Take a look at 25 of the top high school girls’ lacrosse players to watch in 2021. Organized by region, we highlight five players each from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest and West. The players are listed alphabetically by last name.
NORTHEAST
By Dylan Butler
Kylee Colbert, North Shore (N.Y.), M, So.
The youngest of three Colbert siblings (including Caitlin, a freshman at Monmouth University, and Stony Brook-bound senior attacker Casey), Kylee is arguably the best. She had 41 goals and eight assists for North Shore as an eighth grader, and she is speedy and extremely aggressive — a hard dodger with an even harder shot.
Shea Dolce, Darien (Conn.), G, Jr.
The Boston College-bound junior was the MVP of the FCIC championship game as a freshman. Dolce also garnered first-team all-state honors in 2019 and competed for the USA Select U15 team that defeated Team Ontario to win the Brogden Cup championship in October 2019.
Emma LoPinto, Manhasset (N.Y.), A, Sr.
Place her behind the cage or on the elbow, and LoPinto will shred you apart with her great vision and high-level finishing ability. The Florida-bound senior had 51 goals and 19 assists as a sophomore, including six goals and two assists in a 13-12 win over rival Garden City in the Nassau Class B final.
Kaylie Mackiewicz, Northport (N.Y.), A, Jr.
A scoring machine, Mackiewicz had 45 goals and 14 assists as a freshman on a loaded 2019 Northport state championship team, and that includes six goals and two assists combined in the state semifinals and final. She is committed to Duke.
Alexis Niblock, Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.), D, Sr.
The Bayport-Blue Point senior is one of the region’s best defenders. Niblock, who utilizes next-level athleticism and tenacity, committed to the University of South California. She joined Dolce, LoPinto, Mackiewicz and Colbert as part of the USA Select U15 team at the Brogden Cup in 2019.
MID-ATLANTIC
By Tom Peace
Carly Bernstein, Millburn Senior (N.J.), A/M, Sr.
The Duke commit is fast and uses both hands well. She was the second-leading scorer on her team as a freshman in 2018 with 75 goals and 45 assists and has only gotten better.
Kennedy Major, Gerstell Academy (Md.), D, Sr.
Listed on the Under Armour Senior All-America watch list for 2021, Major is a shutdown defender who will be taking her talents to the University of Maryland next year.
Madeleine Rudolph, Good Counsel (Md.), A/DS, Jr.
Rudolph makes an impact with her goal-scoring and ability to dictate possession off the draw. She’s committed to Richmond.
Sydney Smith, McDonogh (Md.), M/D, Jr.
The Duke commit will be an important piece for McDonogh the next two seasons.
Madison Vetterlein, Episcopal Academy (Pa.), M, Sr.
Committed to Boston University, Vetterlein is strong in transition, brings good stick skills and quick feet along with excellent decision-making.
SOUTH
By Justin Boggs
Maddie Dora, Milton (Ga.), A, Sr.
The USC recruit is coming off being named to the Under Armour All-Tournament team in 2020. In her last full high school season, Dora scored 61 times for Milton.
Taylor McClain, Pine Crest (Fla.), A, Sr.
After scoring 52 goals in her last full high school season in 2019, the Bucknell recruit has already been finding the back of the net frequently during a 3-1 start for Pine Crest.
Marleigh Sanders, Milton (Ga.), A, Sr.
Like her Milton High School counterpart Maddie Dora, Sanders is coming off being named to the Under Armour All-Tournament team in 2020. In her last full season of competition, she scored 69 goals. She is committed to Notre Dame.
Ashley Thurston, Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), M, Sr.
The Stanford recruit was named as a Top 40 prospect by Inside Lacrosse and was a three-time Under Armour All-American. She has especially excelled in the circle, winning 116 draws in 2019.
Sam Whiting, Episcopal Dallas (Texas), M, Sr.
In her last full high school season, the Princeton commit had 29 goals, 16 assists and 36 ground balls, and she’s looking to build off that in 2021.
MIDWEST
By Jonah Rosenblum
Payton Bloedow, Prior Lake (Minn.), A/M, Sr.
Strong off the draw and a great shooter, according to Lakers coach Heather Pierson, Bloedow earned All-American honors as a sophomore. Not only did Bloedow score 62 goals that year, but she saved her best for the biggest game of the season, scoring six goals against Eden Prairie to lift Prior Lake to its first state title.
Annie Hargraves, Upper Arlington (Ohio), M, Sr.
The Golden Bears midfielder was delightfully efficient as a sophomore, turning 52 shots on goal into 39 scores. The Ohio State commit also finished second on Upper Arlington’s 2019 state championship team with 83 draw controls.
Hannah Kim, Carmel (Ind.), M, Sr.
In her last game on the high school stage, Kim had a hat trick by halftime as Carmel defeated Brebeuf Jesuit in the 2019 state title game. Coach Josh Miller said she is “a do-it-all midfielder who is tenacious on ground balls and one of the most gifted athletes we have ever had.”
Ellie Lazzaretto, Loyola Academy (Ill.), A, Sr.
When the All-American was last on the field, as a sophomore, the Duke commit was dominant, scoring 86 goals in 27 games. That included a five-goal performance against Eden Prairie (Minn.) and hat tricks against Collegiate (Va.) and Georgetown Visitation (D.C.).
Haley Reeck, Edina (Minn.), A/M, Sr.
The Louisville commit earned All-American honors in 2019 after finishing her sophomore season with 53 goals. COVID-19 kept Reeck from becoming Edina’s all-time leading scorer last season but she remains just 20 goals from the record.
WEST
By Laurel Pfahler
Hailey Dommers, La Jolla (Calif.), D, Jr.
Dommers leads a defense that allowed 5.0 goals per game through a 5-0 start last year. She’s committed to UC Davis.
Sydney Landauer, Jesuit (Ore.), A/M, Sr.
Landauer scored 86 goals to help Jesuit to the state title in 2019, and as a senior, she could be poised for another standout season. She’s committed to Pomona-Pitzer.
Katharine Merrifield, Colorado Academy (Colo.), M, Sr.
The Michigan signee tallied 59 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore and should pick up right where she left off this season while surrounded by yet another quality supporting cast.
McKenzie Olsen, Palos Verdes (Calif.), M, Sr.
Olsen, a Syracuse signee, scored 35 goals with 27 assists as a sophomore in 2019 as Palos Verdes finished 14-4, and she had 39 goals and 15 assists through a 6-2 start last year when the season ended.
Alannah Scott, San Ramon Valley (Calif.), A, Sr.
Scott led the Wolves with 72 goals and three assists as a sophomore in 2019 and already had 25 goals through five games last season when the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down. She’s headed to UC Davis in the fall.