ORLANDO — One of the top moments for the second-year Lakeland Christian girls lacrosse program was making it all the way to the FHSAA Class 1A regional quarterfinals for the first time in school history Wednesday at Lake Highland Preparatory School.
The Vikings went down 23-1 to a team that is ranked No. 2 in all of Florida and just won the state championship last year (2025) ― a third since 2019; sophomore midfielder Kendall Reber scored the team’s lone goal. But there wasn’t denying how great the moment was on so many different levels.
“I think it was a fun opportunity. Obviously winning districts was so fun and such an incredible moment and then coming to the quarterfinals. I mean we faced harder teams before and beat them the following year. So, we’re excited to continue working hard and keeping it up,” Lakeland Christian head girls lacrosse coach Maddy Mills said after the game.”
When it comes to keeping it up with the Jones’, the only real difference between a team like Lake Highland Prep and Lakeland Christian is experience level. Still, another moment that encapsulated how terrific the season has been and what the program can do with more experience was the Winter Haven game on March 3 at home. There were 12 different goal scorers on the team in a game that the Vikings won 15-2.
One of those goal scorers, of course, was Reber, who also scored the only goal in the regional quarterfinals in the waning seconds of the third quarter. Reber said she remembered how that game went and how it galvanized the team heading into the future.
“I think the Winter Haven game was like this game (Lake Highland Prep) (in that) it was a slower pace. … We tried to make the same passes that this team (did) against us. … We were trying to work the ball around faster than our feet were and get those fast opportunities. … But I feel like as we get more experience … we can get to this (level) if we keep practicing,” Reber said.
Those who aren’t able to continue practicing for Lakeland Christian next year are seniors Kai Gress-Poe (goalie), Anna Diaz (defender) and Libby Rowles (attacker). But the top three players in Reber (29 goals, 33 points), junior midfielder Caroline McKeel (29 goals, 31 points) and seventh-grader Bella Woods (18 goals, 20 points), along with a slew of other middle schoolers will presumably be back for Lakeland Christian (12-5) in 2027.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Top 3 moments for Lakeland Christian girls lacrosse as season ends
Reporting by Robert Magobet, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
