In the first quarter of the 2024 DIAA girls’ lacrosse semifinal, Sussex Academy took a 6-5 lead before falling to eventual state champion Cape 20-12. The Seahawks are hoping their 2025 season ends with a win.

“The expectation is that we hold ourselves to the same standard we've been holding ourselves to in previous years,” said senior Shelby Manlove. “I think the goal this year is to take every game individually and just keep progressing throughout the season with the same intensity, discipline and focus with every appointment.”

Manlove is a monster in the midfield, taking draws for her team and usually leading them in scoring. She will be playing lacrosse at the University of Richmond next spring. She will be joined frequently in the goal column this spring with Salisbury University commit Emiley Bisaha.

“This year, we have a lot of strong returners coming back, and they're all very motivated and eager to keep pushing forward,” said Seahawks coach Taylor Gibbs. “We can really build on that.”

In addition to Manlove and Bisaha, the Seahawks senior class is made up of Savannah Montgomery, Morgan Leeper and Rilyn Lehman. Manlove and Bisaha fuel the Seahawks’ offense, while Montgomery, Leeper and Lehman defend the nest.

“Our seniors all have different leadership capabilities, and they shine in different areas with the leadership. I do think we'll have some of our underclassmen step up in different areas as well,” Gibbs said. “Liz Layton on offense: I think she'll be a strong leader. Shea [Danahy] is a strong leader, and Ellie [Merrick] in our midfield is starting to step up and become a leader on the field as well.”

When it comes to playing style, these girls want to go as fast as possible.

“We have a lot of fast players in general, but also our lacrosse IQ is probably higher than it's ever been,” Gibbs said. “Being able to move the ball a lot quicker is a strength that we're really going to lean on.”

“The goal is always to play as fast as possible with lacrosse. You can kind of set the tone when you go out there for the first time with every opponent,” Manlove said. 

Preseason has gone well so far for Sussex Academy.

“We've been really pushing ourselves this year, and we're building a stronger bond than we ever had before with our younger girls and our upperclassmen,” Leeper said. “That's gonna turn into a great season from us.”

Over the last few years, the girls have made it further and further in the DIAA tournament, building a culture of hungry laxers.

“It motivates the younger girls to want to be better every single day,” Lehman said. “Each year, making it further in the tournament pushes them to want to be better.”

Positivity and acumen could help decide how much further the Seahawks potentially advance this year.

“We have some new players on our team, but we have great coaches, great teammates, and we're going to continue to work hard in practice and on the field,” Montgomery said. “That's going to translate into how we play in every game.”

Sussex Academy opens its regular season with a trip to Sts. Peter & Paul Monday, March 24. The Seahawks’ first home game is against Indian River at 5:30 p.m., Friday, March 28.