By Michael Letendre
Eventually, someone was going to recognize all the amazing accomplishments of girls lacrosse standout Emma Stavens over at Bristol Eastern.
She’s been a primetime player for the program during her three seasons on the squad, under the guidance of head coach Kayla Policarpio, and although Central Connecticut Conference girls (and boys) lacrosse isn’t as polished as leagues from the shoreline area, there’s plenty going on up and around the Hartford area.
Stavens, the all-time leading scorer in Bristol Eastern girls lacrosse history, recently was named to the 2023 Class M All-State Team.
It was a fitting way for the outstanding Stavens to wrap up her junior campaign, earning something few CCC competitors have been able to take home.
Overall, 17 players were named to the second team and along with Lindsay Hillemier from Farmington, the duo were the only CCC performers on the list.
Most of the athletes on the All-State team are from the SWC and SCC which makes the accomplishment by Stavens even more amazing.
Each and every scholastic season, Stavens has increased her scoring and after a record-breaking campaign at Eastern in 2023, her value to the team has simply increased.
And not just in terms of scoring goals.
She has been tremendous in the squad’s ball movement schemes, setting the table for teammates such as Vanessa Drury, Kenzie Aparo, Sarah Hartley, Kate Patterson and Taigan Parent.
And when the squad needed to slow things down with a lead in hand, who usually is the one playing keep away?
But everyone sure saw her scoring goals left and right over the last three years.
Overall, Stavens has scored 167 career goals, tops in program history.
As a freshman, she jammed in 35 goals and then one short year later, Stavens added 64 goals to the till.
And in her junior campaign, Stavens upped her totals to 68 goals, giving her 167 overall.
In just a small sample space from this past spring, Stavens notched five goals and two assists in Eastern’s first win of the season against Lewis Mills on April 8.
From there, she simply elevated her play.
And once Eastern got over .500, coming off a 15-5 win over Enfield, Stavens roped up seven goals and three assists on April 13.
She had four goals in the 14-12 comeback win over St. Paul Catholic on Monday, April 17 and then 11 days later, Stavens dropped in eight goals in the 16-12 triumph over Middletown.
On May 9, Eastern knocked off Enfield, 13-6, as Stavens scored four times and on senior night, she rocked Wethersfield for half-a-dozen goals – helping the Kingstreeters earn the sweep the process.
After the CCC Finals and Class M tournament, Eastern ended the season at 12-6 while establishing the record for the most wins in a season at BEHS.
Stavens has been a model of consistency in terms of being a student athlete at Eastern.
Along with Lauren Ayotte, Stavens recently earned her eighth varsity letter this past spring, a tremendous accomplishment for two outstanding individuals with another scholastic year to go.
2023 Class M All-State Girls Lacrosse
*Emma Stavens, BEHS, Junior
*Lindsey Hillemeir, Farmington, Junior
*Meg Nagle, East Lyme, Senior
*Izzy Pazzaglia, East Lyme, Senior
*Mandi Rivard, Rockville, Senior
*Addison Kosiwitz, Hand, Sophomore
*Liv Catala, Hand, Senior
*Ava Deitlbaum, Foran, Senior
*Ella Clark, Guilford, Senior
*Scout Climie, Guilford, Senior
*Camryn Quinn, Bethel, Senior
*Isabella Hiatrides, Brookfield, Senior
*Mari Kalamaras, Joel Barlow, Senior
*Lilly Cameron, Masuk (Monroe), Junior
*Samantha Henry, Masuk, Junior
*Grace King, New Milford, Senior
*Nadine Galiano, Pomperaug, Junior
