HS LAX WRAP MIDWEST By Jonah Rosenblum >>PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maggie Nick LOYOLA (ILL.) There were several contributors to Loyola’s march to
a fi fth Illinois title in 2013. Katherine Eilers manned the midfi eld. Grace Foley was the best defender in the state, if you ask Ramblers coach John Dwyer. Two-sport star Anna Schueler brough unparalleled athleticism. And Mary Kate Vanecko was Illinois’ top goalie.
But in the end, Dwyer singled out Maggie Nick as the best player on the team — and in the Midwest. “Any one of them could have been considered for MVP of the state, but Maggie just had that year,” Dwyer said. “She did it all, and sometimes to the victors go the spoils.” Nick scored clutch goals from April — when she tallied four in Loyola’s 13-9 victory over national No. 8 Milton (Ga.) — to June — when she led Loyola past Montini Catholic with four goals and fi ve draw controls in the state fi nal. Similar performances marked regular-season wins over Montini Catholic, East Grand Rapids (Mich.), Grand Rapids Catholic Central (Mich.), Lake Forest (Ill.) and Glenbrook South (Ill.). Nick’s focus never wavered.
“Going into those big games, I really focus on giving it my all and trying my best because I know how valuable each play is and how important each possession is,” Nick said. “You have to bring it, because it’s going to be a tough game.” Nick fi nished her junior year with 111 points on 75 goals and 36 assists in addition to 85 draw controls, 72 ground balls and 33 caused turnovers.
“It was just so fun,” Nick said. “I would describe the whole
journey like that. Getting a bigger role on the team and being a bigger part of things just makes everything more exciting and you feel more satisfi ed when your team wins because you know you contributed.” Nick narrowly edged New Trier’s Kelsey Murray, the 2012 Midwest Player of the Year, for top honors in 2013 because of the yeoman’s work that sets her apart from pure scorers. “Kelsey’s just an attacker. She’s resting while the likes of Maggie are down there playing their [butts] off on defense and getting the ball back,” Dwyer said. “Elite attackers are great, because they’re great fi nishers and they can get goals, but you got a midfi elder that’s playing 100 percent of the fi eld as opposed to 60 percent of the fi eld. It’s a different animal.”
Nick, who said she would like to become a better feeder
and fi nisher, will be a frontrunner to repeat as the region’s top player as a senior in 2014.
“When I was reading her information for the banquet, I was like, ‘Wow, we were really lucky to have her playing for us this year,” Dwyer said. “We’re even luckier to have her coming back next year.”
LAXMAGAZINE.COM
Loyola-bound Frankie Kamely helped Montini Catholic tp a breakthrough season with landmark wins over Blake and New Trier. Read all about it and the best of the Midwest.
38 LACROSSE MAGAZINE August 2013>>
LaxMagazine.com/HSGM
>>FINAL GIRLS’ TOP 10
1. Loyola Academy (Ill.) ÚMaggie Nick will come back next season looking to secure another state title for the Ramblers (23-3) after a remarkable 61-goal, 27-assist, 61-ground ball campaign in 2013. Loyola will miss Anna Schueler (Michigan) and Georgetown-bound Katherine Eilers (55 ground balls).
2. Upper Arlington (Ohio) ÚSyd Farwick and Sam Farwick capped tremendous careers as All- Americans after leading the Golden Bears (16-2) to a state championship. The sisters will play at Kennesaw State.
3. Mason (Ohio) ÚUS Lacrosse All-American Tori Blakeman was one of a handful of elite scorers for the Comets (17-1), who also featured Allie Specht and Lindsey Zeltwanger (Mercer).
4. Montini Catholic (Ill.) ÚFran Meyer earned US Lacrosse fi rst- team All-American honors for the Broncos (15-3), who stunned New Trier in the state semifi nals. The Marquette-bound midfi elder led Illinois with 39 caused turnovers. Sarah Lugo (Michigan) and Erin Steiner came back from injury-plagued seasons in 2012 to fi nish among the state’s leaders in assists.
the Aviators (14-5-1) to the state fi nal before falling to Upper Arlington. After beating three-time defending state champ Medina in the semifi nals, Sycamore is on the rise.
6. Blake (Minn.) ÚThe Bears (18-3) weathered a tricky early-season schedule en route to a state title, led by a couple of versatile players in Anne Slusser (28g, 23a, 41 GBs, 38 CTs, 46 DCs) and Lydia Sutton (48g, 24a, 37 GBs, 33 CTs, 27 DCs). Slusser will head to Duke while Sutton — the only high-schooler on Canada’s 2013 World Cup team — will play at USC.
7. E. Grand Rapids (Mich.) Ú All-American Claire Ludlow (Denison) led East Grand Rapids (22- 2), which has emerged as a Midwest power with consecutive Division 2 state championships. Look out for rising junior Katherine Golladay (48g, 33 GBs, 37 CTs) in 2014.
8. Medina (Ohio) ÚThe three-time defending state champ fell short of making it four straight, losing its only game in the state semifi nals. Still, the Bees (14-1-2) had a fi ne season, led by US Lacrosse All- American Sierra Thomas.
9. New
highlights for New Trier. Kelsey Murray (Stanford) capped a stellar career with 72 goals and 41 assists.
10. Culver Academy (Ind.) ÚThe Eagles (21-1) boasted All-Americans Olivia Rabbitt (Elon) and Annie Morsches (Colorado) and edged Carmel by a goal in the state fi nal.
A Publication of US Lacrosse not a season without
Trier (Ill.) ÚThe Trevians (17-4-1) ended up as spectators at the state fi nal — a most unusual experience for them. Still, it was
5. Sycamore (Ohio) ÚJuniors Ashley Bonnoitt and Kara Marth carried
©TD PAULIUS (MN); ©MICHELLE SEBASTIAN (FK)
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