Chelsea
Since its varsity inception in 2002, the program has appeared in 11 VPA Division II state championships, winning six of them — most recently in 2016. But with their school shutting down, where will Chelsea’s players go to play?
“I think it’s a real big question mark,” Red Devils athletic director Parrish Eiskamp said. “Because the majority of the Chelsea kids are going to schools that don’t have lacrosse.”
Chelsea, which lost to Hartford, 8-5, on Friday, forged a co-operative last year with Randolph. Players from South Royalton, Tunbridge and Williamstown also play on the squad.
Head coach John Parker, who has been on the staff since 2004, polled his players informally throughout the season.
“Every girl I’ve talked to, they’re all going to different schools,” Parker said. “Some are going to Thetford, Williamstown, Sharon.”
Sharon Academy started a club this year — a necessary step for any school hoping to gain varsity recognition by the VPA — but the transition could take multiple years.
South Royalton representatives on the Chelsea squad may have a chance to play at the club level next year as their school merges with Whitcomb to form the White River Valley School District, but it’s unknown at this point. The fledgling school district has yet to name an athletic director or any coaches.
South Royalton tried to field a club team this year, but that effort proved fruitless and a small group of players joined up with Chelsea, according to Eiskamp.
“The South Royalton girls had a good experience playing for a veteran coach and with veteran players,” Eiskamp said. “That might help them should they get a team at White River next year.”
Kiana Johnson, a junior at Chelsea, is considering schooling at either Thetford or Williamstown next year, but she’s not willing to hang up her varsity spikes just yet.
“I’ll probably be playing with U-32,” Johnson said. “They’re like our big rivals, so that’s going to be different.”
Hartford High is another possible destination for the soon-to-be-displaced Red Devils, only two of whom are seniors.
The Hurricanes, who improved to 10-3 on Friday, were led by Michaela Ricker’s hat trick. Alice Dwyer scored twice and Tayler Simmons, Carolyn North and Morgan Pero each added goals. Goalie Emi Harlow had four saves for Hartford, which defeated the Devils, 10-5, back on April 9.
Senior co-captain Tucker Chapin led Chelsea (7-4) with a hat trick of her own, while Johnson and Sophie Howe each chipped in a goal. Kathryn Jones made six saves in goal.
Chelsea found immediate success, winning a championship in its inaugural varsity season of 2002. The Red Devils went on to win subsequent titles in ’03, ’05, ’09, ’11 and ’16 — no small feat when one considers Chelsea’s size compared with its D-II counterparts. The Devils compete in D-IV in all other sports, but girls lax has only two divisions.
“One of the cool things about the Chelsea program is we were such a small school picking from 30 girls in the high school — 35 one year — competing against schools that have hundreds of girls,” Parker said. “It caught on in Chelsea. They used to have a softball team, but all the girls wanted to play lacrosse. One of things about being in a small school is the girls all play sports together — lacrosse, soccer, basketball — so that was a big help.”
Regardless of where she attends school next year, Johnson will remember the Red Devils’ impressive VPA run, and its grassroots uprising, fondly.
“I think that this program has been amazing,” said Johnson, who joined the team as an eighth grader. “It’s taught me everything I know and I think everyone here can vouch for that. … This program has been like the heart and soul of Chelsea, and to see it kind of have to end is heartbreaking.”