Aptos’ girls’ lacrosse program is nearly wrapping up its third year of inception since it was freshly introduced as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic League in 2023.
Now they are on the cusp of a record-setting season that could result in a league championship banner hanging inside of the gymnasium.
The Mariners currently own a 10-2 overall record, and are 8-0 in the Mission Division standings with two league games remaining, starting with a home match against Santa Cruz on April 28 at 6pm.
“It’s just staying supportive of everyone,” Aptos senior Avi Andrews said. “We all make mistakes but we always stay really positive. Everyone just gets back up and we all try really hard.”
Aptos suffered its first defeat of the season following an 18-3 non-league loss to Mitty—a powerhouse team in both the West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section.
Prior to that, the Mariners began the 2025 spring campaign with eight consecutive wins, including six straight in league play. This season’s top scorer is junior Aryel Reyes Mager, who is leading the Mission Division with 35 goals.
Reyes Mager said she is a little surprised by the success of this season, especially after the Mariners lost 12 seniors from last year’s group.
“We weren’t expecting to have a team but this year we have a full team, and everybody is athletic and everyone’s doing good,” Reyes Mager said. “And we’re winning, so that’s all that matters.”
Other top contributors include Andrews along with seniors Mary Watson and Maya Rosa. The Mariners’ trio played a big role in attempting to recruit more bodies to join the team during the offseason.
“I think it’s finding people who really love this sport because it’s definitely something that you have to put a lot of time into to get better,” Rosa said. “Especially if you want to be on the field and get playing time, you have to put in a lot of effort and show up to practice. It’s just finding those people who are really dedicated to what they do.”
Freshman Lauren Ashton and sophomore Aiyana Reyes Mager continue to improve each game. Both players, along with the rest of the underclassmen, are slowly becoming an offensive threat for the Mariners.
Watson said the latest group of new players consistently show up to practice, which is already a win for the team in her book.
“People will just quit if it’s hard,” she said. “And definitely with lacrosse, it feels really uncomfortable but you’ll see everyday these kids will show up, improve and get better.”
Aptos’ defense is led by experienced returners in Lucy Erikson, Gia Arista, Lauren Galster and goalie Gamble Kellermyer. Other new additions to the team include Mia Sanchez and Nancy Carmona-Hernandez, who both have stepped up to help on the defensive side.
“I am very proud of how all the girls support and lift up each other, which is the reason we are in this spot in such a short period of time,” Aptos head coach Stuart Mager said. “Lacrosse is not as popular as other spring sports, so it does not attract as many kids. But this year about half the team are new players and to be where we are in the division speaks to how hard everyone is working.”
Mager was thrilled to see several freshmen giving the sport a try and he hopes they will be the face of the team in years to come.
In the meantime, the veteran players will continue to make promotional posters and announcements to keep the program alive, and sturdy.
“I won’t be here next year, and I know it’s kind of stressful losing a lot of your team that’s been playing for a couple of years,” Rosa said. “I think we’re really just gonna focus on building a strong foundation for the upcoming years.”
The Mariners will host Santa Catalina School in the teams’ regular season finale in Aptos on May 5 at 4pm.
