Dominating year for Nichols High School

by Dave Ricci, Metro Source

You couldn’t have drawn up a better season if you were given the rights to the movie.

The Nichols Vikings girls varsity lacrosse team entered the 2011 season on a mission.

A second place finish in the Mid-West League in 2010 just wasn’t good enough. They were determined to do better.

Their resolve paid off as the Vikings walked away this season as Mid-West Schoolgirl champions, a title they won during the playoff tournament that was played May 21-22 at Nichols.

The Vikings, who earned the programs very first title since Mid-West League was formed in 1982, sealed the title by defeating Western Reserve 9-3 on May 22.

The Vikings were ranked No.3 in the field of 12 teams.

Along with skilled players, the Vikings had tremendous leadership, as coaches Danielle Vallas and Beth Stone credited the seniors as the key factor that got them over the hump this time out.

Setting the tone were seniors Lauren Basil and Marissa Faso. Basil was named to the All-Metro first team, while Faso was presented with the Metro Leadership Award for her work on and off the athletic field.
The rest of the Vikings certainly weren’t short-changed on post season hardware.

Basil and Spring Sanders were named to the U.S. Lax, WNY chapter, All-American team.

Goalie Julia DiTondo and senior Tori Salmon were tabbed as US Lacrosse Academic All-Americans.
Basil, Sanders and Emily Janiga were named All-Mid-West first teamers, while Julia DiTondo, Faso and Salmon were named to the second team.

Janiga, DiTondo, Sanders and Basil were also selected to first team All-WNY.

Janiga was the Vikings leading scorer and formed a deadly 1-2 offensive punch with junior Kristen Winter.
DiTondo was simply sparkling in net all season and Sanders was as good of a lock-down defender as anyone in the state.

Freshman Madison Sansone was outstanding all year, as well. Sansone played with the poise of an upper-classman.

She never seemed to be in over her head and was always calm and collected whenever her coaches imparted advice.

Sansone has world of promise.

The Vikings bid goodbye to Basil, Faso, Salmon, Sanders, Njideka Noble, Haley McNamara and Nicolette Winder.

Winter, Janiga, DiTondo, Sansone, Shelby Wilde and Elizabeth Benedict are returnees the Vikings will lean on next year.