Girls lacrosse: Blake is team to beat in all-Montgomery region

A key move was a roster shakeup that came in the second half of an overtime win against Damascus. In that game, senior Aubrey Mirkin was moved from the defensive wing to central defense, and has since led the team with an average of 6.5 ground balls per contest. With the low defense stabilized, senior Sheelagh Bates has been free to attack the net.

‘‘I am hoping our experience will help us,” Rosenfeld said. ‘‘Two years ago, we seemed to play a nervous first half [in the regional final]. Last year, we came out flat. This year, I get the sense that I have some players that are tough. Aubrey and Sheelagh want this.”

If they are to get it, though, they will first have to get through the quarterfinals by defeating the winner of the ‘‘Battle of Bethesda” matchup that pits No. 6 Whitman (5-6) against No. 11 Walter Johnson (4-7).

If Sherwood reaches the final, the reward is a likely game against No. 1 Blake (10-1), which will face the winner of first-round contest between No. 8 Blair (4-7) and No. 9 Paint Branch (5-7). The defending regional champion Bengals have most of its core back, including seniors Molly Wannen, Sammy Allen and goalie Kelly Arguero. Allen and Wannen were part of Blake’s girls basketball team that made it to the Class 4A state final last winter, underscoring an ability to perform under pressure.

‘‘We try not to look at games by how many we have won or lost,” Blake coach Christine Denny said last month. ‘‘We look at each game and see what we need to improve on.”

What has made Blake scarier is that it has found a way to integrate some younger talent with the old hands already on deck. Freshmen Justine Allen and Ashley Martin each have scored four goals in a game this year, and their classmate, Nicky Wannen, has helped control the midfield.

At the bottom of the bracket, No. 2 Wootton (9-2) might be tested in a quarterfinal matchup against the winner of No. 7 Einstein (5-6), which has the speedy and high-scoring Grace Reinhalter, and No. 10 Churchill (3-8), which has talented goalie Maggie Langan. Under second-year coach Anne-Marie Ritzell, the Patriots boast a balanced attack, which includes seniors Amelia Titus and Blair Mills. Yet, if they are to get to the semifinal, they will have to produce the type of defensive effort that limited county powerhouse Damascus to just three goals in a game earlier this month. Their potential opponents are eager.

‘‘I don’t really think our record this regular season reflects our abilities,” Churchill coach Louisa Feve said. ‘‘I think that when we play tougher opponents, we elevate our game.”

One of the most intriguing early games will be the quarterfinal between No. 4 Bethesda-Chevy Chase (8-3) and No. 5 Springbrook (7-4) on Saturday. Like last season, both teams received first-round byes, and like last year, will play each other in an elimination game. The Blue Devils, led by seniors Lauren Kessler and Han Nguyen, hope to avenge last year’s defeat. The Barons, led by the high-scoring duo of Shay Smith and April Cahill — both players surpassed 100 career goals this season — hope that history repeats itself.

‘‘It is the exact same thing as last season,” B-CC coach Claire Wagner said. ‘‘But this group is a little more mature, and is able to keep their cool under pressure. We have been playing well lately. For us, [the playoffs] are more mental than anything else.”

4A-3A West Region Playoffs

Favorite: Blake (10-1)

Contenders: Wootton (9-2), Sherwood (9-4), Bethesda-Chevy Chase (8-3)

Darkhorse: Springbrook (7-4)

Players to watch: Sammy Allen (Blake), Sheelagh Bates (Sherwood), April Cahill (B-CC), Lauren Kessler (Springbrook), Maggie Langan (Churchill), Blair Mills (Wootton), Aubrey Mirkin (Sherwood), Han Nguyen (Springbrook), Shay Smith (B-CC), Amelia Titus (Wootton), Molly Wannen (Blake).