Varsity Q&A: Havre de Grace girls lacrosse attacker Natalie Burton talks goal scoring and her team's chemistry

Apr. 24—Harford County's top goal scorer doesn't think much about putting the ball in the back of the net.

Natalie Burton, a sophomore attacker for Havre de Grace, says it's more a matter of circumstance dependent on the flow within the game. Even so, she has accumulated 34 goals and 10 assists.

Burton recently spoke with The Aegis about her lucrative scoring, her team at the midway point of the season and her aspirations outside of lacrosse. (Editor's note: some questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity):

How would you describe yourself as a lacrosse player to those who haven't seen you play?

I would say as a well-rounded attacker. Someone who can feed and place her shots.

To take you back, how long have you been playing lacrosse? When did you first pick up the sport?

My neighbors [introduced lacrosse to me]. The mom, [Sharon Brown], was the old JV coach at Havre de Grace and the husband [Brooks Brown] was the old varsity coach. At 18 months they put a stick in my hand. Their son, [Casey] has graduated college now and he taught me behind the back shots, which I implemented into my game last year. So, I'd say my neighbors were really influential.

As a sophomore now, what aspects of your game have developed the most?

I hustle after passes or after ground balls. That's how I end up scoring some of my goals. I get a quick scoop up and then I just head to the cage. Also, my teammates are really good at looking up and feeding me the ball on cuts. With North East Maryland Select, I've really learned how to use different speeds while dodging. [Havre de Grace coach Mel Rimel-Holloway] has taught me how to do it, too. And she has given me the green light when I'm good to go.

Now a year and a half into your high school playing career, do you have a favorite game or a memorable performance that sticks out?

It probably has to be one [last year] against Fallston or Bel Air when we only scored one goal in each but lost. I had the goal but it was a hard fight for our team. At Fallston, one of my teammates ended up wrapping it and giving me a good pass and I finished it. That game was in the rain and it was cold. It was low scoring but Fallston has always been a powerhouse for Harford County.

You're one of the top scorers in the area. You've accumulated numerous goals, many of which have been scored in different ways. I'm curious if there's one that stands out — maybe your most creative goal or most difficult goal?

This wasn't with Havre de Grace, it was in a tournament years ago. One of my teammates was feeding from behind the cage. She got it to another girl. That girl dropped the ball but I was being guarded in traffic and couldn't scoop it. Because you can't kick the ball with your foot, I put my stick head down, kicked the stick and it went in.

You also run cross country and play basketball. How do you think playing those two sports help prepare you for lacrosse or if any of the skills translate over to the spring season?

Cross country definitely helps with endurance. In cross country, you're fighting yourself to keep going. Three miles is tough on the brain. The second mile, that's the hardest one. The first one, you're always good and the last one you see the finish line and you just want to go. It's about pacing yourself when you have a bad day. You just have to keep going. They're not waiting for you.

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In basketball, a lot of the moves are the same. A crossover is a split dodge in lacrosse. A roll dodge is a like a pick and roll. Then just the sprinting is the same with lacrosse too.

What does lacrosse look like for you in the offseason when you're not playing with Havre de Grace?

NEMS is one of them. Or passing in the backyard with my younger siblings and neighbors. If I'm not at a lacrosse game, I'm at a lacrosse game and I'm watching. I'm still learning. It's either in person or watching college games on TV. I look at them and try to learn from their moves.

From a team perspective, where do you feel like the group's strengths are?

Our defense can really hold their own. They're really good at defending. They might let some in but they're really quick learners. They pick up quick on other teams' plays to shut them down. Allie [Greeley], our goalie, she's amazing. Our middies transition the ball really well. In our high-scoring games, we're transitioning the ball really well and controlling the draws.

I know that you're part of the bio-medical program at Havre de Grace. What got you interested in pursuing that?

I've always liked animals. My career choices have always changed a little bit but I've always wanted to be in the medical field and help others. My mom works in a microbiology lab. She has taken me to work and I've seen what she does. It's just interesting to me. As of right now I want to be an anesthesiologist.