Davie High’s Women’s Lacrosse team ended their season on May 1st at a state playoff game in South Mecklenburg. Throughout the season, the team faced many different mental and physical challenges. With a team of only 17 and 12 players being on the field at once, it was a season that required endurance. They emerged with an overall record of 7-12 with an in-conference record of 4-8.
While the team did not secure a winning record this year, it would be incorrect to assume that this means the team was unsuccessful. In fact, this season marked one of women’s lacrosse’s most successful, including the team’s first-ever win in the playoffs in program history. But that outcome seemed quite unlikely early on, with a lack of communication and trust plaguing the team.
“We stopped trusting each other before spring break,” noted senior Grace Butler. “The captains and coaches couldn’t figure out how to change how the team operated. With time and experience, the problem fixed itself, and we were finally a complete team.”
Towards the middle of the season, the team faced a slump, with Coach Haley Hines often informing the girls that they were playing with “a superhero mindset,” trying to win games by themselves. There was a lack of teamwork and trust showing on the field, which frustrated players and coaches. Everyone brainstormed how to improve this team dynamic: team bonding and even a rap by the coaches were tried. Ultimately, it turned out the secret was spring break. When the team returned from their time off, the coaches noted the fire was back. In the first game back, the team beat Southwest Guilford High School 13-7.
During the conference season, Davie lost to East Forsyth High School twice, the first time 13-9, then the second time 9-8 in sudden death overtime. These losses were frustrating since the team had beaten East both times last year, and the losses brought the team morale down. So when it was announced that East was Davie’s first game in the conference playoffs, it was clear the match-up would be daunting. Head coach Haley Hines preached one message once this game was announced: This year is not last year. She emphasized with the team not to focus on the successes or failures of the previous season but to focus on improving this one. This philosophy seemed to work because Davie Women’s Lacrosse won their first-ever playoff game by beating East 9-4.
When asked about coaching this team throughout the season, Coach Haley Hines said, “We could spend copious amounts of time running plays, practicing clears, and different strategies, but what good is that if we can’t catch and throw? It is always important to treat every year as a new beginning, not a continuation of a previous year.”
The lacrosse team also has one more unique aspect, Danikia Williams, the starting senior goalie, was born without the lower half of her legs. She joined the program her sophomore year when previous head coach Lydia Moore approached her with the idea. Williams has overcome all obstacles and achieved more than many believed she could. She has made all-conference for three years and had the most saves in the conference this year. On April 19, in Davie’s home game against Glenn High School, Williams scored her first career goal. This goal helped the team beat Glenn 23-0 on Senior Night. This was a goal the team placed at the beginning of the season for their goalie, and they worked tirelessly to make it happen for her senior night.
“I made my first shot, and I just remember being so happy and my teammates running up to me because never in 1 million years I would’ve believed that I could’ve made a shot because I was a goalie and I never practiced shooting or catching with a regular stick.”
Throughout the season, the team fought through mental and physical challenges but pushed through for their record-breaking year. The team said goodbye to seven seniors who had spent an endless amount of time building the team into what it was this year.
