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TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 7/24/15
From US Lacrosse
The seventh annual US Lacrosse Under-15 National Championships will bring 46 of the best youth lacrosse programs from across the nation and their families for three days of competition here starting today at the River City Sportsplex in Midlothian, VA.
Twenty-eight girls’ teams, including defending national champion Yellow Jackets (N.Y.), and 18 boys’ teams, including two-time defending champ 3d Select National (Colo.), will compete for the US Lacrosse National Championships, representing the best of the organization’s 300,000-plus members that play U15 and below. The teams, totaling nearly 1,400 players, hail from 19 states.
Below, a notebook on the eve of the event.
3d Select National, which includes players from many of its regional programs but maintains roots in Colorado, is attempting to become the first program to win three straight gold medals. Maryland-based Fellowship of Christian Athletes, likewise a program with players from multiple states, won the first two national titles on the boys’ side, while the Yellow Jackets won gold in 2010 and 2011 (in addition to last year). Leading 3d Select National, in part, will be brothers Ben (midfielder) and Will (attackman) Murtagh, who have recently given a verbal commitment to Boston University, per 3d.
The Yellow Jackets swept the gold, silver and bronze medals, thus earning three automatic qualifiers into this year’s tournament. The Long Island power will once again have talent. According to the program’s website, goalie Sarah Reznick (Long Beach High) has committed to Florida, defender Kiki Venza (Comsewogue) has pledged to Ohio State, and midfielders Madison Reilly (Friends) and Madison Sanchez (Rocky Point) have committed to Maryland, among others.
US Lacrosse staff appeared on ESPN 950 AM in Richmond Wednesday to preview this event and promote the growth of lacrosse.
Historically, players in this event have gone on to achieve significant post-scholastic honors. on Thursday the U.S. U19 women’s national team opened defense of its gold medal with a 15-9 win over Canada. Team USA features eight players from the 2012 US Lacrosse U15 National Championships: Andie Aldave (Sky Walkers), Samantha Giacolone (Yellow Jackets), Miranda Ibello (Sky Walkers), Kerrigan Miller (Yellow Jackets), Nikki Ortega (Yellow Jackets), Lindsey Ronbeck (Liberty), Claire Quinn (Yellow Jackets) and alternate Samantha Apuzzo (Top Guns). Likewise, roughly 20 percent of the original 105-player 2016 U.S. U19 men’s team tryout pool played in this event that year.
Five teams from host state Virginia are competing, including two with local ties. Storm Elite 2018 draws girls’ players from Richmond and surrounding areas, as does C2C Richmond on the boys’ side. The latter earned an automatic bid to this event by finishing second in the US Lacrosse Southeast Championships last month in Raleigh, N.C.
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