Last spring, the Summit High School girls lacrosse team made recent program history. After going three-straight seasons without recording more than one win, head coach Carly Sane and her team were rewarded for their hard work with four wins last spring.

The 4-12 season was not only the best record the team has earned since the 2019 spring season, but it also earned the team the No. 24 spot in the 24-team Class 4A playoffs. Summit went on to fall, 16-6, to No. 9 Horizon in the first round.

Not only is the steady improvement a testament to the diligent work the athletes have put in, it also displays how much the team chemistry and camaraderie has grown since Sane took over the program at the start of the 2022 season.

Despite losing five graduating seniors from last year’s varsity roster, Summit is expected to have plenty of athletes that can provide both expertise and leadership on the field this season. This year’s varsity team will feature a total of eight seniors with one junior, seven sophomores and five freshman rounding out the rest of the roster.

From a goal-scoring perspective, Summit will look to sophomore Jenavive Bradford. 

During her freshman season, Bradford scored a total of 41 goals to be Summit’s second leading scorer behind senior Ella Rader (47). Bradford also ranked second on the team for assists per game, notching a total of nine. 

During the 2024 season, Bradford was also a defensive unit for the Tigers. Bradford had four caused turnovers to rank first overall on the team while rising sophomore Maddie Ptolemy recorded two. Additionally, Bradford had 79 groundballs with sophomore Siena Tofig recording 34.

Summit will also be aided by several goalies throughout the season including freshman Sterling Sherburne, freshman Marin Little and senior Schuyler ClarkArens. 

In terms of leadership, Summit will look to senior Lindsey McBride and senior Annabel Bovaird. While both players will be sidelined for the entire season due to tearing their ACLs during the fall rugby season, the pair of players will lend their knowledge of the game to their teammates. 

“I have been trying to go up to (the freshman) and sit and talk through whatever they are concerned about,” Bovaird said. “I think all of the seniors this year are trying to be open so that the freshmen feel okay to come up and ask questions if they need them.”

While Summit did lose powerful goal scorers like Rader and Chloe Nicholds, both McBride and Bovaird have been impressed by how cohesive the team has looked in the practices leading up to the Tigers’ first game.

“I think the spirit on the team is constantly improving each year,” McBride said. “Everybody is willing to work harder. Everybody is more committed each year, which is super great. It will be fun this year.”

“It already seems like more of a close-knit group than it was at the beginning of last year,” Bovaird said. “Everybody just seems excited to be here more than past years and even last year.”

Perhaps Summit’s biggest challenge throughout the season will be the slate of 4A Mountain East league games. Made up of six total teams including Steamboat Springs, Eagle Valley, Roaring Fork, Battle Mountain and Aspen, the league routinely produces playoff-caliber teams. Last season, five of six teams made the playoffs with Eagle Valley being the only team not to make it. 

Summit will look to nab a playoff spot again this year while also striving to improve upon its fifth-place finish in the league last year (2-8).

Summit opened its season on the road against Pueblo West High School on Friday, March 7. As of press time on Friday night a final score had yet to be reported. 

The Tigers will now prepare for its home opener against Eagle Valley High School on Tuesday, March 11. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.