The Milton girls lacrosse team has been a fixture at the top of the state rankings since the GHSA began recognizing the sport in 2005. The Class AAAAAA Eagles have won nine of the 10 state championships since then, including the last five, and are expected to compete for another title this spring.
Milton (3-0) is at the top of the Class AAAAAA rankings and was ranked as the No. 1 team in the South and No. 5 in the nation in LaxMagazine.com’s preseason rankings.
The Eagles have done nothing to endanger their status. They opened the season with a 15-9 victory against Walton, the Eagles’ opponent in last year’s title game, and won their last two games by a combined score of 43-2.
But the competition is about to get tougher. Coach Tim Godby, who has been at Milton throughout the Eagles’ ascension, makes a point of scheduling what he calls “one of the toughest schedules in the country,” including games with six teams ranked in the top 25 nationally.
After playing Cherokee on Wednesday, Milton on Friday will host McDonogh (Md.), the No. 1 team in the nation, followed by Vero Beach (Fla.), the No. 2 team in the South, on Saturday.
“We can’t have a complacent attitude,” Godby said. “We can’t think we’re just going to breeze in. We’re going to have to continue to get better, because our schedule won’t allow us to relax.”
The Eagles, whose roster features 15 girls committed to Division-I schools, are led by leading scorer Jessi Masinko, goalkeeper Shahpar Mirza and midfielder Hannah Davis. Masinko, a junior, is committed to Notre Dame. Mirza and Davis, both seniors, have committed to Stanford and Vanderbilt, respectively.
Aside from nationally ranked competition from outside the state, Godby said he expects a battle within Area 2-AAAAAA. Walton is ranked No. 3 in Class AAAAAA, and fellow area competitor Lassiter is at No. 4.
Notable: Lovett's boys team appears ready to make a push for a Class A-AAAAA title after losing in the state championship game last season, 9-8, to Northview. The Lions, who are ranked No. 1 in Class A-AAAAA, won three of the first five state titles between 2005-2009, but haven't claimed a state championship since. They're off to a strong start, highlighted by a 12-11 victory against John's Creek in the opener. Lovett's only loss was to Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), which began the season ranked No. 1 in the country. … John's Creek (6-1) is ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAA, and has been dominant in every game since the loss to Lovett, including a 16-5 victory against defending AAAAAA champ Roswell on Wednesday.
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