Girls high school lacrosse season is officially back in action, with plenty of teams looking to push their way into a championship. Here are three teams to keep an eye out for this season.
Hartland
Hartland finished last season as the Division 1 runners-up with a final record of 20-6-0. Hartland has always been a competitive local team, however, it really went up a level when former standout player Ryan Skomial took over as the head coach.
Skomial was hired in 2024, and to say she knows the sport would be an understatement. She was named an All-American her senior year at Hartland and sits in the top-10 for total career goals in the state with 276.
Despite never coming away with a state title in her playing career, the aim for Skomial is now to win one on the sidelines for her alma mater, which she nearly accomplished in her first year at the helm.
“Our goal has always been to bring home a championship for Hartland,” Skomial said. “They’ve been in the state championship twice and have been in the semi-finals for many many years, so this program and these girls keep getting so close to that end goal.”
Hartland lost to South Lyon United 6-3 in last year’s title match, but Skomial thinks that the experience of being there itself is enough to push the team to come away with it as a whole.
“I think with last year, hopefully the girls know now what they’re capable of and know that they have the ability to make it to that final game,” Skomial said. “We’ve rewatched that game, we’ve talked about that game and we know the adjustments that we need to make.”
Beyond the approach, Hartland certainly has the talent to come away with the state title.
Senior goalie Claire Pielack is a returning All-American who has been leading the team both on and off of the field.
“She wants this more than anybody on our team,” Skomial said. “She’s got a great source of joy and I think her, combined with our captains, are really helping motivate the younger girls.”
Senior midfielder Amanda Norton is another one of the captains on the team, who brings both a strong attack at the net while also never running out of energy.
“She’s a girl whose gas tank just seemingly never ends,” Skomial said. “She really gives everything in every game and she’s just been wonderful in terms of keeping things light at practice but also raining it in and communicating what our goals need to be.”
Beyond those two senior captains, Hartland also has the likes of senior defensive anchor AJ Johnson, senior Aleah Schuman and junior Payton Earl as captains to lead the team. Skomial also gave credit to a large sophomore class that has come in and set the tone for Hartland.
South Lyon United
Head coach Deanna Radcliffe returned to South Lyon for a second tenure in 2023 following a stint at Hartland from 2013-22, and since returning, the team is back to being one of the dominant teams in the area.
South Lyon completed a perfect 21-0-0 season last year, coming out on top in the Division 1 championship game over Hartland. This season, the goal remains the same despite last season’s win.
“Coming off a championship is something we’re proud of, but it doesn’t change our approach. It’s a new year,” Radcliffe said. “The girls have added some additional pressure on themselves, so we are working on releasing that and focusing on steady progress instead of outcomes. Our goal is to stay disciplined, play for each other, and trust the process. By concentrating on small, consistent improvements, the results will naturally follow.”
South Lyon has a well-rounded team, but Radcliffe pointed out captains Shaelyn Perry and Teagan Wesner as setting the tone for the team and its goals to repeat – each in their own ways.
“Shaelyn leads by example,” Radcliffe said. “She is vocal, sets the tone of the game and is someone her teammates look to for guidance and leadership on and off the field.”
“Teagan stepped up last year when our goalie was injured, sacrificing her usual defensive role for the good of the team, and the girls recognize and respect that,” Radcliffe said. “She also has a way of keeping things light and lifting teammates when they’re feeling down.”
Although the team only lost four players from last season to graduation, Radcliffe mentioned how the underclassmen have stepped up to fill that hole. The team’s bond and ability to work together so far has been one of the many bright spots on a team that has already been dominant.
“What’s stood out so far is how driven the girls are to keep getting better. Their work ethic and focus in practice has been impressive,” Radcliffe said. “The attitude, effort, and dedication the girls are showing right now make it clear that there should be plenty to watch as the season unfolds.”
Brighton
Brighton has dominated the girls lacrosse scene for a good portion of the last decade with three-straight state titles spanning from 2022-24 along with an appearance in the final match the three seasons prior to its 2022 win.
The powerful sentiment surrounding Brighton carries onto this season despite not making it to the championship game last season. The team finished 15-8-0 in 2025 before ultimately falling to South Lyon in regionals.
Brighton sits atop the MHSAA’s power rankings through its first month of the season with an MPR rating of 0.821. Head coach Asthon Peters has her team 4-0 to begin the season, with big 10-point-plus wins over the likes of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and White Lake Lakeland.
Players like junior Kelly McKaig, junior Maggie Burchfield and senior Abby Kissel all started for Brighton in its 2024 title game, and look to lead the team back to the top.
Doug Doty is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Metro Detroit girls high school lacrosse preview: 3 teams to watch
Reporting by Doug Doty, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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