Marc Narducci: Young Bulldogs making strides in lacrosse

Somehow, the Haddonfield girls' lacrosse team skipped the part that included growing pains for young programs. In only its second year of varsity competition, the Bulldogs are starting to look like so many of the other teams at a school that is noted for its championship squads and outstanding students.

One must look past the record to see what an impressive job Haddonfield has done. The Bulldogs evened their record at 3-3 with Tuesday's 18-13 win at Cherry Hill East. Last week, East posted an impressive win over defending South Jersey Group 4 champion Washington Township.

As for Haddonfield, the record is on the deceptive side since one of the losses was a 10-8 defeat to Eastern, a potential Group 4 contender, and another was a 9-8 loss to Seneca, ranked No. 3 in South Jersey by The Inquirer.

Haddonfield first fielded a JV lacrosse team in 2008, and the first varsity squad went 9-9 last year.

Coach Jessica Blake, a former player at Camden Catholic and St. Joseph's University, set the tone early in the team's existence. She had one rule that couldn't be compromised - no excuses for being an expansion team.

The Bulldogs never acted like a first-year squad last season, and they aren't playing like a second-year team this time around. By the postseason, this could be a dangerous Group 1 team.

A number of the lacrosse players were on Haddonfield's state championship soccer team. Some come from the South Jersey Group 2 champion basketball squad. This is a team with players who know how to win. And by the looks of things, they are quickly digesting all the rudiments of lacrosse.

"The reason I love coaching this team is that they work so hard and have such a desire to improve," Blake said.

There are just four seniors on the team, led by Meghan McLaughlin, who had five goals against East. The other seniors are Hannah Reses, Emily Grabiak, and Amanda Matthews.

Grabiak is sort of a symbol of the typical Haddonfield lacrosse player. An Inquirer second-team all-South Jersey basketball player and a soccer standout, Grabiak never competed in lacrosse until this year. Now she is a starting defender.

"And she has done an unbelievable job," Blake said.

Haddonfield is also in great physical condition. Leading by 10-8 at halftime, the Bulldogs put the game away by scoring the first seven goals of the second half.

"Haddonfield is tall, athletic and fast," said Cherry Hill East coach Kim Gatelein, whose team was led by junior Becca Wood, who had six goals. "They want the ball and they want to win."

The strength is in the junior class, led by Lindsay Brophy, who had four goals. Brophy never played the sport until her freshman year. Like many of her teammates, she is involved in three sports, also competing in soccer and winter track.

"We have a lot of good athletes here and the coaches have done a great job working with us on our skills," Brophy said.

When Haddonfield pulled away in the second half, the players didn't even look winded.

"That's because in practice, our coaches make us run," Brophy said laughing.

With players like sophomore Maddie Kiep, who had three goals, the future appears extremely bright for Haddonfield.

The players, however, don't want to hear about that right now.

"We have seniors on this team, and all we are thinking about is improving each day," Brophy said.

That is a goal that Haddonfield is achieving.

The best way to measure the progress is that opponents already don't view the Bulldogs as a second-year program. And by the look of things, neither do the players.

Haddonfield   10 8 - 18

Cherry Hill East   8 5 - 13

Goals: H- Meaghan McLaughlin 5, Lindsay Brophy 4, Maddie Kiep 3, Caroline Pease 2, Alex Marshall, Carolynn Clark, Gretchen Kiep, Katie Walsh. CHE-Becca Wood 6, Taylor Beatty 3, Fangel Tung 2, Caroline DiBartolomeo, Alexa DiPero. Saves: H-Sarah Meeter 6, CHE-Annelise Wittenberg 10.