Advertisement

Newbury Park's Daniella Guyette is The Star's Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year

joe curley, ventura county star
·4 min read

Daniella Guyette has always had the ingredients to play one of sports’ toughest positions.

Even before she stumbled onto lacrosse as a fifth-grader, driving past Peppertree Park with her father one afternoon.

“That looks interesting,” Guyette said at the time. “We’re going to check it out.”

The daughter of a Thousand Oaks High CIF-Southern Section tennis champion, Guyette had grown up playing catcher in Newbury Park Pony Baseball.

After a few years of flag football, she even played left guard in the Newbury Park Steelers youth football program.

“I didn’t think it was too much of a big deal,” Guyette said. “I’ve always been the one to play alongside the boys.”

When the goalie on her new lacrosse team moved away, Guyette bravely stepped forward when some of her teammates looked away.

“The coach had asked if anyone wanted to volunteer,” Guyette said. “I didn’t know what it would entail, but I was like ‘I’ll do it.’

“I get to wear pads just like football player or catcher? And there’s no running?”

To Guyette, goalie seemed like a combination of the sports she had already played. And it looked cool.

“I love the idea of just throwing on some pads and going at it,” Guyette said. “I’ve always loved the idea of putting on the gear and ‘Let’s go.’ … Physicality was never an issue with me.”

More sports coverage in Ventura County:

Newbury Park High's Daniella Guyette, practicing response drills at Borchard Park on June 2, was one of the best high school goalies in the county and the country.
Newbury Park High's Daniella Guyette, practicing response drills at Borchard Park on June 2, was one of the best high school goalies in the county and the country.

Guyette never looked back, quickly becoming one of the best young goalies in the state, developing into one of the top high school lacrosse players in the country and committing to Syracuse University — one of the biggest names in the sport.

She was the foundational piece at the back, allowing Newbury Park to win 40 of 48 games over the past four seasons, roll to the last two Marmonte League championships and play in the first CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final in 2021.

“She’s irreplaceable,” Newbury Park head coach Michelle Yarger said.

The Marmonte League co-MVP and All-CIF-SS Division 1 selection saved 59% of the shots she saw this season as 9-3 Newbury Park reached the Division 1 quarterfinals.

Her presence was needed more and more as injuries took a toll on the roster later in the season.

“It was definitely a tough run, especially because we had a shorter roster and we really started to feel that towards the end,” Guyette said. “The younger players really did step up and played really well in the playoffs. … That was amazing to see.”

Guyette has been selected to play in the Adrenaline All-American senior game in Dallas in July.

Daniella Guyette is headed to Syracuse University after a remarkable career in the net for Newbury Park High.
Daniella Guyette is headed to Syracuse University after a remarkable career in the net for Newbury Park High.

“It’s definitely been an experience playing with Daniella,” said fellow senior Cassie Huber. “When I first started playing in middle school, I was playing against her … and always dreaded it. She’s always been one of the best players.”

Guyette finished her four-year career with 450 career saves, including 130 as a senior.

She embraced a gunslinger’s approach to the position, always working to be the quickest stick on the field.

“I just love the competitive aspect of it,” Guyette said. “I’m always competing with the shooter. How fast they’re shooting versus how fast I can be.”

She spent countless hours at Borchard Park, honing her craft with a handful of teammates or just one on one.

“I love competing,” Guyette said. “In order to compete at the highest level, I have to be able to train on and off the field. If I want to be the best, there’s always time for practice. You have to find people to help you grow and develop.”

During the pandemic, when the Panthers’ season was halted at 6-0, Guyette could often be spotted at the park training with former teammate Emma Ing.

With Ing graduating and moving on to play at Oregon, Guyette extended the invitation to more of her teammates.

“She does ask me pretty often to shoot,” said Huber, who will play at Eastern Michigan University next season. “I try to help as much as I can.”

Daniella Guyette, practicing her goalie skills at Borchard Park on June 2, earned Marmonte League co-MVP and All-CIF-SS Division 1 honors in her final season at Newbury Park High.
Daniella Guyette, practicing her goalie skills at Borchard Park on June 2, earned Marmonte League co-MVP and All-CIF-SS Division 1 honors in her final season at Newbury Park High.

Catch up on more Ventura County sports:

As she did when she was a youth baseball and football player, Guyette also spent a few practices working with the Newbury Park boys lacrosse team.

Having developed on the sport’s Western front, Guyette is really challenging herself against the game’s best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“It means my hard work has paid off,” Guyette said. “I can take my game to the highest level with all those great teams in the ACC.

“I’ll truly test myself and see whether or not I can make it.”

THE STAR'S ALL-COUNTY GIRLS LACROSSE SECOND TEAM

  • Kayleigh Bauroth, Simi Valley

  • Amanda Borg, Royal

  • Maria Coleman, Westlake

  • Cailyn Conahan, Westlake

  • Beth Forsyth, Oaks Christian

  • Sydney Gibbs, Oak Park

  • Quinn Heffernan, Agoura

  • Elizabeth Hilbert, Oaks Christian

  • Maddie Nutter, Royal

  • Lindsay O’Toole, Newbury Park

  • Jasmine Poppinga, Westlake

  • Jacqueline Emmanuel, La Reina

Joe Curley covers lacrosse for The Star. He can be reached at  joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage of local high school sports, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Daniella Guyette is The Star's Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year