High school girls lacrosse: Indian River continues to carve out new success for program

“Most of us all started in seventh grade, we’ve kind of worked our way up,” said LaLonde, a defender now in her junior season. “So we went from when the program was really bad and we really didn’t win a lot, and we’ve grown with it until this point when we’re setting records and all that, it’s exciting.”

Indian River, which this season is led defensively by LaLonde and offensively by fellow juniors Ravan Marsell and Michaela Delles, continues to build success.

After a breakthrough 2022 campaign when the team finished with a winning season for the first time in program history and advanced to a sectional semifinal — yet another first — the Warriors have found more success this year.

“It was definitely like a breakthrough type of year and this season’s kind of like trying to just break down more barriers and keep going and doing better than we did last year,” LaLonde said. “And I think we’re not really surprised anymore because it’s kind of like an expectation now because we were bad in the past. But we’re obviously better now.”

Indian River, which won a program-best 12 games last year, has already surpassed that mark with 13 wins this season, including eight in league play — also a program first.

“We’re definitely very well-rounded,” Indian River coach Victoria Fusco said. “With our draws, possession is everything in the game of lacrosse and between Ravan taking them and our girls on the circle, we’ve been doing a good job of gaining possession of the ball and capitalizing on our opportunities early and scoring goals. Everyone is just filling their role really well.”

Indian River (13-2), which beat Watertown twice in a season for the first time, finished in second place in the league at 8-2.

“That was definitely one of our goals when the season started (and) get those two wins against them and we obviously accomplished that goal,” LaLonde said. “And it felt really good to beat them because I’ve never beaten them in lacrosse before.”

“It’s very exciting that we’re finally getting the outcomes that we want,” Delles said. “And we’ve all worked like so hard since we were little and it’s just now coming all together and it’s really exciting.”

Marsell and Delles have led the charge as each rank 1-2 in league scoring. As a midfielder, Marsell has totaled a league-leading 107 points on 61 goals and 46 assists.

“I like offense more, I would say,” Marsell said. “But defense is definitely a big part of my game for me and I like both. So I think midfield is the best fit for me.”

“Ravan is more of all over the field, she takes our draws, she’s a top defender for us marking up on tough middies and she’s one of our main facilitators of the offense and a lot of people gravitate towards her,” Fusco said. “And Michaela times her cuts perfectly and gets to open spots and she’s a shooter. She scores her goals, that’s for sure.”

Meanwhile, Delles leads the league in goal scoring with 75 and has recorded 97 points overall.

“We kind of look for each other on most things, we know where each other are, and we rely on each other, we trust each other,” Delles said. “I play on the circle with her, I know where her draws are going to go to get that, and we finish each other passes and shots.”

“They work really well together and I think you can definitely see that,” LaLonde said. “Like playing defense, I watch them play offense and it’s just really cool to see how they kind of work off each other’s energy and they feed each other. Neither one of them is selfish, if someone’s open, they give it to the other person.”

Many members of the girls lacrosse team where also vital contributors to the girls basketball team, which surged to win a Section 3 title and onto state tournament play this past spring.

“We’ve played with the same group of girls for two seasons now and it helps us because we’re so close,” Marsell said. “We spend a lot of time together.”

“It definitely is pretty cool because kind of get to still stay connected,” Delles said. “And it’s kind of the same concept, you’re working offense and defense together, and I feel like it helps us like stay in the moment.”

Also contributing offensively have been Kallie Delles (29 goals, 17 assists) and Keera LaLonde (20 goals 26 assists), who have each totaled 46 points, Allison LaMora (24-5-29), also another key contributor on the basketball team.

“If Ravan and Michaela are being cut off, those next people like Keera LaLonde, Alli LaMora, Carolina Burnard, they all step up when they’re not able to,” Fusco said. “I think usually we have five to six goal scorers a game, so it’s definitely well balanced.”

With BreeLynn LaLonde leading the team’s effort defensively, Marsell is also a key cog on defense as he usually guards the other team’s midfielders, with Marsell taking on the top opposing forwards.

“She’s just strong and it’s just hard to get past her, she’s relentless — she doesn’t make anything easy,” Fusco said of Marsell. “And BreeLynn is a two-time All-Star just on the defensive end. “She’s super fast, every game she’s on the top, top player of the opposing team. She’s not the biggest player, but she holds her own, she’s tough and if she gets that ball, she’s gone.”

“I would say we definitely play together as a defense and we have a lot of trust in each other,” LaLonde said. “So if one person gets beat, you know somebody’s going to slide to help you and we definitely play aggressive and like kind of scrappy.”

Marsell also excels in winning draws as he’s recorded 111 draw controls so far this season, with Delles tallying 78 of her own.

“It’s important, when you’re in a really close game, you want to get that next draw to get that next possession to either hold the ball or keep pushing it, they’re pretty vital,” Delles said.

The heart of this new found success for Indian River dates back to when the school formed a girls lacrosse youth program several years ago.

“I would say like the second grade we all joined together and every year up since then, we’ve been playing together,” Marsell said. “It’s a lot of fun and I’m glad that we started at the age we did it helped us get to where we are today.”

Fusco, a former All-American goalie who played at Immaculate Heart Central before moving on to Jefferson Community College and SUNY Cortland, has coached Indian River’s varsity team for five seasons, as well as the modified team for two seasons previously.

“She’s definitely been on us a lot, but I think that only makes us better and her having the bar set so high for us, it pushes us to be better,” BreeLynn LaLonde said of Fusco.

Fusco’s assistant coach is John Connolly, who is her former head coach while at IHC.

With only one game remaining in the regular season with at it will host New Hartford at 6 p.m. today, Indian River is closing in on the playoffs.

Last year, the Warriors won a home Section 3 quarterfinal against Chittenango before moving on to the program’s first sectional semifinal where they were edged, 12-11, by Jamesville-DeWitt.

“It was really cool, our goal was just to make it to sectionals,” Marsell said. “So to lose by one goal in the semifinal game really put into perspective that we can actually do it.”

“I would say yes, we’re confident,” BreeLynn LaLonde added. “But I don’t think we’re going to go into it underestimating anybody.’ Our experience from before will really help us.”