Spring All-County: Which girls lacrosse players had the best seasons in Palm Beach County?
Welcome to the 2024 Palm Beach Post High School Sports Awards, where we will be announcing nominations and winners for Player of the Year in each of our sports.
At the live show for this spring's Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards on Wednesday, June 5, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, the girls lacrosse Player of the Year will be announced along with the teams, coaches, and athletes of the year, as well as a Courage Award winner. Nominated athletes can look for their name to register very soon at this link: Nominee Registration for the 2024 Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards
The show is produced with support from Baptist Health Orthopedic Care.
The Palm Beach County High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.
Back-to-back: Heritage-Delray girls lacrosse defends title with win over Lake Highland
Player of the Year Nominees
Brooke Goldstein, senior, American Heritage-Delray
Goals came in bunches for Goldstein this season, with the senior attacker leading Heritage-Delray with 64 goals and 98 points, both team-high marks. The Clemson commit demonstrated that elusive clutch factor as well, scoring the key go-ahead goal in the second half of the state championship game, turning the momentum in the Stallions' favor.
Ashley Egbert, sophomore, American Heritage-Delray
The American Heritage-Delray goalkeeper was lights-out in her sophomore year. After splitting playing time in net last year, Egbert was excellent as the Stallions' full-time keeper. Her reaction time in the state final needed to be on point in a one-goal game, making a crucial save late in the fourth quarter. That was the climactic moment of a season that saw the young goalie draw massive words of praise with a 61% save mark.
Victoria Tomonto, senior, American Heritage-Delray
Tomonto was a key cog in the Delray-Heritage machine this year, scoring 55 goals — second-highest on the team — en route to tallying 66 points. The senior was a menace in midfield, causing 18 turnovers while winning 41 groundballs for the state champion Stallions.
Ava Schulties, senior, Benjamin
Schulties, who has been a key player every year for the Buccaneers, cemented her Benjamin legacy with a 93-point season to finish 2024, a year in which the attacker scored a team-leading 70 goals. Schulties won 19 groundballs, caused 29 turnovers by opposing teams, and tallied 63 draw controls. The regional finalists finished 16-3 on the year.
Rachel Haueisen, junior, Benjamin
Haueisen made 133 saves this season, eclipsing 400 for her career partway through her junior year. The talented goalie still has plenty of time to add yet another milestone next year, and after she sported a 67.1% save mark this year, one would be inclined to believe even more success is coming after a successful junior campaign. The regional semifinalists finished 16-3.
Harper Throop, senior, American Heritage-Delray
The Stallions' senior defender scored five goals and two assists this season, but her biggest production on the field came as a defensive stalwart. The Bucknell commit won 32 groundballs and caused a team-leading 23 turnovers from opposing teams, playing a significant role in Heritage-Delray repeating as state champions.
Chiara Scichilone, senior, American Heritage-Delray
Scichilone's transfer from Palm Beach Central to Heritage-Delray has allowed the senior to continue pushing her development as a star midfielder. She accounted for 24 goals and 32 assists this season, winning 15 groundballs and tallying 59 draw controls for the state champion Stallions.
Gabriella Palomba, junior, Jupiter
Palomba was a beast in attack for Jupiter this season, accounting for 100 points, including a team-leading 80 goals. She also won 32 groundballs, caused 32 turnovers by opposing teams, and tallied 90 draw controls. Led by the star junior, the Warriors finished the year as regional semifinalists.
Kelly Ferrell, senior, Dwyer
The Panthers' senior led the team's offense this season, tallying 64 points, including a team-high 47 goals. She also led the team with 22 groundballs won and a team-leading 50 draw controls. Armed with her scoring output and versatility in midfield, Dwyer finished as a regional quarterfinalist this season.
Olivia Meehan, sophomore, St. Andrew’s
Meehan was dominant this year for the Scots, posting a 79-point season that included 32 goals and a team-high 47 assists. Her 284 draw controls and 48 groundballs won were both tops for St. Andrew's, making her a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the field and in transition. She was among the most versatile players in the state this year for the Scots, who finished as regional finalists with a 15-4 record.
Isabella Virtue, freshman, St. Andrew’s
Helping the Scots to the regional finals was Virtue. Headlining the youth movement for St. Andrew's, Virtue tallied 92 points on the season, with 83 of those representing goals scored. Virtue caused 14 turnovers by opposing teams, second-highest on the team, and added 14 groundballs won for the Scots. Her squad finished with a 15-4 record on the year.
Blake Alise, freshman, St. Andrew’s
When three of your four losses on the season are to the state champions, it can't be all doom and gloom. St. Andrew's reached the regional finals following a very successful year, and that was in no small part due to the efforts of Blake Elise in goal. The freshman goalie made 90 recorded saves this season, good for a 57.3 save percentage. With her stopping so many shots, opposing teams managed an average of fewer than eight goals scored per game.
Coach of the Year
John McClain, American Heritage-Delray
It's back-to-back state championships for the veteran lacrosse coach, and make that four in the past six years. Under McClain, American Heritage-Delray has become the team to beat — not just in the county but in the state. And that's an identity that the Stallions have embraced well after performing in a class all their own.
Honorable Mentions
Emma Hrzich, junior, American Heritage-Delray
Emma Switter, freshman, American Heritage-Delray
Allie Florio, junior, Dwyer
Madison Jayson, sophomore, Benjamin
Gabrielle Windesheim, junior, American Heritage-Delray
Caroline Byrd, senior, American Heritage-Delray
Sophia Schulte, junior, St. Andrew's
Olivia Scroggie, senior, American Heritage-Delray
Kylie Godino, senior, Jupiter
Mackenzie Feiner, junior, Benjamin
Emma Viveros, sophomore, Jupiter
Pryce Savidge, sophomore, Benjamin
Ava Thompson, junior, American Heritage-Delray
Elle Rubino, senior, St. Andrew's
Madison Vargas, sophomore, American Heritage-Delray
Hali Horvath, sophomore, American Heritage-Delray
Ava Drew, sophomore, American Heritage-Delray
Lexington Zorumski, freshman, St. Andrew's
Marleigh, Sanchez, freshman, American Heritage-Delray
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: See which girls lacrosse players made spring All-County selections