MORE EFFECTIVE: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Morgan Mills, left, controls the ball in a 2015 game. Last Monday, junior star Mills tallied five goals and five assists to help PDS defeat Stuart Country Day 21-10. The Panthers, now 1-2, host Shipley School (Pa.) on April 6 before playing at Princeton High on April 7 and at the Hun School on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Last spring, youth was served for the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team as a squad laden with freshmen and sophomores caught fire down the stretch and rolled to the state Prep B title.

As longtime PDS head coach Jill Thomas looks ahead to the 2016 season, she believes the team is primed to build on last year’s late surge.

“They worked all winter together,” said Thomas, who guided the Panthers to a 10-5 record last season which culminated with an 18-11 win over Pennington in the Prep B title tilt.

“We feel like we have the best preseason we have had in a couple of years in terms of being able to get outside.”

With a stockpile of young talent on offense, PDS figures to have one of the best attack units in the area this spring.

“We have a lot of power coming back in Hannah Bunce, Morgan Mills, Kate Bennett, Madison Mundenar, Kyra Hall, and Bridget Kane,” said Thomas, whose team defeated Stuart Country Day 21-10 in improving to 1-2 as Mills tallied five goals and five assists with Mundenar chipping in five goals and two assists, Hall adding four goals and an assist, Kane notching three goals and an assist, and Bunce contributing three goals.

“You have got the whole attack coming back and you add to that, we have got some exciting new freshmen coming in to attack and defense.”

It is exciting for Thomas to coach her young stars on a daily basis. “They are just fun to work with,” added Thomas. “They can play, they are unselfish, and they complement each other well. It is just fun because they are creative.”

On defense, PDS will be depending on senior co-captains Rowan Schomburg and Tess Gecha to complement each other.

“We have two great leaders in Rowan and Tess, they anchor the defense,” said Thomas.

“Emma Dries will step in some. We have three freshmen, Val Radvany, Gwen Allen, and Maddy Birch, who are good.”

In goal, the Panthers will be relying on freshman MacKenzie ElKadi to come through.

“MacKenzie ElKadi played middle school and for the Princeton Lacrosse Club and has been working hard with Katie Flynn, who is our goalie coach, so she has experience,” said Thomas.

In Thomas’ view, her squad is poised to experience a lot of success this spring.

“We have high hopes,” said Thomas, whose team hosts Shipley School (Pa.) on April 6 before playing at Princeton High on April 7 and at the Hun School on April 11.

“We have to stay healthy; we don’t have a big roster but we are solid. We have to keep trying new things and taking risks and not settle for just average. I think if they continue to just work hard, the game is going to come to them and they are going to take their game to another level.”