GLEN RIDGE, NJ – The Glen Ridge High School girls’ varsity lacrosse team has been dominant for the past few seasons. The Ridgers, under longtime head coach Beth Larkin, won their second straight Essex County Tournament title and finished as finalist in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 state tournament to end with a stellar 17-4 record.
This year’s team may be young, but has much talent.
“We come into 2018 a little on the young side, however, talented,” said Larkin in an email to The Glen Ridge Paper. “We graduated a very strong senior class last year, so we are still finding our groove and leaders. We had a good pre-season, with some strong competition and were successful more often than not.”
The top returning players are junior attacker Clair McMahon, who totalled 53 points last season; sophomore midfielder Gretchen Gilmore, who had 53 goals and 129 draw controls and has verbally committed to Penn State; junior defender Jennifer Lisovicz, who will anchor a rebuilding defense; sophomore midfielder Madison Grady, who played a more defensive role but will be a more two-way midfielder, and junior Lily Kinley, who had 117 saves last season.
The strong newcomers are freshmen defender Cooper Palm and Izzy Deubner.
The team’s strengths are creativity and draw possession, according to Larkin.
The Ridgers’ goals this season include going for their third straight county title and seventh in the last 10 years.
“We expect to do a lot of growing as the season goes on and our young team gains experience,” Larkin said. “We, as always, focus on the process of giving our most every day and improving,so we are prepared for the big games and peak at the right time.”
Last season, No. 1 seed Glen Ridge beat No. 2 seed Montclair, 18-11, in the ECT final. The second-seeded Ridgers lost at top-seeded Oak Knoll in the section final.
Glen Ridge will host Ramapo in the season opener March 28 at Watsessing Park.
Schedule
March 28, Ramapo, 4 p.m.
April 2, Summit, 4 p.m.
April 5, at Westfield, 4 p.m.
April 6, Newark Academy, 4 p.m.
April 10, at Oak Knoll, 4 p.m.
April 14, at Immaculate Heart Academy, 10 a.m.
April 16, Caldwell, 4 p.m.
April 17, at Verona, 4 p.m.
April 20, Mahwah, 4 p.m.
April 23, Montclair, 4 p.m.
April 26, Saddle River Day, 4 p.m.
April 30, at West Essex, 4:30 p.m.
May 7, West Morris, 4 p.m.
May 9, at Northern Highlands, 5 p.m.
May 12, Ridgewood, 10 a.m.
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