By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 8/2/20
TOUGHKENAMON, Pa. – Lauryn Warfield said playing even just one month this summer for True Maryland Girls’ Lacrosse saved the 2020 season for her.
“It was so uncertain at the beginning of the summer that we would even have a club season and finally getting back was so important,” said Warfield after her team completed a 3-0 run through the 2021 Red Division of the Victory Events Girls Summer Slam Saturday at Brandywine Polo Fields. “I feel our ‘want’ to play lacrosse has helped so much; especially since I am a (rising) senior, and this is being my last club year.”
Warfield (North Harford midfielder) was one of many True Maryland players who shined Saturday in wins over FLG, Emmaus Sting and Virginia One. True Maryland had gone 2-1 at the Laxin’ Out Loud tourney the week before in their season debut.
“I played for a different club previously and True really forced me to reach my potential,” Warfield said. “I had so much fun this summer.”
Warfield said missing the high school season at North Harford was difficult.
“I obviously I was extremely devastated; our team was set to win states,” she said. “We had such a good team. We got one scrimmage in and blew it out of the park.
“After and quarantine I worked out every single day – multiple times some days because I also am playing soccer – and I went to the field. I was making sure I had my skills.”
Genna Andreasik (Eastern Tech defender) also felt the True Maryland season helped make her forget the loss of the high school season.
“It was upsetting but when we started practices and tournaments it brought us all together and made it better,” she said. “We did really well. We lost our first game last week, but then won the rest. I love my teammates; this summer kept me going.”
Faith Bowlin (Harford Tech attack/midfield) also felt her high school team would have contended at the state level.
“I was super bummed (about the lost season),” she said. “Our team was great and it was my first year on varsity. I feel like would have had a great season and missing out on it crushed me.”
Bowlin said her motivation for lacrosse suffered at first, but quickly re-emerged.
“During the quarantine at first I didn’t know what to do – it wasn’t normal,” she said. “I didn’t have set schoolwork at first and I found myself doing whatever. So I started running every day and doing YouTube workouts. I did the best I could and I started shooting on the rebounder.
“Then True started doing online training on Zoom calls and I looked forward to being on the calls with the team. It was different but you had to make the most out of it.”
Bowlin said the True team meshed quickly in this summer in its short time together on the field.
“We worked together really well,” she said. “Last weekend we came out slowly and then started to think and play together and we came on and played well. This week we had a great practice Thursday to get us going and that carried into this weekend’s games. I am so proud of the team; we never played this well.
“We made smart decisions every game. We worked on never being satisfied and setting a new goal every time out. We accomplished that. Club lacrosse, for me, is something I look forward to. Lacrosse distracts me from everything else; I just have a great time. I always want to get better. Outside of practice I am working every day and improving as much as I can. It definitely paid off.”