Maryvale Prep captures IAAM A lacrosse crown

Takeaways from DMV girls lacrosse on Friday

Maryvale Prep’s Lainey Minderlein (right) is hugged by teammate Cayden Reese after Friday’s IAAM A Conference lacrosse final. Minderlein, a junior reserve midfielder scored the final five goals for the Lions, who won their first title since 2002 with a 7-5 decision over Archbishop Spalding at USA Lacrosse’s Tierney Field in Sparks, Md. / Derek Toney

There’s a new champion in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) A Conference. Maryvale Prep defeated Archbishop Spalding, highlighting a big day of DMV girls lacrosse postseason play.

Here’s five takeaways from Friday’s action

Lainey Minderlein carries Maryvale to its first IAAM A championship in two decades

For most of the season, Lainey Minderlein struggled finding her place on Maryvale Prep’s lacrosse team. She found it this week, just in time for a historic run by the Lions.

Maryvale (13-5), ranked No. 6 in this week’s High School on SI DMV Top 25, won the IAAM A title with a come-from-behind 7-5 decision over second-ranked Spalding at USA Lacrosse’s Tierney Field in Sparks, Md. 

Minderlein, a junior reserve midfielder, scored five goals including an unassisted strike to break a 5-5 deadlock with 4 minutes, 36 seconds left in regulation. She added an empty-net extra-man tally in the final seconds, clinching Maryvale’s first IAAM A crown since 2002.

Maryvale lacrosse coach Brian Reese (left) holds the IAAM A Conference championship plaque with daughter Cayden. Cayden, the nation’s top player in the Class of 2026, is committed to the University of Maryland where her mother, Cathy, is the women’s coach and father was an All-American defensemen in the mid-1990s. / Derek Toney

Minderlein, who’s committed to the University of South Florida, scored the last five goals for the Lions, the tourney’s No. 4 seed who rallied past top-seeded and No. 3 McDonogh School in the semifinals Tuesday.

Minderlein had two goals Tuesday against McDonogh, which had Maryvale in a 6-2 halftime hole. The Lions won 7-6 in overtime.

Minderlein said she likes being the “underdog.”

“I like being down and coming back up,” said Minderlein. “I feel like it makes a better game.”

Cayden Reese, the nation’s No. 1 junior who didn’t record a goal or an assist Friday, wasn’t surprised by Minderlein’s epic performance.

“She had a rough start at the beginning of the year…she’s one of our best players but sometimes she gets in her head,” said Reese. “She did such a great job…she pulled through for us.”

Maryvale’s win was the start of a potentially huge weekend for the Reese family

Cayden Reese and dad Brian checked off first thing on their Mother’s Day weekend itinerary with Friday’s landmark victory for Maryvale. 

Brian Reese, a star defensemen at the University of Maryland in the mid-1990s who went on to play and coach in the professional ranks and coach in college, took over the Maryvale program in 2022. 

“These girls have bought in,” said Reese. “This senior class were freshmen in my first year. We talked about raising the program and leaving it in a better place than when we found it. And we did that.”

Cathy Reese, Brian’s wife and Cayden’s mother, is the longtime Maryland women’s coach. The Terps defeated Fairfield in the  opening round of the NCAA Tournament Friday and next plays Penn in the quarterfinals on Mother’s Day. 

Cayden and Brian Reese reflected on sharing the championship moment Friday.

“It’s so special. I know how hard he works and the time he puts into coaching and I know how hard I’ve worked and how this team worked,” said Cayden, who will be playing for her mother in the spring of 2027. “It’s just like finally we get what we deserve.”

“I know I can’t have favorite players, but my daughter is the most favorite player I’ve ever coached,” laughed Brian. “It’s not easy being a dad coach, but she makes it easy because she’s a phenomenal player.”

Historic first ends in disappointment for Spalding

Archbishop Spalding was poised to win their first IAAM A Conference championship in their inaugural title-game appearance Friday. But the Cavaliers were undone by a taut Maryvale’s defensive effort and Minderlein’s breakout. 

Spalding (11-5), which ended St. Paul’s School’s reign as champions in the semifinals after shelling McDonogh in the regular season finale, was held to a season-low five goals Friday.

After struggling to start April, the Cavaliers ran off eight straight victories, including an epic four-overtime victory over Severn School.

“It was a big season and they played hard,” Spalding coach Tara Shea said. “Everybody in the conference knows that they gave it everything they had. This team will be remembered at Spalding forever.”

Good Counsel had to work to get back to the WCAC championship game

Top-ranked Our Lady of Good Counsel is once again in the Washington Catholic Athletic (WCAC) title game after grinding past Bishop Ireton, 14-10, in the semifinals.

The Falcons (17-3) defeated Ireton, 17-7, during the regular season. Good Counsel, which has won the past three WCAC crowns, will play No. 20 St. John’s College for the title, Monday evening at Georgetown University. 

St. John’s (12-7), the tourney No. 2 seed, eliminated Paul VI Catholic, 15-13, in the other semifinal Friday. Good Counsel defeated St. John’s, 12-10, during the regular season.

Severna Park gets title defense off to a rousing start

After losing in the Anne Arundel County championship game earlier in the week, Severna Park put its pursuit of a 17th state title in motion with a 20-5 win over Crofton in the Class 3A East Region I semifinals.

The No. 8 Falcons, who lost to Broadneck in the Anne Arundel final (6-5), will play Anne Arundel league foe South River in the East Region I final Monday.

No. 13 Broadneck, the reigning 4A state champ, is in the East Region II final. Defending champs Fallston (1A) and 15th-ranked Glenelg (2A) advanced into the round of 16 with easy wins Friday, in addition to undefeated and No. 7 Manchester Valley.

Monday's winners advance to the state quarterfinal round Wednesday. The state semifinals are scheduled for May 15th and 16th.