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DALLAS – What was already shaping up as a potentially special season for Lake-Lehman girls lacrosse received a potential boost when realignment of the Wyoming Valley Conference gave the Black Knights a new goal to shoot for this season.
The split of the WVC from one league into two divisions for the first time leaves Lake-Lehman as the overwhelming favorite in the new Division 2.
The Black Knights have lived up to that status in the early going, including Monday’s battle with rival Dallas for the division lead, which Lehman claimed with a 17-7 romp on the road.
Dallas had started the season 2-0 in the division but Lehman took over the lead by improving to 2-0 in the division and 4-0 overall.
Aside from the two Back Mountain rivals, the other three Division 2 teams – Tunkhannock, Scranton Prep and Wyoming Area – were winless at the time of the first-place battle.
Alex Wilson, who serves as Lake-Lehman co-coach with Ron Strohl, said the Black Knights addressed the potential negative of the new alignment. At a point when the program is beginning to thrive, the Black Knights will drop from two games per season to one each against top WVC Division 1 opponents like Wyoming Seminary, Coughlin and Delaware Valley.
“From what I understand, they did it by school size rather than power,” Wilson said. “I was a little disappointed. There are going to be some challenges only getting to see those teams once, but we did load up our non-league schedule with some of the better teams in District 4.”
The Black Knights, who had a game scheduled against defending District 4 champion Danville, opened the season at home March 28 with a non-league doubleheader against other District 4 opponents. They beat Mifflinburg, 15-5, and Midd-West, 12-4.
Before meeting Dallas, Lake-Lehman handled host Pittston Area, 18-4, in the April 2 league opener.
As expected, the scoring combination of Alyssa Adams and Mallory Wilson and the play of Makenzie Borum in goal has led the way for Lake-Lehman.
The three seniors have been among the top players throughout the three-year history of WVC girls lacrosse.
Adams entered the season with 216 career goals, along with 29 assists. Wilson had 174 goals and 79 assists in her first three years. Borum has been an all-star goalie the past two seasons.
“This is a fun group to coach,” Alex Wilson said. “They have great team chemistry. With the players we have back, you can tell the attack and defense will be strong.
“We have a young group of freshmen midfielders coming from the Back Mountain youth program. How soon they adjust to high school will be a key.”
Seniors Emily Galasso and Natalee Barker and sophomore Cary Keiper return on defense. They work with Borum, who has been adding to her game.
“Makenzie has really been improving,” Wilson said. “Last year, we saw her not only stopping the ball, but getting out of the cage more and becoming part of the field.”
Sophomore midfielder Katie Strohl and attack Alexis Barker support Adams and Wilson in an already potent offense.
Adams had nine goals and an assist in the win over Dallas while Wilson and Strohl added three goals and two assists each.
“They were patient and they took high-percentage shots,” coach Wilson said after his team opened an 11-4 halftime lead at Dallas Monday night.
Hailey Jenkins had a goal and an assist while Grace Butler also scored in the win. Borum made seven saves.
Julia Baloh led Dallas with two goals and an assist. Kennedy Straitiff and Kyleigh Kravits also had two goals and Melinda Ratchford had one. Kathleen Brown made eight saves.
Lake-Lehman had nine players figure in the scoring against Pittston Area. Adams had five goals and an assist while Strohl had four goals and two assists. Keiper had two goals.
Wilson led the way against Mifflinburg with four goals and two assists. Adams had four goals and an assist, Strohl scored three goals and Alicia Galasso had two goals and one assist.
Adams scored seven goals against Midd-West. Wilson scored two goals and assisted on three while Strohl also scored twice.