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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

The Davie girls lacrosse team endured losing seasons in 2019 and 2021-23 and nothing is coming easy in 2024.

The War Eagles entered spring break on a five-game losing streak. At this point, it’s all about small victories and success stories within the team, like a senior who has an amazing nickname. Defender Reese Tutterow might appear relentlessly nice, but she can turn salty without a moment’s notice. That’s why Haley Hines, the second-year head coach, calls her Doctor Death.

“We call her Doctor Death because she seems so sweet, but sometimes she will rough them up a little bit,” Hines said. “She strikes and she doesn’t usually miss her mark. There’s just something that clicks in her and she’s like: ‘OK, here we go.’ And then it’s a whole different ballgame. Three years ago, she was on attack and she came up one day and said: ‘Can I play defense?’ We never took her off. That is where she is meant to play and she has just dominated that position. I think she’s definitely my top defender.”

Hines has seven seniors, including Grace Butler, Jenna Scully, Zoey Cleary, Kinnah Chamberlain, Lilli Seats and Danika Williams.

Chamberlain is the team’s foremost scorer, putting up five goals in a loss to Bishop McGuinness on March 25.

“On a midfield transition, Kinnah’s going to be sitting near the top of the restraining line, and it’s very few times that the ball does not go to her and she’s not down the field with it,” Hines said. “Grace and Kinnah work really well together on that, especially in the midfield transition. If Grace is running it upfield, Kinnah is her first look.”

All the seniors are key contributors.

“The last three years Grace was always on attack, but we have moved her to midfield and she has proven to be a huge asset for our team,” Hines said. “Last year she was one of our scorers and she made all-conference. She’s our all-over-the-field type this year. She has really come out strong and been an asset in another way this year.

“Jenna is an all-star (as a midfielder). She played for Fusion before she started playing for our high school. She’s one of my main middies and she’s one of my go-to girls. I’m going to miss her next year because if it’s going to be a caused turnover or if she’s coming off of the draw, that’s the person that I’m looking to.

“Zoey is one of my main draw control girls, one of my centers. She’s a big asset on an attack. She had a goal (vs. Bishop) and she had draw controls. She’s just a fighter. If you make her mad, she’ll do anything that you want her to.

“Lilli has stepped up a lot this year. She has been on attack for the past three years, and she volunteered to play midfield and she’s become a big asset. She had a draw controls (against Bishop). She’s really good on the circle. Sometimes she takes the draw, but we look to her to get off the line and she’s got speed. I mean, that girl can run. For someone who has primarily played attack during her high school career, and then turn around and play both sides of the field is impressive.”

Williams is attempting to run the table in all-conference honors, having earned spots on the postseason team the past three years.

“Danika’s awesome,” Hines said. “She really is the backbone of the defense. You can hear her from the sidelines, instructing them, encouraging them and telling them where they need to go. It’s really important to have a goalie who will communicate with your defense because it’s hard when you’re the only one and a girl is right on top of you trying to stuff the ball into your net. Danika really knows how to compose herself. She knows what she’s doing and she does a great job at it.”

Three freshmen – Bethany Jacobs, Morgan Richardson and Kayden Richardson – are talented enough to be starters in Year One.

“They definitely proved themselves to be assets on the team,” Hines said. “We usually have Bethany on defense. That wasn’t a position she always played, and the same with Morgan. They are both hard-core. Bethany had so many ground balls (vs. Bishop) and good midfield transitions.”

Heading into spring break, an avalanche of Reynolds/Bishop/East Forsyth/Reagan crashed hard on the War Eagles. When play resumes April 8, they will carry a 3-8 record to Southwest Guilford. Hines knows it will take time to reverse Davie’s fortunes.

“Most of the girls who came out are first-time players,” she said. “(A 17-7 loss to Bishop) was one of our best games, even though the score did not show it.

“It is a learning curve. We have the skills, we have the lax IQ, all the things we need to be successful. It’s just a mental block that creeps in on them and I try to pull them out of that. We have great players.”

Hines has 16 players, including juniors Lyndsay Davis and Kimber Holston; sophomores Lila Moore, Zowie Bailey and Emma Boardwine; and freshmen Zoey Campbell and Ava Addis.