Post-Season Accolades Rain Down on Local Lax Players

BERLIN- Post-season accolades for several area high school lacrosse players started pouring in this week including three players from Stephen Decatur named to their respective High School All-America teams.

With area high school programs increasingly making a name for themselves across the Eastern Shore, the state and the entire region, more and more talented local players are getting noticed in the region. For example, Stephen Decatur's Logan West, a four-year starter bound for Navy next year was named an All-American this week by U.S. Lacrosse, the national governing body for the sport.

Also named All-American this week by U.S. Lacrosse were Stephen Decatur girls' varsity lacrosse standouts Taylor Phillips and Olivia Turner. Phillips had an excellent season in goal for the Seahawks this year, allowing just 64 goals in 15 games for the 14-1 Seahawks, or an average of just over four goals per game.

While Phillips and the Decatur defense was stifling opponents on one end to the field, the Seahawk offense poured it on week in and week out on the other end and Turner was a big part of that. The prolific scorer was often the finisher for Decatur's precision offensive attack.

The All-American honors for the three Decatur standouts were just part of the large number of post-season awards handed out to area players this week. For example, West was also named first-team All-State by the Maryland State Lacrosse Coaches Association and was named All-Bayside-South offensive player of the year.

West was just one of many local players named this week to the All Bayside South team, which included players from area private schools this year. Joining West on the All Bayside South first team was Decatur teammate Paul Kramer, who led the Seahawk attack. Worcester Prep defenseman Greg Butler and Harvard-bound goalkeeper Christian Coates were also named to the All Bayside South team. Salisbury School standout and Ocean City resident Mike Noyes was also named to the All Bayside South team was Defensive Player of the Year.

Named to the All Bayside South second team were Decatur's Bruce Howe, Nick Hogan, Calvin Snyder and Logan Sappington, along with Worcester Prep's Justin Butler and Christian Payne.

On the girls' side, practically the entire first and second All Bayside South teams were made up of outstanding players from both Decatur and Worcester Prep. Named to the All Bayside South first team from Decatur were Turner and Phillips along with Lindsey Parker, Chele Lathroum, Alyssa Hardesty, and Charlotte Deck.

Worcester Prep players on the girls' All Bayside South first team are Tory Dickerson, Elizabeth Hudson, Meegan Jayne Smith and goalkeeper Melanie Leiner. The All Bayside South second team was also dominated by players from Worcester Prep and Decatur.

Named to the second team from Decatur were Emily Smith, Taylor Blazer, Erin McGuire and Lindsey Miller. Representing Worcester Prep on the All Bayside South team were Jackie Wangel, Sophie Townsend, Caroline Wyatt and Austin Coates.

With few exceptions, almost all of the talented high school players listed on the All Conference teams came through the growing youth lacrosse programs in the area such as Beach Lacrosse and its spin-offs OC Lax and Greene Turtle Lacrosse, providing further evidence of a bright future for the sport in the area.