FILE PHOTO
Senior Sarah Ryan and the Spartans are looking for a big season this spring.
By KATIE MORRISON
After last season’s 24-8 loss to a strong Newburyport team in the first round of the Division 2 North tournament, St. Mary’s girls lacrosse coach KC Butt took away a lot of positives. After all, the Spartans are still trying to build up a program, and they were able to achieve one of the goals they set in the beginning of the season.
Now in her second year at the helm, Butt has high hopes for the new season as St. Mary’s continues to build toward the future.
The Spartans graduated some key seniors after last year. Captain Maggie Flaherty was the backbone of the team, along with fellow senior captains Erin Mahar and Ellie Martin.
“It was a huge class, it was a tough one to see go my first year,” Butt said. “But I also feel very strongly about the senior class I have right now.”
So while there are holes to be filled on the field, the Spartans have some solid talent returning. That starts in the back. St. Mary’s is all set in the net with Brittany McPherson, who had a strong year in 2016, and who Butt says just keeps getting better.
“She’s going to be huge,” Butt said of the senior. “We’re working on our defense, but having her there takes a lot of pressure off. She runs her defense so beautifully, she gets the game so well.”
In front of McPherson will be seniors Kate Cadigan and Nikki Bendicksen, both of whom saw plenty of minutes last season.
“They’re both strong, solid players,” Butt said.
Midfield might be where the Spartans are the strongest. Sophomore Codi Butt, K.C.’s daughter, had an excellent freshman year, and along with Liz Weisse and Mady Hentosh, the trio will be a force in the middle of the field.
Up front, senior Sarah Ryan, coming off a great hockey season, will look to lead the way. Joining her will be freshman Riley Lynch, who Butt says “has been pretty fantastic to watch.”
And Butt expects other players to emerge as the season goes on. About 40 girls came out over the past few days for tryouts, and Butt plans on keeping every last one of them around in some capacity.
“I’m not cutting anyone,” the coach said. “We have 12 girls who haven’t played before, and we embrace that. I’ll find JV games and freshman games if possible. We want to keep them playing.”
The turnout is very good news for the program, even if the girls trying out don’t have much experience. Butt says many of them are athletes, it’s just a matter of getting them comfortable with the fundamentals of the game, whether they’re seniors or sixth-graders.
“I encourage younger kids to come out,” Butt said. “These young kids are into it, and we’re working on the fundamentals.”
With such a strong senior class leading the way for the Spartans, Butt hopes this year, they can make a deep run in the postseason.
“This group deserves it,” she said. “It will be sad to see them go.”
Butt said the playoff experience against Newburyport, a perennial power in Division 2, was tough, but helped the girls see what they need to do.
“We weren’t prepared for them,” Butt said. “But it was good for the kids to see, to see all the catching and throwing that team does. I tell them over and over how important that is, and they hear me, but they saw it, how those girls didn’t have to worry about scrapping for ground balls.”
Leading the Spartans from the sidelines will be Butt at the varsity level, Courtney and Ally Hennigan with the JV team, as well as St. Mary’s alums Courtney Winters and Briana Marotta.
Though the Spartans have been stuck inside for the first three days of practice, they’ll be outside this afternoon, prepping for a scrimmage Saturday against Essex Tech, and the season opener April 3 against Arlington Catholic.