Girls Lacrosse: St. Charles Co-op’s Allison Uchill and Katherine Erickson take down Huntley

ST. CHARLES – Katherine Erickson thinks her St. Charles East and North lacrosse co-op has “a lot to show” the rest of the state.

After graduating seven seniors from a 15-3 team a year ago, they’re ready for a second helping.

“We have a lot to prove to other teams,” said Erickson, a St. Charles East junior, after a 15-9 victory over Huntley on April 12. “I’m really excited about this season and, obviously, I have a great supporting cast [she motioned toward teammates Caroline Theis and Allison Uchill]. I think it’s going great so far. I’m having a lot of fun.”

“We have a lot to prove to other teams.”

—  St. Charles East junior lacrosse player Katherine Erickson

Erickson scored six goals to pace St. Charles (5-1).

St. Charles sprinted out to an 8-3 first-half lead, but Huntley (2-3) managed to pull to within 11-8 with a three-goal blitz late in the second half. St. Charles recovered with a three-goal spell of its own to comfortably coast the rest of the way.

Erickson has played lacrosse since she was 8. She began playing lacrosse after moving from Texas to Illinois.

“I think this community, it’s truly like family,” Erickson said. “I feel like I have a big family here.”

Uchill, a sophomore who scored four goals, has been exposed to the sport her entire life.

“I’ve always been surrounded by lacrosse,” Uchill said. “Again, it’s a really tightknit community. It’s a very East Coast sport, so playing lacrosse is really a family.”

The match was the program’s second annual “Lax For Love” initiative, primarily organized by senior Caroline Theis, with the intention of raising awareness and funding for a particular organization or cause.

This year, the program honored Mike Harland, a longtime St. Charles East basketball coach, dean’s assistant and lacrosse public address announcer who died in December 2022. All proceeds April 12 will benefit an organization set up to posthumously honor Harland and fund pancreatic cancer research.

Theis wanted the lacrosse program to be involved in communal philanthropy, similar to other St. Charles philanthropic events such as Kick-A-Thon or Hoops for Hope. Last year’s inaugural event benefited Illinois Special Olympics.

“We try every year to target where we raise money to growing needs in our community,” Theis said. “This year was a pretty obvious choice with Mike Harland. He was the voice of girls lacrosse and obviously very near and dear to all of our hearts.”

St. Charles also had three goals from Madi Strong and one apiece from Kylie Olson and Olivia Martelon.

Huntley has seven freshmen on varsity and five seniors. Last year, 15 seniors graduated.

“Overall, we’re just a very young team this year,” Huntley coach Joseph Domka said. “We’re finally starting to mesh together. We’re actually playing teams that are very good this year and we want to play them to get our talent better. ... To be able to put up nine points on them, I’m pretty happy.”

Red Raiders freshman Leah Holmberg led the way with four goals. Senior Ashley Zolen had two goals and Katie Ferrera, Isabella Gregorio and Lola Hudgens had one each.

“[Holmberg] starts every game. She’s been consistent,” Domka said.