The Charlotte Observer HS lacrosse preview. Who are top players, teams in the area

The N.C. High School Athletic Association high school lacrosse season began this week.

The regular-season is scheduled to end March 12 with state finals on March 27.

Here is a look at some of the top teams and players in the Charlotte-area this year.

Winter sport this year?

High school lacrosse has morphed into a winter sport this season for North Carolina’s public schools, but it appears as if the same schools that have dominated the springtime version of the sport will do so in cold weather.

The possible exception is in the 1A-2A-3A ranks, where three-time boys’ state champion Weddington must rebuild a bit and faces tough challenges from Marvin Ridge and Charlotte Catholic.

Among the 4A schools, 2018 state champion Lake Norman, 2019 runner-up Ardrey Kell and perennial powers Hough and Myers Park look like the area’s powers.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association’s decision to move lacrosse from spring to winter, as part of the COVID-related shuffle, will bring some changes this season. Several area schools, like Butler and Freedom, do not have enough players to field teams this year. That is because athletes must choose from among basketball, boys’ soccer, lacrosse and football -- each of which is taking place in January, February and March.

The season started Monday, except for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teams, which will begin the week of Feb. 8. Final day of the regular season is March 12, and state championships are set for March 27.

So here’s a quick primer on area lacrosse:

Players to watch

Cade Caggiano (Ardrey Kell): A senior attacker who has committed to Georgetown, Caggiano set a school record as a sophomore in 2019 with 83 goals. He earned all-state honors that season with 132 points, and Caggiano totaled 25 goals and 10 assists in five matches last season before the COVID shutdown.

Emmett Houlihan (Marvin Ridge): A left-handed senior midfielder, Houlihan is a two-time all-state player. He had two goals and six assists in his first game this season and has committed to Michigan.

Paul Reidy (Charlotte Catholic): At 6-4 and 180 pounds, Reidy is a strong force in goal for the Cougars. A Delaware commit, Reidy has a 61.6 percent save average in high school and totaled 135 saves two years ago as a sophomore.

Ryan Stechmiller (Lake Norman Charter): A senior attacker, Stechmiller had 15 goals and 16 assists in a COVID-shortened five-match 2020 season, and he totaled 31 goals and 27 assists in his sophomore season. Stechmiller scored six goals Monday night in the Knights’ season-opening 16-1 thrashing of Mooresville.

Jordyn Case (Weddington): A Stanford commit, Case is the state’s top-ranked female player, according to the Under Armour and Inside Lacrosse rankings. Inside Lacrosse had Love ranked as one of the nation’s top 52 players as a junior. She was the Observer’s Co-Player of the Year as a sophomore.

Meghan Lowe (Charlotte Catholic): A senior defender and midfielder, Lowe will be a key player for the Cougars in their bid to challenge Weddington and Triangle-area powers Chapel Hill and East Chapel Hill for the state title. She was named to the Under Armour all-America team in 2019 and 2020.

Conference races

▪ Boys’ Conference 15: With Micah Stechmiller and sophomore Colin Mendocino (12 goals, 11 assists in five 2020 matches), Lake Norman Charter is the favorite. But Christ the King will contend, in its fifth season under coach Michael Habel. Senior midfielder Gaston Caperton has 100 goals in two seasons, and senior goalkeeper Jack Gervasini has a 72 percent save average.

Other conference members are Community School of Davidson, Mountain Island Charter, Pine Lake Prep and Queen’s Grant Charter.

▪ Boys’ Conference 16: Look for Lake Norman and Hough to dominate. Lake Norman’s Aiden Schook had four goals in a season-opening 14-2 rout of Greensboro Page, and Will Crispino won 16 of 17 faceoffs. Hough midfielder George Kalos, a North Carolina commit, totaled 40 ground balls in just three matches last season.

Other conference members are Hopewell, Mooresville and South Iredell.

▪ Boys’ Conference 17: This might be the state’s toughest conference, with three-time defending state champion Weddington, along with Marvin Ridge and Charlotte Catholic, contending. And Sun Valley is on the rise.

Weddington lost standout Anthony Todaro (163 career goals) to graduation, but senior face-off specialist Gavin Grillot, a Lynchburg commit, returns. He wins 66 percent of his face-offs. Charlotte Catholic features a veteran defense, with seniors Will Dettmer, Liam Fitzgerald, John Tyler and Jack Curry. Marvin Ridge has Emmett Houlihan, along with defenders Will Tessin and Brady Villa.

At Sun Valley, senior goalkeeper Jahzmar Carr saved 53 of 71 shots in his four matches last season. And attacker Nick Phillips had 14 goals and 11 ground balls in those four matches.

Cuthbertson and Parkwood round out the conference.

▪ Boys’ Conference 10: Ardrey Kell, with Cade Caggiano leading the way, is the favorite. Coach Tim Price’s team also has senior attacker Jackson Price (135 points in 20-19) and junior midfielder Ryan Curry (40 points as a freshman in 2019). Myers Park will contend, behind senior defenders Colton Curtis and George Murray and junior midfielder Drew Tenzer.

Junior midfielder Griffin Peterson and senior attacker Gabe Rusmisell will lead South Mecklenburg.

Also in the conference are Butler (inactive this season), Independence, Porter Ridge, and Providence.

▪ Boys’ Conference 19: In a season-opening match, Patton edged Asheville 9-8 Monday. Those two teams, along with St. Stephens, figure to battle for the conference crown. Patton has six four-year seniors: Trevor Connelly, all-time assist leader Nick Corn, all-time saves leader Austin Ingram in goal, Destine Joseph, Max Short (a Mars Hill commit) and Ben Stroud.

Other conference members are Freedom (inactive), Hickory, T.C. Roberson and Watauga.

▪ Girls’ Conference 12: Coaches expect Lake Norman and Lake Norman Charter to lead the way. Attacker-midfielder Mary Sorvillo had four goals and nine ground balls in Lake Norman Charter’s season-opening victory over Mooresville.

Other conference members are Hough, Hopewell, Mooresville and South Iredell.

▪ Girls’ Conference 13: Two-time state runner-up Charlotte Catholic is the favorite, with Weddington in close pursuit. Cougars’ coach Dee Bier has a pair of all-America players in senior defender Meghan Lowe and junior midfielder Kate Draddy.

Weddington’s senior class is 32-0 in regular-season matches and has Jordyn Case leading the way. Other standouts are senior attacker Kendal Williams, senior defender Lily Barger (a Liberty commit), and junior goalkeeper Charlotte Hoffman.

Marvin Ridge, under coach Alixis Roccia, could challenge the top two teams.

Other conference members: Cuthbertson, Parkwood and Sun Valley.

▪ Girls’ Conference 14: The heavy favorite here is defending champion Myers Park, led by seniors Mallory Jarka (midfielder), Emma Hardy (defender) and Kellen Lucchesi (goalkeeper).

Other conference members are Ardrey Kell, Butler, Independence, Porter Ridge, Providence and South Mecklenburg.

▪ Of note

Charlotte Catholic coach Bo Turner is nearing the 400-victory mark for his career. He starts the season with 398 victories in his 28 seasons with the Cougars.

His total is second in the state to the 500 victories for Charlotte Country Day coach Brad Tourna.

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle

This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 7:56 PM.