The Aegis 2024 girls lacrosse All-Area team

In the weeks following C. Milton Wright’s girls lacrosse season and leading up to her departure for the University of Maryland, Shelby Sullivan has dedicated her time to the club lacrosse program that helped shape her. Recently, a North East Maryland Select coach asked Sullivan, who helped run the practice for high school players, how she thought she could help a young player gain confidence.

The question lingered for a moment as the Mustangs senior reflected on her own time spent in the shoes of the girls she now coached. One piece of advice came to mind, prophetic of her success in high school.

A NEMS coach once encouraged her to take at least two shots per game.

“She wanted everyone on the team to take two if you were a middie or a forward,” Sullivan said. ‘No matter what happens, you have to shoot twice. That is the goal for us (every) match. That helped me the most, because (at that time) I wasn’t afraid to give it a try.”

A fearless Sullivan with a shooter’s mentality would eventually score 200 career goals for C. Milton Wright, including 66 in her senior season, with 14 assists and 79 draws. This makes the Terps signee the Aegis 2024 girls lacrosse player of the year.

Sullivan once thought varsity was an attainable goal as a freshman, but she knew she would have to earn it.

Leading up to that spring season, she worked relentlessly on her game. Afternoons were spent dragging her like-minded friends to the track to get in shape. They set up a goal on the lawn and practiced attacking moves. Once, when the turf was occupied, they turned to the tennis court and practiced dodging on the asphalt. If she wasn’t there, she would be at home playing in the driveway.

“My club coaches always told me that high school was going to be so much harder,” Sullivan said, “and that I really needed to be prepared for tryouts and all the running.”

Sullivan was one of only two freshmen to make varsity that season. Mustangs coach Faye Brust said her staff quickly recognized she could make an immediate contribution.

“Every year we always said, ‘Wow, how can she get better than she is?’ said Brust. “Then she would come out the next season and show you something new… No matter what level she sets, she will exceed it and continue to push to raise the bar.”

Sullivan started strength training in the offseason and came out with renewed vigor behind her shot on the first day of practice. Her understanding of the game grew little by little. In her senior year, she was a vocal leader during a fourth straight state tournament appearance.

Much of her success can be traced back to that one “two-shot” piece of advice. It boosted her confidence, grew during those practices on the court or in the driveway, and kept her staying late after basketball practice to play wall ball in the snow with her teammate Emma Jankowiak.

All of this translated directly into her time in the sky blue jersey and has prepared her for the red and gold jersey.

“There are a lot of kids at that age,” Brust said, “if they miss the first five shots, they won’t drive as fast the next time. They’ll be a little reluctant. Like, ‘Oh, maybe I should just pass it by and not go to the goal.’

‘She’s the type who, if it doesn’t work, keeps trying until it does. That will help her enormously in the next four years. Don’t give up and find out: if it doesn’t work, what can I do to make it work?”

College coaches were allowed to begin recruiting such a talent on September 1 of Sullivan’s junior year. Emails, phone calls and text messages poured in that day. She later made visits to James Madison, Virginia Tech, Loyola and Ohio State before seeing College Park.

It was love at first sight.

She wandered around the Terps’ campus and enjoyed her meetings with staffers. They offered her a scholarship during that conversation. Sullivan turned to her mother who was sitting next to her. “Can I commit?” she asked, as the coach’s patient sat on the other side of the desk. Sullivan burst into excited tears as she committed herself.

“I know I’ll be back here,” Sullivan said, a thoughtful look on the Mustangs’ turf behind her. “But I’m never going to play for C. Milton Wright again. This lawn brings back so many memories for all my great teammates from the past four years. It’s sad to look at it because the four years have gone by so quickly.”

First team

Natalie Burton, Havre de Grace, junior, forward

The Warriors’ top forward finished her junior season with 34 goals, 16 assists, 14 draw controls, 28 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers.

Ava Lambros, Fallston, senior, forward

Lambros was an offensive force for the state champion Cougars. She scored 54 goals on 17 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers, 12 draw checks and a pair of assists. Lambros also scored a season-saving goal in the final minute of Fallston’s quarterfinal.

Ava Lopano, Patterson Mill, senior, forward

Lopano finished the regular season with 22 goals and nine assists. She also collected 52 draw controls and played offense, defense and attack as the Huskies’ most complete player. Lopano has signed a contract to play at Elon University next year.

Pieper McCue, John Carroll, sophomore, forward

The sophomore forward and draw specialist recorded a career-high 150 draw controls, more than doubling her total of 72 as a freshman. McCue scored 32 goals with 12 assists and 13 ground balls.

Lydia Ward, John Carroll, senior, forward

The University of Maryland commit scored a team-high 34 goals with 10 assists and 21 ground balls. Ward was named to the New Balance All-America Watch List Class of 2024, ranked No. 18 of the 50 Inside Lacrosse Top 50 Class of 2024 and named to the 2024 All America Senior Game.

Ayla Galloway, Fallston, senior, midfielder

Galloway was a consistent leader for the state champion Cougars, finishing the year with 22 goals, four assists, 56 draw controls, 17 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. She is committed to playing at Mercer University next year.

Sophie Molyneux, Havre de Grace, second year, midfielder

Molyneux picked up 46 draw controls this spring, adding 25 goals, 12 assists, 16 caused turnovers and nine ground balls.

Sarah Murrell, Perryville, senior, midfielder

Murrell was an all-around difference maker for the Panthers. She scored 85 goals with 23 assists. She won 137 draw controls, grabbed 52 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers.

Jenna Stevens, Aberdeen, senior, midfielder

Aberdeen coach Bridgette Morrissey called Stevens one of the best lacrosse players she has encountered in her 21 years of playing and coaching. Stevens scored 66 goals and won 67 draw controls this spring.

Jordan Strang, Harford Tech, senior, midfielder

The senior midfielder, committed to the Naval Academy, scored 36 goals, had 32 ground balls and 45 draw controls. Sometimes she single-handedly pushed her team to victory in tough games, her coach Katie Freeman said.

Reagan Cadden, North Harford, junior, defense

Cadden has been the heart of the Hawks’ defense this spring. She had 25 draw controls, 18 ground balls, seven goals, two assists and 10 caused turnovers.

Winslow DiPeso, C. Milton Wright, senior, defense

DiPeso recorded 12 caused turnovers and 17 ground balls that helped the Mustangs clinch a state tournament appearance. She was also the Aegis 2023 Hockey Player of the Year.

Paige Feick, Bel Air, junior, defense

Feick, a Temple University commit, scored 60 goals with 19 assists this season. She collected 35 ground balls, caused 33 turnovers and won 75 draw checks in a banner year for the Bobcats.

Riley Manzo, Bel Air, junior, defense

Manzo recorded 60 goals, 17 assists, 27 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers and 43 draw checks this spring. She is committed to playing at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

Hannah Persing, Patterson Mill, senior, defense

The senior was often tasked with guarding one of the opposing team’s best forwards. She had 34 ground balls with two goals this season in leading a strong Huskies team.

Julia Ward, John Carroll, senior, goalkeeper

Ward recorded 155 saves with a 60% save rate. She is one of the top goalkeepers in the IAAM “A” conference, was named to the New Balance All-America Watch List Class of 2024 and is committed to play at the University of Maryland.

Second team

Sadie Atkinson, Harford Tech, sophomore, forward

Samantha Chittum, Patterson Mill, sophomore, forward

Darby Doehring, Bel Air, junior, forward

Sydney Grafton, Fallston, junior, forward

Sam Wolfkill, C. Milton Wright, junior, forward

Addy Harmel, Patterson Mill, senior, midfielder

Mallory Hax, Edgewood, sophomore, midfielder

Anna Miller, Fallston, senior, midfielder

Grace Marchetti, John Carroll, junior, midfielder

Samantha Bianchi, Harford Tech, senior, defense

Olivia Brown, Patterson Mill, senior, defense

Sophia Harrison, Bel Air, senior, defense

Natalie Wirth, Fallston, junior, defense

Ellie Beinkampen, Aberdeen, sophomore, goalkeeper

Samantha Peterson, Perryville, senior, goalkeeper