What’s more dangerous than a Shark feeding frenzy?
A Shark feeding frenzy with speed.
That’s the story for Ponte Vedra girls lacrosse, riding to the state’s top seed on a championship run that continues with the Florida High School Athletic Association semifinals against Vero Beach.
These speedy Sharks (15-3) take on Vero Beach at 7:30 p.m. May 8 at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples for a spot in the title game.
“Our speed and athleticism that we have is out of this world,” Ponte Vedra coach Kara Koolage said. “It’s not just within the midfield. Our attackers are extremely fast, so on the ride, they make it very, very difficult for other teams to clear against us.”
Ponte Vedra, which has outscored its opposition 253-96, carries a seven-game winning streak and strong team chemistry into the state semifinals.
“We all try to push each other and we all know we can rely on each other,” senior midfielder Taylor McKeon said. “The backbone of our team is being close and being able to work together.”
For Koolage, in her first year as Sharks head coach, team speed helps set Ponte Vedra apart. Several key players, including McKeon and Grace Raymond, also compete in other sports like Ponte Vedra’s national contender girls soccer team, and they know how to turn up the acceleration.
“It gets us extra possessions on ground balls and all those things,” Koolage said. “I think that’s the biggest separator for us.”
The Sharks have already cleared the hurdle that tripped them up last year against Bartram Trail. Nonstop movement in midfield and attack, with crisp combinations among McKeon, Raymond, Gracie Madson, Shelby Pare and numerous teammates sparked a fast start and an 11-3 win.
“We’re super unselfish with [the ball], so that’s where I think most of our opportunities come,” Madson said.
Although rated among Florida’s best programs for more than a decade, the Ponte Vedra girls have only twice reached FHSAA finals, in 2014 and 2015. This time, with team spirit and blistering speed, the Sharks hope this might be the year.
“They’re so supportive of one another,” Koolage said. “And that shows in our play.”
CLASS 2A GIRLS LACROSSE SEMIFINAL
Ponte Vedra (15-3) vs. Vero Beach (11-11)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 8
Where: Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Naples
How to watch: Streaming via NFHS Network (monthly pass $13.99)
The skinny: A perennial state power going back to the 2000s, Vero Beach is no ordinary .500 team. They’ve played a schedule against opponents from Virginia and Pennsylvania, and they have an explosive scorer in Addi Coya (65 goals). Vero Beach overcame the Sharks in the 2014 and 2015 finals. However, Ponte Vedra has already topped them once in 2026, a 16-6 contest in February at Episcopal’s fields. If the Sharks win, they play 7:30 p.m. May 9 for the championship against Tampa Plant or Oviedo.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ponte Vedra girls lacrosse turns up speed in championship chase
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
