Richard A. Lipski/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST -
In a 19-2 win over Hylton on April 21, Osbourn Park’s Corinne Wessels carved out a place in national girls’ high school lacrosse history. With four assists that day, the Northwestern commit broke the all-time National Federation of State High School Associations girls’ record with her 290th career assist. Now, she’s working on distancing herself.
In the Yellow Jackets’ two games since — both wins — Wessels tallied five assists in each game, along with 11 combined goals. Her career total now stands at 304 with four regular season games to play, and could jump much higher by season’s end: according to the NFHS, Wessels owns 11 of the top 12 single-game assist totals in girls’ high school lacrosse history, including two 13-helper performances.
(Richard A. Lipski/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) -
“Honestly, the assist record just meant I have teammates who have my back,” said Wessels, who said her father told her about the record but that she didn’t think much of it in the weeks leading up to her record-breaking assist. “Without teammates, that family I have, I could never get the assist record. They’re the ones putting the ball in the net. I might be finding them, but the ultimate thing is they’re finishing for me.”
While she clearly wants to defer the credit for her prolific numbers, Wessels doesn’t just set up teammates: her 55 goals so far this season give her 383 in her career, fifth on the NFHS’s all-time list. With 687 career points, she’s eight away from the all-time record in that category.
“The little things you focus on — I want to get a sub-6 mile, I want to bench this much, I want to squat this much — that got me to records, I guess,” Wessels said. “But now I want us to keep going towards that conference title, even a state title. All those little things will add up.”
With her success in the background, Wessels said she’s just eager to help her team build on the momentum garnered from a 17-11 win over Patriot (9-2) earlier this week in the hopes of finishing the season’s last week in good playoff position. The Yellow Jackets are 6-4 and 2-2 against Virginia 6A North competition so far, with 7-1 Battlefield looming next week.
Wessels’ goals for the final weeks of her high school career are much simpler than playoff position and individual statistics: she just wants to keep playing as long as possible.
“It sounds dumb, but I’m just so happy when I’m on the field,” Wessels said. “I just love the sport, I love my family, and this team really is my family. Lacrosse is just such a blessing to me. I genuinely love it, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing. All my problems just drop.”
Madison’s streak snapped
The Madison Warhawks (10-1) had their game with No. 1 St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes circled on the schedule all season, a chance to prove to everyone in the area that they could compete alongside one of the area’s perennial private school powers.
And while Madison didn’t have quite enough to overcome the Saints’ high-powered offense, the Warhawks made their point, pushing St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes to within five goals in a 13-8 loss. Only five teams in 22 previous games — all of them private school squads — had stuck so close to the Saints this season.
When St. Stephen’s opened up a 6-1 lead, the Warhawks stormed back to within two, but the Saints pulled away in the second half. The loss snapped the Warhawks’ 27-game win streak, though Madison still boasts a 29-game win streak against Virginia public school competition dating back to a 2012 playoff loss against Oakton.
The Post Top 10
Good Counsel bounced back from an 8-5 loss to St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes with a 23-3 win over Elizabeth Seton in the WCAC quarterfinals. . . . Severn beat Spalding 13-8 in the IAAM-A quarterfinals to advance to play McDonogh in the semis. . . . Georgetown Visitation has scored 15 or more goals in five straight games, all wins.
1. St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes (23-1) LW: 1
2. Bishop Ireton (15-4) LW: 2
3. Good Counsel (13-5) LW: 3
4. Georgetown Visitation (15-7) LW: 4
5. Severn (14-4) LW: 10
6. Broadneck (12-2) LW: 6
7. Spalding (15-6) LW: 5
8. Mount Hebron (13-1) LW: 7
9. Marriotts Ridge (12-2) LW: 8
10. Madison (10-1) LW: 9
On the bubble: Westfield (11-1), Severna Park (11-2), Sherwood (10-1)
Related: Sisters shine for Oakton on senior night
Maryland lacrosse playoff brackets: Girls | Boys