Here are 26 Wilmington-area high school lacrosse players to watch this postseason

The spring high school sports postseason is officially upon us, as the NCHSAA boys and girls lacrosse brackets were released Monday.

The Wilmington area is making a strong showing this season, with 10 teams earning spots in the state playoffs, including the undefeated Topsail girls.

Here are 26 area lacrosse players to watch in the 2024 NCHSAA lacrosse playoffs.

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Boys

Cooper Wert, Jr., Ashley

The Mideastern Conference's leading goal scorer, Wert, has scored 70 times this season and will lead Ashley (13-3) to its second straight playoff appearance.

Teammate Ethan Tribble, who's found the back of the net 27 times this spring, will help lead the charge this postseason for the Screaming Eagles.

Carter Warlick, Sr., Laney

Warlick will lead the 14-4 Buccaneers into the postseason after netting 65 goals and delivering 28 assists this season.

Senior Logan Shaw, who led the MEC with 46 assists, gives the Bucs one of the area's most-rounded squads.

Zion Lee, Sr., Topsail

Leading the MEC's best team this spring, Lee and the Pirates (17-2) are searching for a deep playoff run. The senior has scored 47 goals and provided 30 assists this season.

Topsail senior Connor Hinson, who scored 47 goals this season, joins Lee and Alex Davis (41 goals, 20 assists) in a Pirates attack that few teams could stop during the regular season.

Noah Hansen, Soph., Hoggard

The Vikings (9-7) took a step back this spring after graduating a large class last year. Even so, Hansen has stepped up all season long, leading the team with 31 goals.

Fellow sophomore Jackson Burgee leads the team with 29 assists and will look to help Hoggard turn the tides in the playoffs.

Girls

Lillian Austin, Sr., Topsail

A goal-scoring machine, Austin has led the Pirates (18-0) to their best season in recent years, finding the back of the net an area-best 98 times this spring.

She's joined by the experienced play of juniors Melinda Toronto (52 goals) and Avery White (29 goals, 36 assists) as Topsail looks to contend for a state title this postseason.

Halle Dickerson, Fr., Laney

Dickerson scored 43 times and assisted on 16 goals as the Bucs (12-2) finished second the MEC this spring.

Senior KK Cronemiller (29 goals) and Avery Hoey (26 goals) bolster an already daunting Laney attack.

Elsie Lewis, Soph., New Hanover

Lewis' 48 goals and 17 assists lead New Hanover (12-6) as we enter the postseason.

The sophomore is joined by juniors Leah Nelson (38 G, 17 A) and Blair Mickle (27 G, 2 A), who will look to propel the Wildcats deep into the NCHSAA 4A bracket.

Addison McGarth, Jr., Hoggard

The Vikings top goal scorer, McGarth scored 32 times this spring.

Senior Adriyana Garrison (19 G, 46 A), freshman Camden Reed (27 G, 14 A) and junior Logan Campbell (29 G, 11 A) will all be eager to prove Hoggard's skill after finishing fourth in the MEC this season.

Leah Bode, Sr., Ashley

Bode has scored 42 goals this season and leads the Screaming Eagles with 15 assists.

Freshman Kendall Blackburn (39 goals) joins Bode on an Ashley squad capable of pulling off upsets.

Morgan Hill, Jr., South Brunswick

Hill is one of the state's stop 3A goal scorers, finding the back of the net 62 times (Third in the 3A East classification) this spring.

The junior is joined by fellow upperclassmen Abigail Wilson, who's scored 16 times this season.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 26 Wilmington-area lacrosse players to watch in 2024 NCHSAA playoffs