The Boothbay girls’ lacrosse team has two players named Emily (Emilie) who share one goal. Seniors Emily Echols and Emilie Crocker want to play their final varsity season with their friends. In 2020, COVID-19 resulted in cancellation of the Maine high school spring season. In 2020, Boothbay Region school officials opted to play a lacrosse club sport due to not enough experienced players. So it has been three seasons since Echols and Crocker played a lacrosse varsity contest. “Emily plays soccer and I play field hockey so lacrosse is the only sport we can play together, and we’re both looking forward to this as our final season,” Echols said. 

The two began playing lacrosse three years ago at the urging of a friend. As a relatively new school varsity sport, there is not a long tradition of lacrosse in Boothbay, so each spring upperclassmen actively recruit new players. “I never played before, but our friend asked me to play, and we drug Emilie along. So after three years, we are still playing,” Echols said.

Crocker echoed Echols’ sentiments, but she believes this spring lacrosse season is special for another reason. After a two-year absence, Boothbay Region will play games which will count in the standings. Boothbay only has 11 players this season which is one short of the number allowed in scholastic competition, but Crocker doesn’t seem to mind. “It’s great just to be playing, and knowing we have a varsity season,” Crocker said. 

The two girls’ path into lacrosse is a common one for most Boothbay girls’ lacrosse athletes. Most players, who have entered the program since it was established in 2015, never played lacrosse prior to picking up a stick as a freshman. The scene of new players entering a young program is a familiar one for head coach Bill Goldenberg. This year, his team has eight players with either one or two years’ lacrosse experience.

His new team is still learning strategy and fundamentals which makes playing competitive contests challenging against larger, more experienced Class C competitors. Both Goldenberg and his squad are well aware of the challenges entering this season. “We will play down a player and have no subs,” he said.  “It’s also been a while since we played a real game. There will be a lot of learning and improving, but  we are all looking forward to the season.”

The players are also optimistic about playing this spring. “It’s a fun sport, and Bill really is pretty cool to play for,” Echols said. 

Boothbay has had two weeks of practice and competed in the Cony Play Day on April 9 in Augusta. Boothbay played three half-games versus Maine Central Institute/Nokomis, Deering and Lincoln Academy and posted a 1-1-1 record. Boothbay plays in Class C which has all 16 teams playing in a single region. This season, Echols and Crocker are moving from playing attackers to midfielders. “I like the challenge, “ Crocker said. “You’re involved in more parts of the game by playing offense then transitioning to defense. It’s fun,” she said.

Besides Echols and Crocker, the team  includes seniors Falyn Harriman and Mara Gentry; juniors Sydney Blake and Veda Harriman; sophomores Kailee Colby, Meg Sledge and Jordan Chamness; and freshmen Lilian Nein and Megen Burge.