Pasadena Girls Complete Undefeated Season, Win Championship

By Colin Murphy

On May 26 at Broadneck High School, the 12U Pasadena Bucs girls lacrosse team completed an undefeated, 9-0, season with a 15-6 victory over the Severna Park Thunderbolts to win the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Middie “Drive” Division Championship. It was the fourth and final victory of a dominant playoff run for the Bucs, who outscored opponents by at least six goals in every game this season.

Coach Stacy Skalstad described the championship victory as the result of season’s worth of hard work. “This team never gave less than 110%,” said Skalstad. “They are a great group of girls.”

Never having more than two subs in any game, the 14 members of the Pasadena Bucs relied on their superior conditioning and unrelenting effort to regularly outlast opponents. The Bucs likewise combined a variety of individual playing styles into a cohesive unit, defeating opponents on the strength of superb teamwork.

“They were the ultimate team,” said Skalstad. “Every player showed true sportsmanship on and off the field, and they played as one.”

Superb goalkeeping from Savannah Smith was a constant for the Bucs this season, and Smith was protected by the excellent sliding skills and swarming defense of Kinlee Bruns, Rheanna Lerma, Drew Sharman, Taylor Bolewski, and Shelby McAdams. In the midfield, the Bucs benefitted from outstanding draw control by Taylor Adams and aggressive ground ball play by Kirsten Cinotti, Samantha Caulkins, and Sydney Skalstad. The Bucs’ powerful offense was relentless in attacking the opposing net, and was led by the forceful play of Skalstad, Cinotti, Laura Skorobatsch, Mary Emge, Malaina Dunn, and Emma Sledgeski.

In the championship victory over Severna Park, the Bucs jumped out to a 1-0 lead before Severna Park immediately got the goal back to tie the game at 1-1. A gritty first half gave Pasadena a 7-2 halftime lead, and the Bucs kept their foot on the pedal in the second half to close out the championship victory by a final score of 15-6.

“[The coaches] could not be more proud of them,” said Coach Skalstad. “They worked hard and had fun. It’s really a great group of girls.”