Times All-North girls lacrosse: Indian River's Marsell shows MVP caliber in all aspects of game

Jun. 15—PHILADELPHIA — When asked about her success this season as a lacrosse player, Ravan Marsell is quick to credit her teammates.

Yet Marsell was at the heart of the winningest season any Indian River lacrosse team has achieved.

"We knew from the beginning that we had quite a bit of potential to make it pretty far this season," she said. "And it didn't really stop us from having to work everyday towards it to reach a goal. And I think that with the vision of becoming sectional champs, every person on the team wanted that and helped us a lot with our success."

A versatile midfielder, Marsell helped lead the Warriors to not only their first Section 3 title in lacrosse, but as far as the state final four.

Marsell, who garnered All-American honors as a junior this year, has been selected the Times All-North Most Valuable Player in girls lacrosse.

"I was proud of myself for the most part during the season," she said. "It was a lot of fun, I loved every second of it and I love my teammates the most, they make it fun just being out there. They're so supportive, I wouldn't be anywhere and where I am today without them."

Marsell helped spearhead Indian River to a season of firsts in girls lacrosse, finishing with a 19-3 record. She generated a Section 3-leading 155 points, as well as a section-best 66 assists and scoring 89 goals. In addition, she led the section in draw controls with 162.

"She's definitely an all-around, two-way middie," Indian River coach Victoria Fusco said. "She's guarding one of the best players defensively and offensively she's got the best defender on her. So both sides of the field she's being challenged and she still shines and she's definitely key to both ends of the field."

After losing only two games in the Frontier League to finish runner-up in the circuit, the Warriors continued their run to reach the first Section 3 final in program history. Once there, Marsell scored the go-ahead goal with three minutes remaining and Indian River went on to hold off Jamesville-DeWitt, 9-8, to claim the Class C championship.

"For sure, there was a lot of pressure, but I was like, honestly it's what I always wanted," Marsell said.

Indian River then continued its success in road games as it downed Section 4 champion Vestal, 20-10, in the first round of the state playoffs before defeating Canton, 17-3, in state quarterfinal played at SUNY Potsdam.

The Warriors run came to an end in a 14-5 loss to Section 11 and eventual state champion Bayport-Blue Point in a state semifinal last Friday at SUNY Cortland.

"It was obviously something that we never expected in getting there," Marsell said. "It was such a cool experience overall, getting to the game we knew how good our opponent was, but we also knew how much we wanted to win. So I think it kind of didn't discourage us and I think it gave us a confidence that we didn't really know that we had.

"It was cool to see how everybody reacted during the game and it was a success for us. Even though we didn't win the game, it showed how much courage everyone had on our team to show everyone that we belonged in a state semifinal game."

Marsell took pride in the fight that the team displayed throughout their surge during the postseason.

"Two years ago was the first time we made sectionals in a long time," Marsell said. "And then just last year we lost in the semis by one and then this year in the finals we won by one. So I think that shows that each year we keep improving."

Last year, Indian River finished 12-5, won a home sectional game and then was edged by J-D, 12-11, in a sectional semifinal.

"Being that close in that game was exciting, but it wasn't good enough for us," Marsell said. "So I think that kind of lit a fire for us that we needed to work extra hard to make it to the next game."

Marsell mostly enjoyed setting her teammates up by assisting in scoring opportunities.

"She definitely looks for her teammates," Fusco said. "Sometimes we have to tell her to be a little more selfish, like 'Ravan, if you have that, take it.' We tell her to be more selfish, but in the end she's always looking for her teammates ... she's always a team-first player."

"Kind of both, I would say," Marsell said. "I like playing offense, I like feeding the ball, I do have a few goals, but I've always just loved feeding the ball, just giving my teammates opportunities to score it what I like to do."

As far as playing defense, Marsell continued: "I like playing defense. I could never play just strictly attack, I like both sides of the game and the middle of the game. So like riding and clearing the ball is important to me."

Fellow junior and forward Michaela Delles supplied 108 goals of her own, which led the region, to go with 29 assists for 137 points.

"When we're playing the best, we're dominating the draw circle," Fusco said. "And it has a lot to do with Ravan and Michaela, when we're controlling the ball and we have possession, we're always confident in every game we go into. And when the offense is flowing and waiting for the right opportunities is when we're playing our best."

Delles also recorded 119 draw controls of her own, including 10 in the state playoff win against Vestal and seven more versus Canton.

"Ravan and Michaela have both put in their own time with special training in that," Fusco said. "Nothing of that comes from the coaches, she does it all and she dedicated her time in that and they're just dominant. Whether they're getting to themselves or Ravan's flicking it to a certain spot so our girls get it, them communicating and working together is definitely our key, for sure."

Along with Marsell and Delles, sophomore teammate BreeLynn LaLonde was also a leader, anchoring the Warriors' defense this season.

"Defense I would say wins games and she has saved us so many times," Marsell said of LaLonde. "Defense is something no one really talks about, but without her we wouldn't have won any of those games."

Marsell, who has been playing varsity lacrosse since the seventh grade, has been a focal point in the development of the program.

"It's grown a lot over the years and it's still going with great coaches there," Fusco said. "Cory Marsell, Ravan's father, was one of the main contributors to starting it because he wanted Ravan to start playing at a young age and got all these girls that are on our team now playing back then. As a varsity coach when you're able to teach the details rather than the fundamentals, it makes it a lot easier to be successful."

She missed her freshman season because of an ACL tear, but after enduring two surgeries, she returned as strong as ever.

"When they were in seventh grade five years ago, it was definitely ruffling some feathers bringing up seventh graders to make a varsity team," Fusco said. "But when you have talent, you can't look away from it, Ravan was a second-team All-Star in seventh grade. So she's been building and building and they started in the youth program, so they had the skills we were able to work with as a varsity team."

Marsell added: "I think that we're a year ahead of what everyone imagined, winning a sectional title and all. So to do that this year, I think is super exciting. I know nothing is guaranteed, but we're definitely just going to keep working hard offseason and get ready for next season."