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The Baldwinsville girls’ lacrosse team takes inspiration from an unlikely source in its training sessions — the Harry Potter series.

The coaches split the team up into four groups, the Harry Potter school houses, and ran drills and competitions throughout the season. Those points add up, and at the end of the year, the team with the most points wins the “house cup.”

“We do a lot of fun things because that just helps build our chemistry,” head coach Megan Tabor said. “Not every practice, but definitely a couple times a week so that the girls can just enjoy the game and not take it so seriously and it helps build a lot of community.”

Baldwinsville went 15-2 in the regular season, only falling to Pittsford Sutherland and Victor on its path to the title after falling in the 2021 sectional title. Baldwinsville won a tightly contested state semifinals victory over Rush-Henrietta and followed that triumph by clinching the state championship against Northport in a 15-9 victory. Junior Carlie Desimone had four goals in the championship game and hopes to lead her team back to the podium in her senior season.

“With Baldwinsville being a very competitive program, my level of responsibility and leadership towards the team have kind of increased,” Desimone said.

Desimone led her team with 69 goals and 46 assists in 20 games last season but is prepared for a bigger workload this year and is willing to do “what it takes to win,” she said.

“Even in games she wasn’t scoring, she knows when people are open more than they do,” Tabor said. “I tell the girls to always be ready because before you even know you’re open, she sees it.”

When Desimone was a midfielder in her sophomore season, Tabor said that she primarily worked from the top of the eight-meter arc. But last year, she improved at working from behind the cage as she transitioned to a full-time attack. Tabor wants to see a mixture of those two abilities this season, having Desimone practice that offensive skill set for the remainder of the offseason.

Tabor also wants to continue developing the scoring arsenal of now-junior Brianna Peters. Peters exploded to the tune of 46 goals in her sophomore season after tearing her ACL in the first game of 2021. She impacted last year’s championship win, scoring five goals to lead all scorers. Desimone said Peters can dodge through any defense and uses her speed to push in transition. Desimone and Peters are committed to Syracuse’s recruiting classes of 2023 and 2024, respectively.

“She’s the kind of kid where she has that ‘I’m gonna do whatever it takes to win’ kind of attitude,” Tabor said.

Besides Desimone and Peters, midfielder Mia Pozzi will return for her senior year. Pozzi scored 56 goals and dished out 27 assists for 83 points. She also notched 18 ground balls, 65 draw controls and forced 16 turnovers. The latter two led the team. Pozzi said her “catch-and-shoots” and “dodging” are the best of her offensive abilities.

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Tabor also said Pozzi was an anchor of the defense, using her physicality to her advantage, especially when causing turnovers. She played alongside Sophia Ianno, working together to perfect the ground balls, Pozzi said. Pozzi said that Ianno is “the backbone” of the defense, controlling most aspects of the defensive side.

At 5-foot-7, Pozzi attributed a lot of her defensive success to stopping the opponent’s bigs. She doesn’t guard attackers down low, but pushes them out below her defensive zone.

“She sees checks pretty well and she can sort of strip players pretty easily,” Tabor said of Pozzi, who is committed to Virginia Tech.

The pair’s strength was felt at the end of games when opponents continued to push toward the end of games to keep pace with Baldwinsville. Pozzi and Ianno also allowed Baldwinsville to win draw controls consistently. Pozzi is Baldwinsville’s main draw-control specialist, but Ianno is always there to pick up her ground balls off the draw if needed.

“Yes, you have to stop people on defense, but what made us successful on our state championship run was the draws,” Desimone said.

In 2023, the Bees are poised to compete for another sectional and state title.

“I’m very big on if we can work hard and move onto the next thing we need to get done today then we don’t have to overdo it,” Tabor said. “You need to go all out in practice so that in the game you are used to the speed.”

Published on February 20, 2023 at 11:06 pm