Girls, boys lacrosse seniors anticipate upcoming season

Megan Burns, Print Editor-In-Chief
May 12, 2023

  As their last season starts, Seniors Abigail Echtenacher and Mac Shifley look forward to their 2023 lacrosse seasons.

Girls lacrosse

MHS’ 2022 girls varsity lacrosse team after a win against Vernon Hills. At the away game, the team won 18-8. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the team I’ve had these past 4 years,” Senior Abigail Echtenacher said. “It will be hard to say goodbye to some of my favorite people.” (Photo submitted by Abigail Echtenacher)

  Echtenacher had first joined lacrosse after watching her brother play. Since then, she has fallen in love with it.

  How do you expect this season to go?

  I expect this season to go very well for us. Despite the first couple of losses, I know our team will overcome any obstacle to be successful. From the first day of practice, I was extremely excited to know we will be able to accomplish so much.

  What are some personal goals you have for the season? What are some team goals?

  My personal goal is to be the best leader I can be. I want to make sure everyone has a positive mindset before a game and is always working hard. I hope that what I bring to the team can make a difference later on in the season. Our [team] goal is to become more confident in ourselves as lacrosse players. During a game, we need to have faith in ourselves that the ball will fall in our stick, that we can beat a double team and that we can make a goal.

  What are some challenges you might face this season? How will you overcome them?

  Challenges as a team will be overcoming some of our rivals: Libertyville, Stevenson and Lake Forest. Last year we lost against all three, but I have so much faith in my team that we will be able to compete against these schools this season.

  What’s your favorite part of lacrosse?

  My favorite part of lacrosse is being part of the team I am on now. They never fail to make me laugh and always make me happy after a rough day. Others may think that being part of a sport is overwhelming and a stressor, however, I see it as the opposite. After a stressful day, I can always count on my team to cheer me up and make a bad day into a great one.

MHS’ 2022 boys varsity lacrosse team lining up for opening faceoff before their game against Conant High School on April 11. (Photo submitted by Evan Simos)

  Shifley has been playing lacrosse since he was little. He loves the mix of it being a contact sport and the precision that goes into passing and catching.

  How do you expect this season to go?

  I’m expecting a lot this season, we have a lot of really promising players and a strong defensive lineup, the team dynamic is really great this time around and there’s a lot to look forward to.

  What are some personal goals you have for the season? What are some team goals?

  Personally this season I’m looking to really hone in on my leadership skills and get the best out of my teammates so we can be successful this year and harden our foundation for next year’s team. My personal goals are pretty similar to my team goals, I’m very team-oriented, so that is where my focus is.

  What’s your favorite part of lacrosse?

  My favorite part has to be the fact that lacrosse makes for a really great outlet, whether it be stress or something else. Getting out there and being able to push people around is something you can’t get in many places.