South Jersey Girls’ Lacrosse Primer

The season has just started for high school girls’ lacrosse in New Jersey. Here's a look at the season ahead:

State tournament cutoff: May 20.

Public School
First round: May 29 at higher seed
Second round: June 2 at the higher seed
Sectional semifinal: June 5 at the higher seed
Sectional championship: June 10 at higher seed
State finals: June 13 or 14 at TBA

Non-Public State Tournament
First Round: May 28 at the higher seed
Second Round: May 31 at the higher seed
Third Round: June 3 at the higher seed
State semifinals: June 6 at the higher seed
State finals: June 11 TBA

Defending South Champions
Group 1: Glen Ridge 14, Rumson-Fair Haven 13
Group 2: Haddonfield 15, Allentown 5

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Group 3: Moorestown 17, Shawnee 8
Group 4: Kingsway 12, Cherokee 5

Defending State Champions
Group 1: Glen Ridge 9, Mountain Lakes 8
Group 2: Summit 13, Haddonfield 8
Group 3: Chatham 9, Moorestown
Group 4: Morristown 10, Kingsway 6
Non-Public A: Oak Knoll 14, Pingry 11
Non-Public B: Montclair Kimberly 13, Holy Spirit 11

 

Big story entering the season: Haddonfield, which has been not only a power in South Jersey, but statewide, is moving from Group 2 to Group 1. Last year Haddonfield lost to perennial state power Summit, 13-8 in the Group 2 state final. In another twist, Summit has moved from North Group 2 to Group 3. Summit has won three straight Group 2 state titles and was the No. 1 team in the state last year according to NJ.com. With the Hilltoppers now out of Group 2, it would have been likely for Haddonfield to be a major contender had the Bulldogs stayed in Group 2. Now that Haddonfield is in Group 1, the Bulldogs will be difficult to beat despite some key losses to graduation. Haddonfield opened this season with a 12-8 loss to Moorestown, but that is what makes the Bulldogs great, playing some of the top teams in the state during the regular season to prepare for the state tournament. Current junior Riley Austin, who contributed 45 goals last year, scored a hat trick in the opener against Moorestown. Among the other regular season games that will help prepare Haddonfield for the tournament include matchups against Group 4 state finalist Kingsway, South Group 3 finalist Shawnee and South Group 4 finalist Cherokee, just to name a few. This is a young Haddonfield team that will likely be better in the second half of the season and once again be a state title contender in a new Group.

Player to Watch: Mackenzie Borbi, Shawnee Sr. Borbi was a first-team all-state midfielder selection by NJ.com after totaling 59 goals and 14 assists for the South Group 3 finalist. Even more impressively, she had 144 draw controls. Borbi is among the best athletes in the state. During the fall, she was a first-team all-state selection as a soccer goalie after competing for Group 3 state champion Shawnee, which went 25-0 and finished as NJ.com’s No. 1 team in the state. Borbi had 114 saves and 19 shutouts. Not bad for her second sport. Lacrosse remains the top sport, and she will play the sport next season at Syracuse.