Even with a mind-blowing string of 10 state championships and counting, an unusual blend of confidence and concern has enveloped the 2016 Vero Beach High girls lacrosse team.
Perhaps it was because of something that happened last month that has not happened to this program since most of these girls were in first or second grade and had yet to even pick up a stick. On Feb. 11, 2016, the Fighting Indians lost, 14-6, to Bishop Moore High School up in Orlando.
“You have to understand that the last loss we had to a Florida opponent was Feb. 16, 2007 – 7-6 to Lake Brantley High School,” head coach Shannon Dean reminded us, score and all, just in case anyone forgot. “So, in a nutshell, I don’t know what you are going to take from this. That’s nine straight years.
“A lot of lessons were learned and I don’t want to say it was a good thing. It bothers me because I always want to win. That’s why we do this and why we play at this level. However, if it had to happen, we are going to make a positive out of it.”
This is anything but a doom-and-gloom situation, but the coach wants this team to understand what it takes to keep the championship streak going.
“I’ve always said that if someone beats us they are going to have to work harder than us,” Dean said. “And hats off to them if they do. Bishop Moore worked harder than us, they were prepared and they wanted it more than we did. We just weren’t ready for them and they got it.
“That’s an indication that our girls took some things for granted. I want to use the word entitlement. That’s a big word that we use a lot in our program. We don’t want our girls to get that way.”
Also for the first time in many years the term rebuilding has entered the conversation. This program is usually known for reloading from one season to the next.
“We graduated 11 seniors last year,” Dean noted. “Megan Gorman and Makala Peirce are the only two returning starters from last year. Some might say this isn’t a very strong team because we are very young with five seniors, four juniors, 11 sophomores and one freshman.
“But I’ve been working with most of these girls (on the club level) since they were in sixth grade and they are very talented. So it’s there – it’s just a matter of molding them and rebuilding.
“This is also the hardest schedule we have ever had. People ask why we did something like that. I think it’s simple. Our expectations are always very high. We are always shooting for that state championship and a national ranking. I owe it to the players, fans and the other coaches to give them the best competition possible.”
From March 16 through April 2 seven out-of-state teams will visit Florida to take on the Fighting Indians. That includes several national powers, most notably McDonogh HS out of Maryland.
Senior Megan Gorman was not available for the Bishop Moore game because she was leading the girls basketball team to the 2016 state championship. Dean pointed out that one player does not a team make, but her absence may have been part of the “perfect storm” that led to defeat.
Gorman returned to the lacrosse field last week with a bang. She scored four goals in a 14-3 victory over Jensen Beach and added five more in a 16-6 romp against Pine Crest. Vero was 6-1 at that point.
“I think that as we continue to work out the kinks we will really come into our own as the season progresses,” Gorman said. “I believe the sophomores will step up as they adjust to their roles as main players on the team.
“Of course the state championship is the ultimate goal every year, but I think this year it is going to be tougher. Honestly it’s gotten tougher every year. The rest of the state is really improving.
“The regular season record doesn’t matter once you get into the playoffs. These tough games will really get the younger girls into the right mindset for the playoffs. By playing the toughest schedule possible we will be better prepared for the playoffs than any other team in the state.”
While Gorman’s return was clearly a boost for the offense, Makala Peirce will be the steadying influence on defense.
“I’m a defender and this is my second year as a starter,” Peirce said. “That loss was definitely a wake-up call as well as motivation for the younger girls. It showed them that just putting on the jersey doesn’t mean that victory comes easily.
“We don’t want to be the class to lose it. I won’t call it a burden at all, but a lot of it is about keeping the steak going. There is no other program like this one. We’ve done this before and we are confident. We know it is possible.”
