the boys remain confident in where the team is headed as the season picks up. Sophomore Max Whalen said his favorite part of being on varsity is “having the opportunity to win a state championship." The rest of the team, including UNC commit James Hedley and Bucknell commit Emmet Drenseck, shares this goal. The boys practice every weekday when they don’t have games, using that time to build consistency as the season progresses.
Both teams have already shown resilience through close games and demanding schedules, which sets the stage for competitive conference play and the possibility of strong postseason finishes.
