Big Red Remains on the Throne

By Liam Day

The Glenelg Varsity Girls Lacrosse team went into this season ranked number one in the state and twelfth in the entire Nation. The Gladiators ended their back-to-back State Championship season knowing the following year would be much more difficult, but the powerhouse team, coached by Nicole Trunzo, kept their expectations high.

For starters, last year Glenelg graduated midfielder Courtney Renehan, a two-time Howard County Times Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year and Under-Armour All-American graduated to play lacrosse at the  University of Maryland. Also, the 2017 County leader in points and assists, Lindsay LeTellier, made her early commitment to Davidson University. Losing the team’s top players made their upcoming schedule a higher mountain to climb.

The favored Glenelg team begun the season losing two out of their first three games against top teams in the nation. Coach Trunzo was asked about the pressure at this point during the season and said, “It’s a lot of pressure, but they work hard in the offseason, they play all year-round, they train, they run, they lift, they work on their speed. And I think it’s just an expected thing.” The girls kept their heads held high knowing that this 2018 season would be the most challenging obstacle they had to overcome yet.

The slow start only gave the Gladiators the grit to remind everyone that they were still the best team in the state. They stormed into the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak to immediately face the River Hill team they crushed just one week prior. The transition from a blowout win to a much more talented team caught the girls off guard as they outlasted Marriotts Ridge 12-11. The following road to the State championship was handled with aggressiveness as the Glenelg defense gave up just five goals in the next two games. Coach Trunzo commented on her teams defense saying that, “Maddie [McSally] is awesome at leading the team with her communication, and it’s just nice to have someone solid like that in goal,” Trunzo said. “They’re all positive, they’re strong, and Anna [Callahan] is super fast and super intense.” This locked-down defense would prove to be the key in Glenelg’s final game vs. Hereford that brought home the Girls Lacrosse teams’ third straight State Championship in a hard fought 6-5 game on May 23rd.

The offensive leader of the team, Anna Callahan, said that, “Glenelg lacrosse has given me things I can take with me for the rest of my life: what it takes to be a winner, teamwork, and having the chance to play with the greatest people and coaches ever.” Our Glenelg Varsity Girls Lacrosse team continues to bring GHS pride and an untouchable right in saying that we have the best of the best on the lacrosse field.