Suffolk girls lacrosse preview

Suffolk's perennial powers, Northport, Bay Shore and West Islip, will be battling for the top spot in Class A. Four-time defending Class C state champion Shoreham-Wading River moves up to Class B, where Rocky Point has reigned supreme for five of the last six years.

CLASS A

Bay Shore, the defending county champion, returns seven starters, including defender Chelsea Cook . Defensemen Kayla Arnold and Catherine Schmidt as well as attacker Caroline DeLyra are key returnees for the Marauders.

Northport, the county runner-up and winners of three of the last five county titles, has 10 returning starters on a team rated No. 5 nationally by ESPN Rise. Two-time All-American midfielder Shannon Gilroy, the 2010 Long Island Player of the Year, leads the Tigers along with Megan Marinelli, Jess Nelson and sophomore Courtney Fortunato.

West Islip returns six starters, including defender Casey McGowan and midfielder Erin Collins, who transferred from St. John the Baptist.

Midfielders Christina Esposito and Sara Lentricchia lead a young West Babylon squad.

Floyd has nine returning starters, including midfielder Octavia Williams and goalkeeper Chelsea Sidaras.

Promising sophomores Alexis Maffucci and Julie DiMaria lead Half Hollow Hills.

Ward Melville is led by attacker Jessica Liberty and defender Lizzy Rullan.

CLASS B

Rocky Point, the defending county champion, returns five starters, including All-Americans Caitlin Gargan and goalkeeper Julie Nolan.

Shoreham Wading-River, the four-time defending Class C state champions, moves up to Class B this season. The Wildcats are led by attacker Ali Davis and sophomore midfielder Jessica Angerman.

Sayville is a junior- and sophomore-laden team. Attackers Kimmi Marra, Emily Meier and Connie Neilsen and defender Olivia Cabral are the key returnees for the Golden Flashes.

Hauppauge is led by attackmen Taylor Ranftle and Jen Poretto and defender Stephanie Perragallo. The Eagles are battling short-term injuries to two players, according to first-year coach Abby Zeltmann.

Midfielder Dene' DiMartino and eighth-grade goalkeeper Samantha Giacolone are among the eight returning starters for Eastport-South Manor.

CLASS C

Bayport-Blue Point has nine returning starters, including midfielders Loren Generi and Christy Thoden and defender Julia Johnson.

Attacker Rachel Dillon and midfielder Caroline Fitzgerald lead Mt. Sinai.

Babylon has to make up for the loss of two-time All Country midfielder Shelby Fredericks, who tore her ACL.