By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
SPRINGFIELD – Four years ago, Effingham County fielded a girls lacrosse team, mainly drawing from the softball program’s versatile athletes.
The Rebels won their first state lacrosse game that season and continued to improve their records for three consecutive years.
What accomplishments were left for the girls who had now become seniors?
Apparently, a lot. ECHS again posted its best record at 11-4 (topping the 11-5 mark in 2024), had a school-record nine-game winning streak and notched another state postseason victory by defeating Evans 16-2 in the opening round of the Division 2 playoffs on April 29.
The season ended two days later with a 22-1 loss to Roswell in the Sweet Sixteen.
“We felt we could make it back to the Sweet Sixteen because we had a very strong group that had a great chemistry,” Rebels coach Alison Lawson said.
The Rebels’ 2025 season began with losses to Hilton Head, Greenbrier and Richmond Hill during the first five games.
“I schedule hard games strategically at the start of the season because I want the girls to see where their weaknesses are,” Lawson said. “It’s their wakeup call.”
ECHS awakened to place second in the area to earn a state playoff game at home for the second straight season. The Rebels then blasted Evans for only their second win at state in the program’s six years of existence.
Junior attacker Gracie LaFleur had seven goals. Olivia Morgan and Michaela Gordy added three goals and Avery Lee and Sarah Edwards had one.
Ava Deloach dished out three assists against the Knights, the No. 3 seed from Area 7.
But the victory was costly. Megan Coleman suffered an injury in the opening 10 minutes and did not play two days later in the loss to Roswell.
Morgan, Coleman and Deloach – softball starters doubling as lacrosse pioneers – had been freshmen on the team that defeated Union Grove 8-7 for the program’s first postseason win in 2022.
The trio continued to play key roles in ECHS’ success. Morgan led the team in scoring this season with 52 points (37 goals, 15 assists) and Coleman added 51 points. Deloach, a midfielder and defender, had a team-leading 19 assists.
Overall, ECHS will graduate eight lacrosse players who compiled a 37-19 record over four years.
Despite the losses, the future looks bright. LaFleur, the leading goal scorer with 45, will be back along with goalie combo of Cerenity Shell and Carlee Flemming. Flemming, playing her first season of lacrosse, led the area with a 60.92 save percentage.
Gordy, a junior, had 20 goals and Lee, a sophomore, 11.
Freshman Ireland Floyd stepped up and played key minutes while filling in for Coleman.
“We’ll miss the seniors, but we’ll have a group that worked hard all season to build from,” Lawson said.
SEHS falls in first round of state
South Effingham advanced to the state playoffs as a No. 3 seed from Area 4 before losing to Chamblee 17-2 in the first round on April 28.
TENNIS
Mustang girls fall to Roswell
The South Effingham girls' tennis team, a No. 4 seed from Region 1, lost to Roswell 3-0 in the second round of the Class 5A state championships.
The Mustangs upset Lee County in the first round.
