Thursday, October 1, 2026
Calhoun girls’ lacrosse (11-6 overall, 8-4 in Conference II) is looking to bounce back after a Class B quarterfinal loss to neighboring Mepham, doing so with a retooled offense and a mix of youth and experience.
“We graduated a lot of our offensive production,” coach James Raucci said. “Now we’re really young and relying on underclassmen to step up, which is exciting because of the energy they bring. Tessa Gerrard, a junior, and Tess McGuire, a sophomore, are two strong midfielders. Gerrard is committed to play at Catholic, and McGuire is just an excellent all-around athlete.
“McGuire has really stood out; she flies all over the field and has a nonstop motor,” Raucci said. “Gerrard has also looked strong. I’m excited to see how those two handle bigger roles in the midfield.”
Some familiar faces return, as the defense for the Colts looks to return to its usual strong self.
“We have a lot of defenders coming back,” Raucci said. “Claire Carragher (senior), Ryan Karis (senior), DeLaney McGrath (senior), and Sofia Kalinoglu (sophomore). Claire is a versatile athlete who could even see some time on the offensive side of the ball.”
Junior goalie Alexa Schenfeld stepped up a season ago due to an injury and never let go of the starting job. She’ll be back in net.
Raucci expects a lot of production offensively from junior attacker Angie Kasimatis and senior attacker Talia Menghi.
With familiarity returning, Calhoun hit a skid at the end of the regular season last year, losing four of its last five.
“Conference II is extremely competitive,” Raucci said. “A lot of those games were one- or two-goal games that could’ve gone either way. Mepham did a great job adjusting against us. It’s about learning from those games, staying focused, and not having letdowns because every game is tight in this league.”
The Colts understand the task ahead and have their eyes set on playoff success.
“The goal is to get back to the playoffs and be competitive every game,” Raucci said. “Consistency will be huge in a league like this. It often comes down to key saves and timely goals, so we need to be sharp throughout the season.”
To read more about Calhoun Colts' 2026 boys lacrosse team, click here. To see more of the Herald’s 2026 Lacrosse Preview, click here.
