With a smile on her face, Maggie Piatt readied for the moment to backpedal. Her white New Balance cleats dug into the goal line before she took off on her team’s home field.
Once the coaches whistle blew after about 15 yards, she flipped her hips like a football cornerback and exploded downhill.
It was Wednesday, and the Bishop Chatard girls lacrosse team was five days removed from its 21-5 win over Evansville Memorial in their playoff opener. Two days away from taking on Heritage Christian in the second round.
The Trojans were pushing through conditioning work during Wednesday practice, a grind that most ordinary athletes would dread. But Piatt, the state leader in goals and assists, radiated with joy.
Her motor is powered by the passion for the game. The same fervor that filters down to younger players in the growing sport of lacrosse.
“I know when we’re running, it’s making us better,” Piatt said. “We’re all pushing each other and we’re having fun even while we’re conditioning, which is nice.”
Piatt is the daughter of Beth Murray Piatt, a former goalie for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team and a member of its Hall of Fame. Her mom’s legacy drew her into the sport. During her early playing years, she competed for club teams before she launched her high school career as a freshman.
Back then, Piatt was a pass-first player that feed the ball to upperclassmen. She has now evolved into a Swiss Army Knife on the offensive end. She is a midfielder that caught the scoring bug once her confidence grew, who has kept her generosity intact over the last few seasons.
As of Saturday, she has totaled 126 points, 84 goals and 42 assists as a senior. That trifecta leads all girls’ lacrosse players in the state.
Piatt uses her 5-foot-10 frame to cause havoc. At her best, she can be a matchup nightmare for opponents. She has played excellent all season, but her game has been more efficient over the last two games. She netted six goals and converted all of her shot attempts in a 21-9 win over Center Grove on May 4. She then scored seven goals at an 87.5% clip with four assists, against Evansville Memorial on May 8.
Last Friday, she totaled nine goals and two assists vs. Heritage Christian in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
For a Bishop Chatard team that has won its past 10 games, Piatt has been sharper and more clinical in front of the goal at a time of the season when every attempt matters.
“She’s dynamic,” said Bishop Chatard coach Julie Jerrell. “She can shoot or feed, so you have to either defend her drive or you have to defend her feet and it’s really hard. It’s really hard in girls lacrosse to do both against a girl who always has her eyes up.
“Teams have tried to face-guard her, not been real successful at it. But she’s also just an unselfish player. She wants to see her team win and at the end of the day, that’s what we love about her the most.”
Piatt is an unselfish player that cares for her teammates’ success as much as her own. Her lacrosse IQ is an asset for a Bishop Chatard squad that has gone 16-2 this season, eying its first state title game and championship in program history.
“She’s a good teacher, you can always count on her to have good insight and advice for everyone,” said Bishop Chatard senior Claudia Riggs. “She’s a captain. Watching her from eighth grade to now, it’s kind of crazy seeing how much she’s grown and she’s awesome on the field and off the field.”
Piatt has reaped the rewards for her hustle. Last December, she committed to Manhattan University to play women’s lacrosse in college. Her mom, who shares advice and knowledge after every game, helped her through the recruitment process. Her teammates and coaches have been just as helpful in her production.
Piatt is an ambassador for girls lacrosse in Indiana, which is an emerging sport. She coaches a Class of 2029 team for True Lacrosse Indiana, an organization that is committed to the development of young lacrosse players.
She also helps players join Saints Lacrosse, which is a Catholic lacrosse club in Indianapolis.
It’s a way to build the local pipeline and pay it forward.
“My mom definitely pushed to want to be a coach, but it feels so good to have the little girls ask me questions and have someone to look up to,” Piatt said. “I feel like it is a way to give back especially because so many older (players) helped coach me and … and I feel like that’s why I’m here today.
“I mean, it’s really fun because I want (girls lacrosse) to grow here in Indiana so just helping everyone be confident and know they can play out of state and in state and be good in in high school.”
Piatt is a marquee name in the Indiana girls lacrosse scene. The Bishop Chatard standout will take her talents to New York after high school, but she has vowed to be a sports advocate for her home state from afar.
“I’m so excited that Indiana is getting better at lacrosse and I’m hoping that I can make it more on the map, especially if I’m going far away so people can recognize it more,” Piatt said.
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bishop Chatard senior Maggie Piatt is helping grow Indiana high school girls lacrosse
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
