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Loudoun Valley makes quick work of Stonewall Jackson
The Loudoun Valley Vikings girls’ lacrosse team has made its presence felt in the Cedar Run District since joining the district this school year.
The Vikings swept all seven of their Cedar Run opponents during the regular season to capture the district’s regular season title and an automatic berth in the Group AAA Northwest Region playoffs.
Loudoun Valley continued its dominance May 8 in the opening round of the Cedar Run District tournament.
The Vikings scored 13 unanswered goals to start the game and carried that momentum throughout against Stonewall Jackson en route to a convincing 18-1 victory in front of their home fans in Purcellville.
“We wanted to not play cocky, but play confident,” senior midfielder Jessie Harkey said of the Vikings’ approach to Thursday’s game.
“We got a lot of practice by running all of our plays. I think we played really well, moving the ball and making sure everything was assisted.”
Senior Kelsey Daddio and sophomore Sophie Swan each netted hat tricks as 10 different players scored for Valley (12-3). Swan also dished out three assists.
“We have a very young team, so in games like this, we like to gain experience and depth,” Viking assistant coach Heather Albro said.
Head coach Jay Harkey was being inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame Thursday night and missed the game. Harkey played on Columbia High School’s state championship lacrosse team in 1979. Columbia is in Maplewood, N.J.
Morgan Becker, Courtney Ogelvee, Cori Mullaney and Liz Klemens each found the back of the net twice against Stonewall Jackson.
Michelle Zakrewski, Kaitlin Luck, Mikayla Redding and Shannon Harkey scored one goal apiece, and goalies Trish Hicks and Kelsey Luck were rarely tested in limiting the Raiders to one goal.
“We are a young team, so there are a lot of basic things we need to work on,” Albro said. “A lot of girls need to step up and play to the higher level, and we’ve done a great job.”
Thursday’s victory was the first of what the Vikings hope is many wins this postseason.
Loudoun Valley is looking to return to the state playoffs this spring after a one-year hiatus. The Vikings advanced to the combined Group AAA/AA state semifinals in 2006.
“One of our slogans this year is ‘believe.’ It’s really about us coming together,” Jessie Harkey said. “I think we have the talent, we just need to believe that we have it.
“My dad [coach Harkey] always says you have to be tactical, physical, technical and psychological, and I think we have all four of those, we just need to put them all together.”
NOTABLE: Jessie Harkey has committed to play lacrosse at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, next spring. Her older brother, J.D. Harkey, a sophomore midfielder at UMBC, played in his second consecutive NCAA Division I lacrosse tournament this spring.
Heather Albro’s younger sister, Renee, who graduated from Valley in 2006, is a sophomore attacker for Limestone College in South Carolina. Limestone qualified for the NCAA Division II semifinals and will play West Chester May 15 in Texas.
Current seniors Liz Klemens and Kelsey Daddio have committed to play lacrosse at Christopher Newport University in North Carolina. Former Vikings Meghan Harkey and Katie Quigley recently completed their freshman seasons at Christopher Newport.
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