Girls Lacrosse: George, Ridley hope to spring first-round surprise at Harriton

RIDLEY TWP. >> Ridley senior captain Desi George has many ways to make her teammates laugh. If it’s not her pregame pep talks, it’s her singing and rapping skills on the bus during road trips that do the trick.

“Those are pretty funny,” junior Emily Johnston said.

For one more day at least, George, who will play lacrosse next spring at West Chester University, is able to provide a little levity before a big game. The 28th-seeded Green Raiders are set for their first playoff game in eight years when they begin the District One tournament Tuesday at No. 5 Harriton (14-4). Opening draw is 4 p.m.

“We’ve come a long way since my freshman year. It’s just so different now,” George said. “I feel like our team is united and the energy is so high.” First-year head coach Jill Davis calls George “one of the the best leaders I’ve seen.”

“If for some reason we can’t get a practice together, she’ll organize a captain’s practice with the team,” Davis said. “She goes hard through everything and I couldn’t think of a better leader for us.”

Johnston is the team’s driving force on attack and team leader in goals. She’s been an impact player since her freshman year. “Emily is absolutely a leader. She’s a leader without the title, through her actions and how she supports her team,” Davis. “If someone on the team drops a ball, she’s going to be the one that goes and gets it. She’s all over the field.”

Ridley posted a 9-9 record in the regular season. That’s an impressive leap from last year’s 6-11 finish, and the Green Raiders can be proud of how far they’ve come since Davis took the helm in February. An All-Delco at Ridley, Davis spent the previous several years as a JV coach and an assistant on varsity. As a player, Davis was part of the last great teams in program history. When she was a sophomore in 2004, Ridley lost to Conestoga in the state final.

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