Lakewood Ranch girls lacrosse players have a secret weapon

Wins and losses in sports are often determined by much more than the statistics could tell you.

That’s the case for the Lakewood Ranch girls lacrosse team.

The Mustangs lost four of their top players — and 62% of their scoring — to graduation after going 9-8 last season.

Naturally, one would think that Lakewood Ranch would be struggling this season, but that hasn’t been the case thanks to someone whose name won’t often be prominent in the box score.

Sophomore attacker Janelle Gonzalez hasn’t recorded any statistics this year, but her dedication has helped the Mustangs (9-4, No. 49 in Florida) be on track to have their best season in program history. 

Gonzalez has autism and Turner syndrome, but that hasn’t stopped her from finding the time to travel to practice 45 minutes each day and play fearlessly when her name is called. 

“She’s the hardest working kid at practice,” Lakewood Ranch girls lacrosse coach Blair Woods said. “She’s worked forever on her skills, off season and everything. Physically, she’s not able to compete with the big girls, but every minute she gets on the field, she makes the most out of it, and she’s the happiest player on the team.”

Gonzalez attends Sunshine Christian Academy in Bradenton, and has played lacrosse for club teams. However, she wanted the experience of playing for a high school, and Lakewood Ranch welcomed her with open arms last season.

Photo by Vinnie Portell

However, it wasn’t as if it was hard for Gonzalez to fit in. 

According to her coaches, Gonzalez memorized all of her teammates' names by the end of her first practice and was quick to make friends. 

There might be no one more aware of the finer details of the Mustangs’ season than Gonzalez.

Woods said she asks how each win and loss will affect the team’s chances at receiving an at-large bid to the regional playoffs, and her teammates said she comes prepared to each match with a scouting report on the opposition. 

“Her memory is crazy,” junior Gabbie Hotaling said. “It’s always impressive when she’s coming up to me and reciting all the games that are happening that day and what we need to do to make the postseason. She even knows the best players on each team and tells us about them.”

Despite losing so much talent from last season, the current Mustangs players said that has helped them in a way. 

Hotaling (47 goals and 24 assists), sophomore Gigi Canali (48 goals and seven assists) and sophomore Gigi Haines (22 goals and 21 assists) have stepped up, and the lack of senior goal-scorers has forged a more team-oriented style of play. 

"Since we started as a super focused team, at least my freshman year, it was a very determined team and we had a lot of strict seniors, which I think built a strong team,” Hotaling said. “But by bringing Janelle in, who’s super positive and excited to be here, it’s definitely added positivity to our team.”

Lakewood Ranch is in a position to make it to the regional tournament for the first time since the program was established in 2018. 

Gonzalez is paying close attention for good reason.

Photo by Vinnie Portell

The Mustangs have the second-best record in their district and are currently ranked as the ninth-best team in 2A-Region 3. 

To make the Florida High School Athletic Association regional playoffs, a team must either win its district tournament or be ranked as one of the four best teams to not win its district. 

That typically shakes out to the top-eight teams in each region, which leaves the Mustangs one spot out right now. 

The Mustangs have games remaining against Out-of-Door Academy (April 3) and IMG Academy Blue (April 4). Win both of those games, and a regional playoff bid could be in the cards no matter what happens at the district tournament. 

There’s no telling how the rest of this season will unfold for Lakewood Ranch, but the players can meet it with a newfound perspective thanks to their secret weapon. 

“She’s such a unique and special person that I think she’s also helping the people around her,” said Paige Abronski, the principal at Sunshine Christian Academy and a mentor of Gonzalez since the third grade. “She’s a great teammate. She’ll cheer on anybody.”