By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/18/11
Archbishop Carroll will kick off its 2011 girls’ lacrosse season March 25-26 by playing two Florida state powers in the inaugural AmLax Challenge in St. Petersburg, Fla.
As part of the six-team tourney, the Patriots will meet 2010 Florida state finalist Lake Brantley on Friday, March 25, at 4 p.m. The next day they face defending state champion Vero Beach at noon.
Lake Brantley finished 16-4 and fell to Vero Beach, 10-9, in the state finals last year. Vero Beach finished ranked No. 8 in the nation by Lacrosse Magazine and went 21-0, including an 18-8 victory over Carroll.
Carroll, the 10-time defending Catholic League champion will also have the challenge of playing two teams that will be more than halfway through their schedules. Both Lake Brantley and Vero Beach open their regular season games in two weeks; Carroll cannot begin practice until March 7.
Also in the tourney are Flint Hill, Holy Child and Winter Springs
The tourney is run by Vero Beach coach Shannon Dean. Last year the Pats played against Dean’s squad in an informal tourney at American Lacrosse.
“Shannon has developed an incredible high school program that can compete with the best from the Northeast,” said Archbishop Carroll coach Lorraine Beers. “We play on beautiful fields, with super weather, great competition and outstanding officiating. It is true that Vero and Lake Brantley will be closing in on their playoff (season) and this will be our first two games.
“But it is how we always approach our season – to be the best you have to play the best!”
Leave a Reply