This Wednesday, April 15th, the Oyster River High School (ORHS) girls’ lacrosse team will travel to Spaulding High School for its season opener.
After struggling in past seasons to secure a championship, the team enters this year with a sense of urgency. Coaches were given the opportunity to move to division I, but the team decided to remain in division II. In doing so, the team was named ineligible to play for the championship during the 2027 season. The players have embraced the added pressure, giving them a boost of motivation and energy. With 12 freshmen stepping in to fill the gaps left by the graduating class of 2025, the team is focused on building chemistry and culture, in the hopes of securing the championship.
For the juniors and seniors of the 2026 season, this year is their final year to compete for the state championship. As Newmarket High School (NHS) can’t field its own team, they partner with ORHS. This has caused a surge in players, big enough to classify the team as Division I. A survey that was sent out asked the team to decide whether to move to Division I or stay in Division II. Head Coach Morgan Bianco says, “Right now, we simply don’t have the numbers that some of the larger Division I programs like Portsmouth and Bedford are able to carry… making the jump didn’t feel like the right move for where we are as a program.” Even with the number of players, they still couldn’t form two steady teams, so the consensus was to stay in Division II, but in doing so, they were deemed ineligible to compete in the championship during the 2027 season.
Even without the opportunity to compete for a championship next year, motivation is not an issue for this team. In fact, it has become a driving force. “I think that the decision has had a big impact on our mindset as a team. Knowing that we won’t be eligible for the playoffs in 2027 has really motivated this group to be all-in this season. There’s a strong sense of urgency and commitment, and the players have really bought into making the most of this year,” says Bianco.
There is also a downside to the motivation the players feel: pressure. For the upperclassmen there is a pressure put on them to succeed as this is their last year to reach full potential. Captain Caroline Desantis (‘27) says, “to me, this is my last year. We can’t win a championship next year or even make it to playoffs, so this year is our year with this group to really try to get to that level.” Desantis is looking to play lacrosse in college and is a bright prospect after being named on the Seacoast Online article, “35 Seacoast Girls Lacrosse Players to Watch in 2026.” This has pushed her to go all in for the 2026 season, and both improve her own skills but also help the team to grow.
The team emphasizes effort, improvement, and consistency as it heads into the season, with players setting both personal and team goals focused on growth. Early signs from preseason have been encouraging, as the group demonstrated strong motivation, energy and work ethic. After a recent scrimmage against Salem High School, the coaches-head coach Morgan Bianco, and assistant coaches Colleen Keeley and Emily Lake-were able to evaluate both the teams’ strengths and areas needing improvement.
During the past season, the team relied on the 2025 seniors, but now they look for players to fill those gaps. Despite the loss of the seniors, players and coaches remain optimistic about the growth of the program, as the roster welcomes a large number of freshmen. Captain Grace Royal (‘26) says, “we did lose a lot of seniors last year, but I also think with the amount of freshman coming in, we will be ok. We have a lot of people that want to play and can just step up.”
While some may question whether a younger team can compete at the same level, Royal is confident in the team’s potential. She believes this year’s team may actually be stronger overall, “We have never been known for being a really good team,” Royal says, “but I think that this year we have a lot of stronger players who could change that.” Bianco agrees, saying, “the biggest difference from last year is the overall level of new talent we’ve added to the program. We have a large group of freshmen coming in, and many of them have grown up playing lacrosse together, which has really helped with chemistry right away.”
Beyond performance on the field, the team is placing a major emphasis on culture this season. Royal noted that in previous years the team’s culture has suffered. This year, the coaches have asserted the importance of team chemistry, and how it will help them to become a better team. Like most high school teams, the goal is to improve skills and win games but for the girls lacrosse team their “biggest goal goes beyond the scoreboard,” Bianco says, “we’re really focused on changing the culture of the program, building a true team environment that plays hard for each other, stays disciplined, and takes pride in doing the little things right every day.”
Coaches and captains have prioritized team bonding by organizing different events to bring the team together. Instead of just practice and scrimmages, the team spends time playing games or having fun practices to bring up team morale. For example, at the end of one practice, they had a talent show. Captains are also planning to increase the number of team dinners organized to build on the already strong chemistry. Desantis says, “the main goal of team bonding is to get everyone connected. We can’t come and compete everyday against these tougher teams if were not connected and unified as a team.” Desantis then goes on to mention confidence amongst the team, and how, by building the team’s culture the players increase their trust in one another. When they are able to do that, the team can, “build up their skills and perform under pressure,” Desantis says.
Currently the team looks strong for the 2026 season, and with only a couple of days left until the teams’ first home game, they are spending their time getting ready to compete.
Come watch the ORHS girls’ lacrosse team’s first home game on the turf, Monday, April 20th at 4:30 pm, against Winnacunnet High School.
-Thea Smith
Mouth of the River 
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