Etch one more name into the annals -- one more standout from the Mt. Hebron program that has set the bar for girls lacrosse in Howard County and the state, as well. Mt. Hebron has produced players such as Erinn Quinn, Cathy Nelson, Lauren Kickham, Kristen Waagbo and Megan Bosica, each a commanding presence on the field.

To that group, add Ashley Bruns, this year's Columbia Flier/Howard County Times Player of the Year in girls lacrosse.

"Ashley's like one of those kids that Hebron built their program around. The big names that are going to be remembered, put Bruns on the list, too," Mt. Hebron coach Brooke Kuhl-McClelland said.

In leading her team to county and regional titles, along with a state championship appearance, Bruns had a spectacular year. She set single-game school records for goals (12) and points (19) and tied the mark for assists (seven). She shattered the school's season record for goals (103).

Lest anyone accuse her of being one dimensional, she also had 63 assists, second on Mt. Hebron's all-time list.

"She would walk off the field and ask, 'How many assists did I have today? Not how many goals?'," Kuhl-McClelland said. "Ashley concerned herself with helping the team and spreading the wealth."

"If (a teammate) is there, I'm going to pass to them," Bruns said. "I can go to goal anytime I want to, anybody can."

Not that opponents allowed Bruns to waltz toward the goal uncontested. She was double teamed and even face-guarded, which she found frustrating because those defensive tactics isolated her and disrupted Mt. Hebron's offensive sets.

"I like to play with my team as a whole ... and we couldn't do the same things together that we always do," she said.

Early in her lacrosse career, Bruns was a goalkeeper.

As she tells the story, her youth team's goalie wasn't there one day and when the coach asked for a volunteer, her hand shot up.

"I wasn't afraid of the ball and a lot of girls were. I ended up being really good at it and I liked it a lot," she said.

By late middle school, she was splitting time with another goalie on her travel team. Once when the other goalie asked to play the whole game, Bruns was put on the field.

"They saw my speed and they said, 'You're not playing goalie anymore. You're staying on the field. We can teach you stick skills, we just can't teach you speed,' " she said.

Bruns still has quick-as-lightning speed, and her explosive first step as she rounds to the front of the crease beats many a defender. Combining that quick start with her signature shot, a low sidearm, and her determination made Bruns all but unstoppable.

"Ashley plays with passion and so much heart, and she plays to win," Kuhl-McClelland said.

Bruns admits that she is very competitive.

"Really, everything is a game to me. I just love to compete. If we are doing a project in school, I want to do better than the person next to me," she said. "The way I look at it, you can't get better at something unless you are challenging yourself to do better."

"It's always good when you have a fierce competitor, but it is also good to have a good-hearted person, too," Kuhl-McClelland said. "Ashley was the ultimate player for us this year in all ways."

One of Mt. Hebron's captains, Bruns took her leadership role seriously. She mentored the underclassmen and made special spirit necklaces for her teammates to wear on a trip to New York for a tournament.

She also got the whole team searching for good-luck four-leaf clovers before games.

"Near the end of the season, I was fearful that people driving along Route 99 (where the team practices) would think the Mt. Hebron team was suicidal because the players were walking along heads down and dragging their sticks," Kuhl-McClelland said.

Bruns, an Under Armour All-American selection, leaves Mt. Hebron with 202 career goals and 101 assists. She said she feels a tinge of reluctance that her high school career has come to a close. "I loved it here. I loved the coaches and I loved the players."

Bruns will play for the University of Florida, a first-year program, next year.

Named to the all-county first team are:

Attack

Alanna Diffendal, Marriotts Ridge sophomore. A varsity player as a freshman, Diffendal came into her own this year by becoming a major scoring threat. She had 46 goals, nearly a quarter of her team's scoring production. She also had 18 assists.

"Alanna has a really quick first step and she can place the ball well. She could get open in the 8 quite often," said coach Natalie Gaieski, who is looking forward to having Diffendal back next year.

Kathryn Gaasch, River Hill senior. Coach Jay Bond calls this transfer from Glenelg Country School "a definite addition to our program." Gaasch, a two-year member of the River Hill program, used her incredible speed to her team's advantage.

"If we could get her the ball, she would beat any defender to goal," Bond said.

With 46 goals, Gaasch was the second-leading scorer on the River Hill team.

Julianne Giles, Mt. Hebron junior. The core of the game of lacrosse is who controls the draw; Giles was a master. Although her team didn't always get possession, she determined the direction or came up with the ball 231 times.

After taking the draw, Giles slipped into the attack where, with 70 goals, she put up another big number.

"Julianne has a wicked shot," said coach Brooke Kuhl-McClelland, who points out that every game this season and last Giles put up at least one point on the board.

It is logical to assume that she will be Mt. Hebron's go-to girl next year.

Brittany McMullan, Reservoir junior. McMullan was good at creating scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. She had a breakthrough season, recording 57 goals and 16 assists.

"Brittany has the top stick skills on our team and a no fear mentality on attack," coach Trish Sullivan said. "She was our go-to player when we needed a goal. We relied on her more this year and she stepped up to the challenge. She's a great little lacrosse player."

McMullan is the first Reservoir player to be named first team all-county.

Midfield

Katie Chase, Glenelg junior. Glenelg coach Ginger Kincaid doesn't hold back. "Katie is one of the top 10 players I've ever coached," the long-time coach said. "She's a big, strong, no nonsense player and whenever she's around the ball she's coming up with it."

Although defensive minded, Glenelg could count on Chase to score in the big games. She had 38 goals and 15 assists.

"Katie was the one player that I couldn't take off the field," Kincaid said.

Chase was named Glenelg's Most Outstanding player this season.

Beth Glaros, Wilde Lake junior. More than half the goals Wilde Lake scored this year came from Glaros, a player one opposing coach termed "phenomenal."

Glaros had three 10-goal games and an 11-goal effort as well. In all she hit the back of the net a school record 90 times. Those at Wilde Lake might point out, with a smile, that she probably hit the goal post close to another 90 times.

"Beth is a dream to coach, she is fluid in everything that she does," coach Diane Caporaletti said. "When you think that she can't possibly come up with the ball because she is surrounded by four players, she comes up with it. She has the ability to see things on the field that even coaches don't see."

Glaros has verbally committed to Maryland.

Katie Grogan, Glenelg senior. Tremendous determination sums up Grogan as a lacrosse player.

"Of all my players this year Katie was the only player who never had an ounce left at the end of the game. She played hard no matter who we were playing and you had to knock her down to stop her," coach Ginger Kincaid said.

Grogan was one of two players Glenelg relied on to take the draw and she was a key ballhandler for the Gladiators. On the season she had 32 goals and 16 assists.

She will play at Virginia Tech next year.

Anna Kim, River Hill junior. At the beginning of the year, coach Jay Bond said he thought about putting Kim on attack -- she was hampered with ankle injuries as a sophomore -- but Kim said she wanted to run midfield, playing both defense and offense. That whole field aspect made her much more of a threat to opponents. She would intercept the ball at midfield and then use her speed to transition it to attack.

"Anna's strength is her shooting. Once she gets her stick open near goal she's going to take a good shot," Bond said.

Kim had 59 goals and 15 assists and helped River Hill to its best record in five years.

Nicole Lacey, Marriotts Ridge senior. Every team needs a Nicole Lacey, a player who is versatile, solid both offensively and defensively. Lacey was an all-around player who contributed in every game.

In her four years at Marriotts Ridge, she has played almost every minute of every game. She had 51 goals and 15 assists as the Mustangs posted their best season ever (11-2).

"Nicole is a phenomenal person. She was one of our captains. What really made our season was the team bonding and how welcome she made everyone feel," coach Natalie Gaieski said.

Lacey, the career scoring leader at Marriotts Ridge (124 goals), will play for George Washington University.

Defense

Marta Chell, Mt. Hebron senior. Chell shifted to defense this year, partly to protect an injured knee and partly because that's where her team needed her most.

"We had to have her on the field," coach Brooke Kuhl-McClelland said.

A two-year captain, Chell used her playing experience and leadership skills to direct the Vikings' defense. When the occasion arose, she also contributed to the attack.

"Marta is an intelligent, well-spoken kid and that shows on the field," Kuhl-McClelland said.

Aubrey Green, Mt. Hebron senior. Green was the anchor of the Vikings' defense. She was quick and tenacious, especially, one on one.

"When we needed something to happen, she was the one who stepped up," coach Brooke Kuhl-McClelland said. "When there was that one girl that we had to stop, we told Aubrey, 'You have to cover her.' If we sent a double (team), Aubrey was the one."

Green, who will play for Duquesne, was also instrumental in helping the Vikings clear the ball out of the defensive end.

"If we got the ball to Aubrey's stick, that little lefty could get it up the field," Kuhl-McClelland said.

Amanda Mathews, Centennial senior. "Amanda made the big plays happen," coach Jacquie Sica said as she points out the technical aspects of Mathews' excellent positioning, defensive footwork and her "maintained aggressive" play.

To an attacker, Mathews spelled trouble. She had 42 caused turnovers, 17 interceptions and came up with 37 ground balls.

"Amanda has played on some of the top attackers and she has literally shut them down in the game," Sica said.

Mathews will play collegiately at James Madison University.

Goalkeeper

Abbey Clipp, Marriotts Ridge junior. After splitting time in goal as a sophomore, Clipp had the cage to herself this year and she responded with 114 saves and a save percentage of 56.4.

"This year was all hers and she came in and improved tenfold," coach Natalie Gaieski said. "She really turned it on. She stops whatever comes at her."

Clipp's 12-save performance nearly helped her team upset Mt. Hebron, which won, 8-7.

She has made a verbal commitment to Maryland.

Emily Seidel, Atholton senior. As a goalkeeper, Seidel goes out in search of action. She'll come out of the crease to intercept a pass or pick up a ground ball.

"Emily's an incredible athlete and it is very evident in how she comes out and challenges players and how she takes the ball up the field and distributes it," coach Martie Dyer said. "She's a fun goalie to watch and she could easily play on the field an be all-county as well."

Seidel made 145 saves and had a 55.7 save percentage.

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