TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 2/22/14

The Vero Beach (FL) girls’ lacrosse team (@VBHSLACROSSE) opened its season Thursday by defeating Benjamin School, 15-3, as it begins defense of its eight-year run on the state championship.

Vero Beach, ranked No. 16 in the Brine/TopLaxRecruits Preseason North America Rankings had beaten Benjamin, 14-5, in last year’s state semifinals.

Vero Beach has won 112 straight in-state games.

Also in Florida Ponte Vedra (@PVsharksLAX), a state quarterfinalist last year, opened its season with a 20-1 win over St. Augustine. Emma Dotsikas led the Sharks with five goals and Abby Walker (UMass commit) had four while Katie Mauro (Furman) added two goals and three assists.

Last year’s state finalist, Bartram Trail (@BTgirlsLAX) is 2-0 after easy wins over Flagler Palm Coast (21-1) and Matanzas (22-1).

In the first win, Bartram Trail had 11 different scorers as Lauren Hutzel led with three goals and four assists, Caroline Beggs (Catawba commit) had four goals and two assists, and Casey Coates had four goals and one assist. Also contributing to the victory were Lauren Tybor with a goal and four assists, Jocelyn Pena with two goals and an assist, Mya Watson with two goals and Leia Speziale with one goal and one assist. Sara Tomasello, Olivia Davis, Jordan Grant and Maddy Campbell all added one goal each.

In the win over Matanzas, Hutzel had five goals and three assists, Beggs had four goals and three assists, and Tybor and Watson each scored four goals. Coates also tailed two goals and one assist.

Boys

Emerging Florida power IMG Academy (@IMGLacrosse) opened Wednesday with an impressive 27-0 road victory over Manatee.

Attackman Ben French (2016) led with six goals and five assists and attackman Massimo Bucci finished added two goals and four assists. Face-off specialist Tyler Liotta won 11 of 11 face-offs while contributing two goals and one assist on the evening.