HOW WE SELECT THE ALL-AREA TEAMS
At the conclusion of each high school season, The News-Press staff sends area coaches a nomination form to select and rank players for our All-Area first team, second team and also nominate athletes for honorable mention. A combination of The News-Press’ research and the coaches’ player rankings lead to the teams being selected and three athletes being named finalists for player of the year. The three finalists are invited to The Southwest Florida Sports Awards to be held Wednesday, May 23 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, where a player of the year for each will be announced along with other honors. Former Major League Baseball player John Kruk will be the featured speaker. Tickets for the event can be purchased at sportsawards.news-press.com.
Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year Finalists
Samantha Douglass
School: Estero
Year: Senior
Highlights: Douglass piled up the points, scoring 61 goals on 84 shots with 63 assists for the Wildcats and added 74 ground balls and seven takeaways.
Sophie Forker
School: Estero
Year: Junior
Highlights: Foker scored 64 goals and added 14 assists for the Wildcats.
Laura MacDiarmid
School: Cypress Lake
Year: Junior
Highlights: MacDiarmid led the area with 66 goals in just 12 games played.
First Team
Sloane Brady
School: Estero
Year: Junior
Highlights: Brady netted 47 goals and 40 assists while adding 166 ground balls, 19 takeaways and winning 58 percent of her draws taken (167-of-290).
Lily Chailosky
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Senior
Highlights: Chailosky netted 33 goals on 54 shots and 17 assists while also scooping 33 groundballs.
Cassidy Kerkesner
School: Cypress Lake
Year: Sophomore
Highlights: Kerkesner recorded 44 goals and three assists and chipped in with 99 ground balls and five takeaways.
Angela Leddy
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Senior
Highlights: Leddy led the Vikings with 127 groundballs and 34 takeaways while playing solid defense.
Heather Nalbach
School: Riverdale
Year: Senior
Highlights: Nalbach recorded 33 goals and eight assists with 83 groundballs and 16 takeaways.
Elle Schwartz
School: Canterbury
Year: Freshman
Highlights: The goalie posted a 7.8 goals against average and a .474 save percentage for the Cougars.
Tammy Torres
School: Canterbury School
Year: Junior
Highlights: Torres scored 64 goals and seven assists in 12 games for the Cougars.
Chandler Williamson
School: Riverdale
Year: Senior
Highlights: The Young Harris College signee scored 43 goals on 75 shots with 16 assists and picked up 32 groundballs.
SECOND TEAM
Lauren Cole, Cypress Lake
Gianna Devito, Canterbury School
Taylor Gabrovic, Bishop Verot
Sadie Hendrick, Cypress Lake
Madi McGee, Canterbury School
Brittany Monteiro, Estero
Kelly O’Connor, Canterbury School
Sara Perkins, Riverdale
Anna Seltzer, Bishop Verot
Bella Swan, Canterbury School
Bailey White, Cypress Lake
COACH OF THE YEAR
Tyler White
School: Cypress Lake
Highlights: The first-year Panthers coach went 14-3, leading Cypress Lake to the most wins in a season (previous high 6), first district title in program history and its first regional playoff berth. That was with a roster of 15 girls that included seven first-time players.
HONORABLE MENTION
Bishop Verot: Elizabeth Dinsmore, Maggie Nolan
Canterbury: Gina Arrigo, Abby Shea
Cape Coral: Jaden Thomas, Margaret Warzyniak
Cypress Lake: Danielle Gorddard, Sage Williamson
Fort Myers: Kaylin Kelly, Bridget Parsons
Estero: Gracie Corey
Riverdale: Cari Coffey, Alexa Gilfedder