BY: MARC NARDUCCI
(Photos & Video by: Marc Narducci, Ryan Nix & Scotty Haines)
On the lacrosse field, Baldwin School senior Clara Page knows she is rarely left alone. When Page has the ball, defenders follow her intently.
Whether they can catch up to her is a different story.
Page draws so much attention for good reason. She is a prolific goal scorer. The opponents know she is the main person to stop, but often find it a frustrating task.
Just as on the lacrosse field, she also drew a crowd when it came to college recruiting.
Page has earned a lacrosse scholarship to Cal Berkeley, playing in the Pac-12 Conference.
Like most goal scorers, she understands that the extra defensive attention she faces is part of the job description and that often means taking some physical pounding.
“It’s been tricky mentally and physically, because when we have games where I only have a day of recovery, that is when I lean on my teammates for help and I am able to do so because everybody has my back,” she said. “If I am getting doubled, everyone is calling ‘I am open,’ so they are there for me and I think that is what gets me through getting pushed to the ground and helps mentally and physically knowing I have my team behind me.”
As for attending Cal, she couldn’t be more enthused. Page will major in film and media studies. She is as comfortable in front of the camera speaking as she is dissecting defenses in lacrosse.
It has all led her to attending Cal Berkeley, quite a journey for an East Coast resident.
Baldwin School senior Clara Page - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix
“I am so excited to go to Cal Berkeley,” she said. “It is going to be a change across the country, but I am ready, the warm weather, to play lots of lacrosse and to take my competition to a higher level up.”
One thing that will help her in her new environment is that Page’s grandparents on her father’s side live just eight minutes from the northern California campus. She also has an aunt and uncle living 20 minutes from the campus.
“I have a lot of family out there which is going to make the transition smoother,” she said.
According to fourth-year Baldwin coach Samantha Brennan, Cal Berkeley will be getting a truly well-rounded player.
“You can’t tell the difference between her right and her left, she is just that versatile,” Brennan said. “Her speed and field sense is outstanding and I think she is the smartest player I ever coached or played with.”
It’s her vision that also helps separate Page from others.
“She sees the field in such a bigger way than I think any high schooler sees it,” Brennan said. “She sees her angles and when she takes her shots, she knows how to stop on a dime and does things that even Division I players don’t know how to do.”
Marc Narducci spoke with Baldwin senior Clara Page on her next journey at Cal Berkeley & head coach Samantha Brennan - Video by Marc Narducci
Clara Page - Baldwin School #21 - PSD Photos by Marc Narducci
Brennan considers herself truly fortunate to coach Page.
“She is just an honor to coach because she has been a captain for us, she stepped up in bigger ways that we could have ever asked,” Brennan said. “We don’t even have to really give her guidance; she is one of those players who makes everyone around her look great and it’s a joy honestly to coach her.”
Page has been a three-sport athlete at Baldwin, also excelling in soccer and indoor track, where she specialized in the 200 and 400 meters.
For the longest time, she thought she would be playing soccer in college, but that changed in 10th grade. She gave up club soccer that year and focused on being a lacrosse player at the next level.
Cal Berkeley had everything she was looking for.
“The coaches, the team and also the league they are in, I feel it is a high competition league, just like the Inter-Ac,” she said.
Speaking of the competition in the Inter-Ac, it has been difficult for Baldwin competing in one of the best high school lacrosse leagues in the area and well beyond.
At this writing, Baldwin was 0-4 in Inter-Ac play, yet Page has a sense of pride being able to compete for Baldwin.
“I think it is uplifting and encouraging,” she said. “A lot of the Inter-Ac competition is very tough so being able to have a whole team behind you (is a big deal),” she said. “...The fact that in each sport here everybody puts 100 percent effort into every game and that also applies to the classroom as well. Everyone just pushes you to take a step further and I am getting pushed in every aspect of my time here.”
And that pushing has led to an all-around player, who is looking forward to taking her talents to the next level.
Another big scoring game for Page
In a 21-8 loss to Penn Charter, Page had five goals along with two assists, two draw controls, and one ground ball.
Katie Reed had two goals, two assists and six draw controls.
Eliza Bryant had one goal, caused turnover and draw control
Penn Charter vs. Baldwin School Highlights by Ryan Nix:
Penn Charter vs. Baldwin School - PSD Photos by Ryan Nix
Inter-Ac standings (through Thursday April 21)
Episcopal Academy 5-1, 8-1
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy 4-1, 8-1
Penn Charter 3-2, 10-2
Agnes Irwin 3-2, 5-3
Germantown Academy 1-4, 3-4
Baldwin 0-4, 2-6-1
Academy of Notre Dame 0-3, 1-6
Two wins for the Quakers
William Penn Charter scored an impressive 11-6 win over Agnes Irwin on Thursday, the fifth in a row for the Quakers.
Maddie Shoup contributed five goals, three assists, three ground balls, one draw control and one caused. Darcy Felter added two goals, two assists, three ground balls, six draw controls and one caused turnover.
Other goal scorers were Bea Buckley, Charlotte Hodgson, Gracie Shoup and Lane Murray.
Kayla Joyce made seven saves.
“We had a great team win today,” Penn Charter coach Colleen Magarity Kelly said. “The defense bought into the game plan and executed it very well. We put our shots away when we needed to and focused on the little things against a very strong Agnes Irwin team.”
In an earlier 21-8 win over Baldwin, Felter led the way with six goals, four assists, nine draw controls and two ground balls. Buckley added four goals and Gracie Shoup had a hat trick along with seven draw controls, while Maddie Shoup contributed two goals, two assists and three draw controls, Hodgson had two goals and four assists
Also scoring goals were Brenna McCaffrey, Alex Glomb and Tayanna Kelly.
Joyce made four saves.
Penn Charter vs. Baldwin School. (Photos by Ryan Nix for PSD)
Episcopal Academy remains on top
Episcopal Academy kept at the top of the standings with a 16-10 win over Germantown Academy.
Lexi Ventresca had five goals, three assists, two draw controls and one ground ball.
Bella Piselli added four goals, one ground ball and two caused turnovers.
Alexa Capozzoli added three goals, one assist and two draw controls.
Sydney Richter had one goal, one assist an impressive eight draw controls, four ground balls, one caused turnovers and two interceptions.
The other goal scorers were Brooke Stocku, Lainey McGonagle and Maura Irish.
Gracie McHugh contributed four ground balls, Quinn Whitaker had two ground balls, one caused turnover and one interception, Kate Dente and Kiley Gallagher each had one draw control and one ground ball, Franny Gallagher and Jenna Morley each had one caused turnover. Leah Pfeiffer had one ground ball. Grace Holland made six saves.
Alex Reilly keeps rolling for Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Sophomore Alex Reilly has enjoyed a big season and it continued in Springside Chestnut Hill Academy’s 16-7 win over Notre Dame.
Reilly scored eight goals in the win.
She also added two assists, four draw controls, three caused turnovers and two ground balls.
Emma Bradbury had four goals, two assists and six draw controls.
Cece Reilly added a goal and two assists. Sarah Scollin had one goal, one assists and two draw controls. Maddy Caliendo had two assists and four ground balls.
Notre Dame vs. Springside Chestnut Hill - PSD Gallery by Scotty Haines
Other goal scorers were Madison Freeman and Elizabeth Pearcy, while Brooke Gyllenhaal had five caused turnovers.
Stanford commit Lucy Pearson contributed six saves.
Just one game for The Agnes Irwin School
Agnes Irwin had just one game this past week and it was against a Penn Charter team running on all cylinders.
Final: Penn Charter 11, Agnes Irwin 6.
Caroline Chisolm had a hat trick for Agnes Irwin along with two draw controls, a ground ball and one caused turnover. Marissa White had two goals, three draw controls, two ground ball and two caused turnovers. The other goal was scored by Cate Parsells who also added two draw controls and one ground ball and caused turnover.
Others who it the stat column were Sydney Wilson with one assist, Ella Springer and Katherine Ernst (one draw control each), Colby Macaione (two ground balls, one draw control), Mairyn Dwyer (one ground ball) and Samantha Hark (two caused turnovers).
Maggie Mullen made eight saves.
Academy of Notre Dame plays tough first half against powerful SCHA
Academy of Notre Dame lost to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 16-7. The Irish trailed just 7-5 at halftime before SCH took control.
Katie Onderdonk scored twice for Notre Dame. Scoring one goal each were Cate Fox, MK Dwyer, Anya Dunn, and Maeve Seeger, who had had three draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Erin Sweeney made 11 saves.
Academy of Notre Dame in Game vs. Springside Chestnut Hill. (video/Scotty Haines for PSD)
Germantown Academy with a Split
Germantown Academy stepped outside the Inter-Ac and earned a 14-13 win over Wissahickon. The Patriots came back after trailing 8-6 at halftime.
Four players had a hat trick or more. Emma Goodwin totaled four goals and one assist, Mia Raven added three goals and two assists, while Heidi Cross and Maggie Borek each had three goals. Sydney Wanner had a goal while Sarah Marvin provided an assist.
In a 16-10 loss to Episcopal Academy, Lucia Smigiel and Borek each had three goals and one assist. Cross had two goals and an assist, Goodwin had a goal and an assist, Gigi Ippoldo had a goal and Raven contributed four assists.
Sadie Hess contributed 11 saves.