Oregon high school girls lacrosse: Meet the top stars of 2023
By René Ferrán
SBLive Oregon is highlighting several of the top girls lacrosse players in the state.
Our list was created based on nominations made by Oregon high school lacrosse coaches. Many coaches did not respond. We invite fans to send us names of players they feel should be added.
Photo by Ben Ludeman
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Attack
Josie Armour, Summit, senior
Armour doesn’t put up big numbers for the Storm (11 goals, six assists), but coach Dan Radatti said her “positive energy and direction keep the offense running as designed. The offense just simply runs better when Josie is on the field. When our style of play gets off track, Josie helps get us back on task. She is good at helping the team adapt and make in-game adjustments. She stays in the flow of the game, changing gears quickly from offense to defending the opponent’s clears.”
Grace Bleich, Lincoln, junior
Coming off a sophomore year in which she earned second-team all-Portland League honors, Bleich has come into her own this spring, more than doubling her goal total with 34 through May 4 along with 10 assists. “Grace is a dream player to coach,” said Cardinals coach Anna Collett. “She is always committed to practice and goes 110% in games. She reads the field where she can find the open pocket anytime.”
Piper Daskalos, Jesuit, senior
Last season’s state player of the year and a USA Lacrosse All-American is among the favorites to win the OGLA’s top honor again this spring with a team-high 52 goals (.634 shooting percentage) and 12 assists. A country music aficionado and Morgan Wallen fan, she has signed with Johns Hopkins University. “Piper is a stellar player and person on and off the field,” said Crusaders coach Lauren Blumhardt.
Rowan De Lee, Marist Catholic, freshman
De Lee has enjoyed a banner freshman season with the Spartans, ranking second in the South League with 46 goals (.597 shooting percentage), and she had 10 assists and 28 ground balls in her first 12 games. She and twin sister Kegan and older sister McKenna fuel an offense that averages 13.1 goals per game. “Our team this year is very offensively balanced, and Rowan is valuable helping set the tone on offensive sets,” coach Ben Meigs said. “She has come into the league as a freshman and delivered at the top of the league standard.”
Barrett Doan, Lake Oswego, sophomore
Doan combines with Mairin Kelly to give the Lakers a potent 1-2 punch in the attack, scoring 43 goals (.672 shooting percentage) with 16 assists. “Barrett has great vision on our attack with deep shot capabilities,” coach Paige Timberg said. “We are very excited to see her grow as a leader on this team and a driving force on our attack.”
Tatum Hagen, Wilsonville, senior
Hagen was a first-team all-Three Rivers selection last season and has signed with Notre Dame College in Cleveland. She ranked sixth in the state through May 4 with 62 goals (.614 shooting percentage), and she had 11 assists, 45 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers through 15 games. “Tatum’s dedication for lacrosse is only outdone by her care and dedication to her teammates,” Wildcats coach Mark Waddell said.
Hollis Hale, Oregon Episcopal, senior
Hale might be one of the top two-way attackers in the state. She was a first-team all-state selection a year ago, and this year she has 33 goals (.516 shooting percentage), 37 assists, 45 ground balls and a team-high 23 caused turnovers in 15 games. She’s also an accomplished squash player who will play both sports at Bates College next year. “Hollis is an unselfish leader,” said Aardvarks coach Shawn Patrick. “She not only scores goals but works to set up her teammates and aggressively defends on the ride.”
Sarah Hawkins, Summit, junior
Hawkins has been a leader in the Storm attack the past two seasons, earning first-team all-Central Oregon honors a year ago and leading the team with 35 goals, 17 assists, 28 ground balls and 32 face-offs won this spring. “Sarah is a talented lacrosse player with a great knack for offense, scoring and getting ground balls,” coach Dan Radatti said. “She has also stepped up and played solid defense when the team needed her to help in that role.” More important, she serves as an ambassador for Morgan’s Message, an organization that works “to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community.”
Brooke Henderson, Summit, sophomore
Henderson has a wicked shot, scoring on nearly 86% of her attempts (24 goals on 28 shots). She has 20 ground balls. She also serves with Hawkins as a Morgan’s Message ambassador. “She has been a productive part of our offense this year and has helped in our success (an 11-1 start),” said Storm coach Dan Radatti. “She desires to play at a high level in college and is putting the time in to help achieve her goals.”
Mairin Kelly, Lake Oswego, junior
Kelly, one of the state’s top recruits who has committed to High Point University in North Carolina, transferred from Clackamas to Lake Oswego over the summer, where she leads the Lakers with 48 goals (.632 shooting percentage) through 12 games. She has 12 assists and 23 draw controls won. Her new coach, Paige Timberg, raves that “Mairin has a crazy shot arsenal. She is also a hustler that hits every corner of the field. She has elite lacrosse IQ and understanding of her own play. We’re excited to see her strides the remaining season into next year.”
Ella McKay, West Linn, senior
McKay, a first-team all-state selection last season, is once again one of the top attackers in the Three Rivers League this spring. She had 51 goals and 16 assists through May 5 to go with 40 ground balls, 36 forced turnovers and a .622 shooting percentage.
Reilly Mullen, Lake Oswego, junior
Lakers coach Paige Timberg called Mullen “the quarterback of our offense,” with 21 goals (.677 shooting percentage), 17 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. “She is a leader in directing and guiding, with a deep understanding of LO lacrosse and a selfless player,” Timberg said.
Kate Ratanaproeksa, Grant, sophomore
Ratanaproeksa not only is an all-league striker for the soccer team (she started for the 2021 state champions), but she also was a second-team all-state attacker as a freshman and has played a big role in the Generals cracking USA Lacrosse’s West Region rankings at No. 9, scoring 56 goals (.778 shooting percentage) with 27 assists, 34 ground balls and 17 forced turnovers. She is one of the state’s top face-off specialists with 119 draw controls won.
Heidi Schaefer, Sherwood, junior
Schaefer, a first-team all-NWOC selection last season, played a big role in the Bowmen’s 13-1 start, ranking among the state scoring leaders with 49 goals (.583 shooting percentage) and 19 assists.
Ava Whiteford, Grant, senior
Whiteford, a second-team all-Portland League selection a year ago, ranks among the team leaders in goals scored (35) and ground balls (30).
Midfield
Gigi Abernethy, Jesuit, sophomore
Abernethy serves as a draw specialist for the Crusaders, leading the team with 63 draw controls won, but she also has 34 goals, 16 assists and 24 ground balls. For her club team, she was an Under Armour 150 and Juniors Open invitee and made the American Select Pacific Northwest team.
Jordyn Bennett, Bend, senior
The Whitworth University commit leads the Central Oregon League with 50 goals this spring (.588 shooting percentage) and has 15 assists, 47 ground balls and 59 face-off wins.
Maggie Cannon, Mountainside, junior
Cannon transferred from Southridge, where she scored a team-high 17 goals a year ago, and her career has taken off this spring. She ranked fourth in the state through May 5 with 67 goals (.657 shooting percentage) and had 18 assists and 29 face-offs won.
Sloane Chase, Sunset, senior
Chase sets the pace for the Apollos in the midfield, leading the team with 54 goals (eighth in the state through May 5) and eight assists with a .593 shooting percentage to go with 27 ground balls and 55 face-offs won.
Kendall Coyne, Lakeridge, senior
A first-team all-state selection as a junior and Middlebury College commit, Coyne fills the stat sheet for the Pacers with a team-high 45 goals, 47 assists, 59 ground balls won, 31 caused turnovers and 103 draw controls won through May 5.
Kegan De Lee, Marist Catholic, freshman
De Lee missed nearly six weeks because of injury, but in just six games, she leads the Spartans with 33 ground balls to go with 19 goals, eight assists and 27 face-offs won. “Kegan came into our league like a whirlwind putting up gaudy stats,” coach Ben Meigs said. “I have not seen the level of intensity and desire that this player has while coaching lacrosse. Unfortunately, without a larger body of games, it is tough for outsiders to understand the huge future impact this player is going to have. She will not show enough stats this year to be noticed for the player that she is, but next year with a full year, she will contend for league MVP every year.”
McKenna De Lee, Marist Catholic, sophomore
De Lee was a swing player for the Spartans soccer program that won the OSAA 4A state title in November. Now, she serves as a “versatile Swiss Army knife” in the midfield, as coach Ben Meigs called her, with 20 goals, a team-high 19 assists, 31 ground balls, 14 forced turnovers and 34 draw controls won in 12 games. “She has the ability to play all positions and can draw or find ground balls,” Meigs said. “She has a high lacrosse IQ and is also the person you want to have the ball for your team when the game is on the line.”
Fiona Dunn, Wilsonville, senior
Wildcats coach Mark Waddell called Dunn “our fourth coach who brings ideas and feedback to practices and games.” A second-team all-Three Rivers League selection last spring, she has 19 goals, nine assists, 34 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers and 31 draw controls won in 12 games.
Zoe Garcia, Summit, senior
Garcia is a two-sport athlete in the spring, starring on the golf course — she was the Storm’s top finisher at the OSAA 6A state meet a year ago, won the Intermountain district title this spring and has signed with Regis University in Denver — and on the lacrosse field, where she has 13 goals, six assists and 21 ground balls. Coach Dan Radatti marvels at how “she hustles from one sport to play the other on the same day and carves out time for both while maintaining a 4.2 GPA.”
Ruby Gibbs, Oregon Episcopal, junior
Aardvarks coach Shawn Patrick raves how “Ruby seems to appear from out of nowhere and make miraculous plays” that don’t always show up on the stat sheet — although she has solid numbers with 17 goals, 12 assists, 27 ground balls and 29 draw controls won in 15 games. “Ruby is one of our captains and has an incredible work ethic,” Patrick said. “Amazing fitness, impressive lacrosse IQ, and fantastic stick skills.”
Leila Holte, Lincoln, sophomore
Holte played defense for the Cardinals as a freshman and figured that would be her future in the program. Coach Anna Collett and her staff had other ideas. “After watching how quickly she adapted to feedback and her drive to improve, we knew she would be an amazing midfielder,” Collett said, and she proved prophetic as Holte has 17 goals (.680 shooting percentage), eight assists and 44 face-offs won in 12 games this spring. “Leila is incredibly versatile, able to take the draws, attack ground balls, has a strong shot and stays composed on the field,” Collett said.
Ellie Johnson, Oregon Episcopal, sophomore
Johnson has followed a strong freshman season in which she was a second-team all-Portland League selection by leading the Aardvarks with 41 goals (.707 shooting percentage), 84 draw controls won and 45 ground balls. “Ellie is the definition of hustle,” coach Shawn Patrick said. “She has such amazing stick skills that watching her play is like viewing a highlight reel.”
Olivia Kozitza, Ida B. Wells, junior
As a sophomore, Kozitza showed promise as a cross country runner, finishing 21st at the OSAA 6A state meet (No. 2 on her team) to help the Guardians to a fifth-place finish. Then, she blew up on the lacrosse field in the spring, earning second-team all-state honors, and cross country became a distant memory. She committed to the University of Oregon in September, and through May 6 was leading the state in scoring (123 goals) and draw controls won (129) in 13 games to go with 26 assists, 78 ground balls and 24 forced turnovers. “Olivia brings passion and dedication to the team and the sport every single day,” coach Jessica Ellefson said. “She’s a fierce competitor on the field. Her speed, ground ball game and accurate shot placement make her a key contributor to our team.”
Parker Lemm, Lake Oswego, sophomore
Lemm followed a solid freshman season with the Lakers by being the only Oregonian named to the Under Armour All-American teams in club play (West Command Division). This spring, she leads the Lakers with 60 draw controls won and is second in ground balls (21) and caused turnovers (15) to go with 15 goals and eight assists in 12 games. “Parker is a hustle player, consistent with deep stat sheets,” coach Paige Timberg said. “She is another sophomore who is nowhere near her max potential.”
Molly MacLean, Tualatin, senior
MacLean moved from attack, where she was a second-team all-NWOC selection last spring, to the midfield this season. She leads the Timberwolves in goals (45), assists (24), ground balls (35) and draw controls won (101). In her spare time, she has flown a plane.
Ruby Maki, Oregon Episcopal, sophomore
Maki has developed into one of the Aardvarks’ top all-around threats this spring, ranking among the team leaders in goals (27), assists (12), ground balls (37), caused turnovers (16) and draws won (48). “Ruby has grown tremendously this season,” coach Shawn Patrick said. “She is a fantastic athlete, and her mental toughness and ability to play the chess game of the draw so well has been a key factor in our team’s success this season.”
Erin McDevitt, Grant, junior
McDevitt earned second-team all-state recognition as a sophomore and has committed to the University of Massachusetts Lowell. This season, she has built upon her all-around game, ranking among the team leaders in goals (50), assists (39), ground balls (45), turnovers forced (17) and draw controls won (40).
Megan McDevitt, Grant, senior
Erin’s older sister is a Christmas baby and San Diego State commit who earned second-team all-Portland League honors a year ago. This season, she leads the Generals’ top-ranked offense with 66 goals and 51 assists in 15 games while also recording 50 ground balls and winning 75 face-offs.
Lexi McIlmoil, Wilsonville, senior
McIlmoil started as a defender for the two-time OSAA 5A champion soccer team in the fall, “and she brings that fire and desire to win a state championship in lacrosse,” said Wildcats coach Mark Waddell. She leads the team in face-offs won (46) and turnovers caused (21) and is second in goals (31) and ground balls (35). “She does not get outworked,” Waddell added.
Eva Murray, West Linn, senior
Murray made the OGLA all-state second team a year ago, when she scored 32 goals. She’s nearly matched that total through 15 games this spring with 27 goals, 11 assists, 38 ground balls, 25 forced turnovers and 48 face-offs won.
Millie Prager, Lake Oswego, sophomore
Prager is the younger sister of Edie Prager, a first-team all-state selection last spring who now plays at Eastern Michigan. Lakers coach Paige Timberg sees some of the same traits in Millie, who has excelled on face-offs (55 draw controls won) while scoring 22 goals. “Millie is a very consistent, calm, cool and collected midfielder,” Timberg said. “We can always count on Millie to stay composed.”
Marissa Radatti, Summit, senior
A first-team all-Central Oregon League selection a year ago, Radatti is a face-off specialist for the Storm, leading the team with 54 draws won and ranking second in goals (24), ground balls (33) and turnovers caused (10) through 11 games. “Marissa has great field and situational awareness,” said her coach and father, Dan. “When combined with her athleticism and stick skills, the formula results in her making impactful plays all around the field.”
Tessa Randall, Jesuit, senior
Randall started as a wing on the Crusaders basketball team that placed third at the OSAA 6A state tournament in March. Now, she captains the lacrosse team and is part of the midfield mix with 17 draw controls won and 10 ground balls.
Eva Thomsen Marr, Lincoln, junior
Thomsen Marr is a standout defender in the fall for the Cardinals and plays for the Portland Thorns Academy in the spring, but on the lacrosse field, her focus is on scoring goals, not stopping them. She was a first-team all-state selection during the COVID-shortened 2021 season as a freshman, then made the all-Portland League second team last spring, when she scored 51 goals with 29 assists. The University of Denver commit has turned into one of the state’s top scorers this season, with her 75 goals in 13 games through May 5 ranking third. She has 28 assists, 46 ground balls, 57 caused turnovers and 78 face-offs won. “Eva is a power athlete with a strong left shot and commitment to sports that you don't see many athletes have,” coach Anna Collett said. “Her commitment to both teams and drive when she's on the field makes her stand out from many.”
Lola Trinchero, Grant, senior
A budding painter and second-team all-Portland League midfielder, Trinchero has chipped in 21 goals and 19 ground balls for the Generals, who were ranked No. 9 in the West Region by USA Lacrosse.
Lilah Turley, Lake Oswego, sophomore
Turley has developed into a defensive force in the midfield for the Lakers, leading the team with 32 ground balls and ranking second with 57 face-offs won. She also has chipped in 14 goals (.609 shooting percentage) and 11 assists. “An incredibly well-rounded, consistently great player,” coach Paige Timberg said. “Lilah is a huge force on the draw circle and is a very coachable, hard-working player with a stat sheet to prove it. She is nowhere near her max potential.”
Moira Turpen, Newberg, junior
Turpen has been one of the state’s top midfielders each of the past two seasons. As a sophomore, she led the NWOC with 77 goals and earned second-team all-state honors, and she hasn’t let off the gas pedal this spring — she was second in the state with 95 goals in 14 games through May 6, and her 111 draw controls won ranked third. She has 22 assists and 33 forced turnovers. As she considers her college options, Turpen also has started coaching the middle school Tigers to build on what coach Mikaela Easterlin called her “vast knowledge of lacrosse. When watching any Newberg game, it’s easy to see who our standout player is. Moira is our draw-taker and No. 1 shooter. She not only gets points, but she is always directing teammates and helping set them up to be successful.”
Hannah Wold, Mountainside, senior
Wold, a second-team all-state selection a year ago, is an all-around force in the midfield for the Mavericks with 32 goals, 12 assists, 25 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers and 44 draw controls won in 10 games.
Defense
Kora Battleson, Summit, senior
Battleson plans to take a gap year after graduation to perform volunteer work in Peru and Ecuador, but not before serving as a versatile member of the Storm’s back line this spring. She was a second-team all-Central Oregon pick last season, and she had 27 ground balls, nine forced turnovers and four goals through 12 games this year. “As a captain this year, Kora leads the defense and team through her calm, positive attitude,” coach Dan Radatti said. “She is never flustered and keeps her teammates grounded. Her off-ball play and communication are outstanding, and she is amazing at ground balls.”
Zoe Bullard, Oregon Episcopal, junior
Bullard returned this spring from shoulder surgery that cost her all of her sophomore season. She has 22 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers while chipping in seven goals and three assists while shifting between defense and midfielder. “Her dedication to the team earned her a spot as captain, and she has done a remarkable job of being an extremely positive leader,” said Aardvarks coach Shawn Patrick. “She essentially will do whatever it takes to help her team win. She is a remarkable player and wonderful teammate.”
Ellie Einstein, Cleveland, senior
Einstein was a second-team all-state selection last season for the Warriors. This year, she leads the team in ground balls (12) and turnovers caused (11) while scoring nine goals in nine games.
Jordan Hoffman, Jesuit, senior
Hoffman is a Smith College commit whom the Crusaders count upon to anchor the defense and come up with the best costumes for team theme practice days, according to coach Lauren Blumhardt.
Maja Hunter, Lake Oswego, senior
Lakers coach Paige Timberg called Hunter “our defensive rock and part of the glue that holds our D squad together.” She attended high school in Sweden as a sophomore and played with the Swedish national team — an experience that has translated into success as a lockdown defender this spring (12 ground balls, seven forced turnovers in 12 games).
Lucy Kapranos, Grant, freshman
Kapranos has quickly become a key contributor to the Generals defense this spring, with 14 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers for a team that is ranked No. 9 in the West Region by USA Lacrosse.
Sydney Kim, Jesuit, senior
Check out the Crusaders before games — if they’re sporting new warmup shirts, chances are Kim, an aspiring painter, has designed them. It’s just one of the many contributions the first-team all-state selection and Tufts University signee provides the team, as she fills the stat sheet this spring with 16 goals, 12 assists, 12 ground balls, a team-high 19 caused turnovers and 14 draws won in 12 games. “A tremendous leader and teammate,” coach Lauren Blumhardt said.
Jojo Kobos, Oregon Episcopal, freshman
Kobos is the only freshman on the Aardvarks this spring, and coach Shawn Patrick called her “a quiet leader on our defense” who has 28 ground balls and 10 forced turnovers in 15 games. “She plays with the composure of a much older player,” Patrick said. “Her ability to make the right decision in a tight situation and then execute the correct play is truly exceptional.”
Maggie Lockard, Lake Oswego, junior
Lockard is “the voice and hustle core of our defense,” said Lakers coach Paige Timberg of the back line’s leader in ground balls (18) and forced turnovers (11) who has added two goals to the attack. “Maggie is a very vocal player, both in games but also in pushing her teammates to be better,” Timberg said.
Malia Lockrem, Summit, senior
Lockrem earned first-team all-Central Oregon honors a year ago as a fiery one-on-one defender. She leads the Storm in turnovers caused (25) and ground balls (42) while chipping in 16 goals and five assists. “Malia is bound to come up with big plays, creating turnovers or effective transition,” said coach Dan Radatti. “She has also been productive when the team needed her to play in the offensive end.”
Kate Pape, Marist Catholic, freshman
Pape was a swing player for the Spartans during their state championship soccer season in the fall, and she considered focusing on club soccer this spring before deciding to turn out for lacrosse — much to coach Ben Meigs’ delight. She’s already the team’s top man marker against an opponent’s best offensive threat, and she’s chipped in six goals, two assists and 16 ground balls. “Her physicality and grit make her an excellent defender and someone that welcomes the challenge that comes with the assignment,” Meigs said. “Her stick skills also give her the ability to play at a high level on attack, but she has limited time up top due to being such a lockdown defender.”
Janie Phillips, Lincoln, senior
Phillips, a first-team all-Portland League selection last spring, is the defensive anchor for the Cardinals and a two-year team captain. “With her strength down on defense and communication skills, she sets an example and tone for the team,” coach Anna Collett said. “She takes pride in her team focusing during practice.”
Maddie Raymond, Oregon Episcopal, junior
Raymond is a three-year starter and the only returning starter from last season for the Aardvarks. She is the anchor of the defense, with 25 ground balls and nine forced turnovers in 15 games. “Her experience has been invaluable in bringing together the new defensive unit, and she has been a great mentor to the other players,” coach Shawn Patrick said. “On top of that, her play has been exceptional this year and has led to many caused turnovers for our defensive unit.”
Ava Siano, Grant, junior
Siano picked up lacrosse as a freshman and quickly took to the sport. She was a second-team all-Portland League selection last spring, and she has 14 forced turnovers and 12 ground balls this season.
Mason Young, Jesuit, senior
Young earned first-team all-Metro honors last season and helped the Crusaders win the state title. She has signed with Chapman University in California. “A supportive and uplifting teammate,” coach Lauren Blumhardt said.
Goalies
Tayllor Barnes, Lake Oswego, senior
Barnes has been the primary netminder for the Lakers this spring, posting a .584 save percentage (66 saves) and 5.11 goals against average in 460 minutes over 12 games. “Taylor has been making awesome saves so far this year,” coach Paige Timberg said. “We call her the brick house. We can count on her to rise to the occasion and make stops when we need her to.”
Annika Byelick, Grant, junior
Byelick, a second-team all-league selection last season, has been one of the top goaltenders in the state this spring, allowing just 6.2 goals per game with a .440 save percentage while playing every minute in 15 games for the Generals, ranked No. 9 in the West Region by USA Lacrosse.
Lily Campbell, West Linn, senior
Campbell has played all but one half of the Lions’ 15 games and been a stalwart in net, allowing just 6.06 goals per game with 94 saves (.522 save percentage).
Sierra Donis, Ida B. Wells, junior
Donis has played every minute in net for the Guardians this spring, posting a .463 save percentage to help them get off to an 8-5 start. “Sierra owns her goal and is quick to jump into action when things get crazy,” said coach Jessica Ellefson. “She helps our new defense players learn about the sport throughout the game, which has helped us in our hardest games immensely this year.”
Keira McMahon, Mountainside, junior
McMahon leads all goaltenders (minimum 250 minutes played) statewide with a 4.23 goals against average through May 6, making 66 saves (.617 save percentage) in 485 minutes.
Sydney Partovi, Jesuit, senior
Partovi was a second-team all-state selection a year ago, when she backstopped the Crusaders to a state championship. This spring, the Cal-Berkeley signee has a 5.40 goals against average and .495 save percentage (46 saves) in 13 games, while also winning the team award for best laugh for her ability to keep the mood light at practice and games.