High School Girls' Players of the Week: Kaplan Keeps Twin Valley Alive

USA Lacrosse recognizes the most outstanding individual performances in high school boys’ and girls' lacrosse in each region we cover. Coaches and others can submit athletes for consideration using our online form. Click here to enter your nomination.

Honorees are selected by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors and published each Wednesday on the USA Lacrosse Magazine website (usalacrosse.com/magazine) as well as our social media channels (@USALMag).

Note: Weekly coverage for the South and West regions has concluded for the 2026 season. Check back for regional players of the year and final top-10 rankings.

NORTHEAST

Juliet Johnson, Huntington (N.Y.)

Championship games are often decided by slim margins. And when the game is in the balance, every possession, every shot is critical.

And for Huntington, which captured a second straight Long Island Class A title Sunday by beating Massapequa (N.Y.), 9-6, at Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium, every save from Juliet Johnson was monumental.

The sophomore made 15 saves, including one with five minutes left that would have pulled the Chiefs to within a goal. Johnson is up to 131 saves on the season as the Blue Devils advance to the New York State Class A semifinals.

Also notable: Maddie Becerra, Pleasantville (N.Y.); Bailey Cooper, Penn Yan (N.Y.); Ella Gould, Nyack (N.Y.); Madison McCarren, Suffern (N.Y.); Olivia Mulada, Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.); Lily Rodgers, Reading Memorial (Mass.)

— Dylan Butler 

MID-ATLANTIC

Ellie Kaplan, Twin Valley (Pa.)

Kaplan’s storied high school career is winding down, and the Twin Valley senior midfielder has been playing like she never wants it to end. Kaplan scored 10 goals, had two assists and won 14 draw controls to lead the Raiders to a 15-4 win over Gwynedd Mercy (Pa.) in the Pennsylvania AA state quarterfinals. That performance gave her 300 career goals and 800 career draws. She opened the state tournament with a pair of goals, six assists and 20 draws in a 17-8 win over Abington Heights (Pa.).

Earlier this season, she broke the school scoring record held by her sister, Anna Kaplan, who’s now at Loyola, and Emma Raines, the Duquesne senior who led DI with a 65.3 percent shot percentage. Heading into their district playoffs, she had scored 108 goals, dished out 45 assists, and corralled 277 draw controls. Kaplan will play at Michigan next year.

Also notable: Katie Adams, Ridgewood (N.J.); Lia Anderson, Shawnee (N.J.); Elyse Anstey, Moorestown (N.J.); Lilly Baldwin, Battlefield (Va.); Reagan Cina, Sparta (N.J.); Eloise Downes, Morristown (N.J.); Annie Irish, Chatham (N.J.); Eva Lemieux, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Lu Misiner, Conestoga (Pa.); Elliana Pizzulli, Montgomery (N.J.); Georgia Spano, Villa Maria Academy (Pa.); Sophia Tray, Villa Maria Academy (Pa.); Sara Scallon, Summit (N.J.); Chloe Stevens, Manasquan (N.J.); Virginia Grey Sutton, Pinecrest (Va.)

— Justin Feil 

MIDWEST

Campbell Heald, St. Francis DeSales (Ohio)

A year ago, Heald set an Ohio state title game record with seven goals. Oops, Heald did it again, with seven goals (and two assists) in the Stallions’ 21-9 state title game victory over Bay (Ohio). The Brown signee played a key role in DeSales breaking a state record for team goals in a state title game, regardless of gender. Moreover, Heald became just the second player in state history, boys or girls, to record 500 career points, according to Dave Purpura of the Columbus Dispatch.

Also notable: Megan Benton, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Lauren Brownley, Hudson (Ohio); Caroline Cross, St. Francis DeSales (Ohio); Margery Dell, Hinsdale Central (Ill.); Kathleen Devine, Loyola Academy (Ill.); Molly Dwyer, Loyola Academy (Ill.); Evie Howenstine, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Chloe Mangel, Loyola Academy (Ill.); Jordin Rosga, Cretin-Derham Hall (Minn.); Evie Ruma, Upper Arlington (Ohio)

— Jonah Rosenblum