For a half-dozen years, they’ve helped build a Jacksonville girls lacrosse power.
Now, they have one more chance to win it all before they head to the next level.
Buoyed by the now-senior class that’s come through year after year, Episcopal takes on another challenge in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A semifinals against Lake Highland Prep. The game starts at noon May 8 at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples.
For seniors Emme Hnath, Brooke McCoy and Lilly Melograna, final-four lacrosse is now a tradition. The latter two made the varsity team as seventh-graders in 2021, contributed to Episcopal’s first semifinalist squad in 2022, and will mark their fourth Naples trip this week.
“Our success has come from just playing with each other for so long, the countless seasons in both high school and club that we’ve built up together,” said McCoy, an All-American midfielder committed to Duke.
It doesn’t take long to recognize how those years together have honed the timing and rhythm for a tight-knit roster. Episcopal currently lists 19 players, fewer than some other elite programs, passing and moving with precision.
“We’ve got a lot of speed and we’ve got a lot of threats,” said head coach Krista Crittenden, who has guided Episcopal’s growth from a near-.500 team to a perennial final-four contender. “We have one of the best offenses in the state, and it’s hard to scout, because if one person’s not havinga good game, we can rely on somebody else to do the job.”
McCoy has 67 goals on the season, to go with 33 ground balls and 32 caused turnovers, linking the play for numerous finishers like Ann Commander (50 goals), Payten Cree (48 goals) and Georgia Tuttle (32 goals). Seven Eagles have scored in double figures.
“Our attack is beyond lethal,” said Melograna, a Richmond signee noted for her performance on draw controls. “Every single one of those seven girls is so gifted, so uniquely talented.”
Lake Highland Prep has tripped up the Eagles in the past, but if they overcome the Highlanders this year, they’ll be one game away from the first FHSAA girls lacrosse championship for a school located in Jacksonville. For the seniors, it’s one more chance for the FHSAA trophy.
“This is where we’re going to be tested, really for one of the first times [in 2026],” said Hnath, a William & Mary signee in defense. “So that’s just part of our concept, relying on each other.”
CLASS 1A GIRLS LACROSSE SEMIFINAL
Episcopal (16-3) vs. Lake Highland Prep (19-2)
When: 12 p.m. Friday, May 8
Where: Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Naples
How to watch: Streaming via NFHS Network (monthly pass $13.99)
The skinny: The Eagles have a history of final-four exits against Lake Highland Prep in 2022 and 2025, and lost 16-11 to the Highlanders on St. Patrick’s Day this year. Sophomore Giselle Jaskiewicz scored five goals that time for Lake Highland Prep, and she is dangerous, with 64 goals this year. Sally Flynn (43 goals), Gwen Nassal (39 goals), Lilly Ventura (35 goals) and Sophie Van Marcke de Lummen (33 goals) have helped the Orlando school hit the net 356 times in all. The winner plays for the title at 5 p.m. May 9 against Delray Beach American Heritage or Naples Community.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Episcopal’s seasoned seniors lift FHSAA girls lacrosse run
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
