For the first time in South Bend Bears Lacrosse history, the 2023 season features a high school varsity girls team. The team is composed of girls that attend South Bend Community School Corporation schools along with girls who attend area schools that don’t sponsor their own club. The Bears took the field for this season as a varsity team, after having competed as a junior varsity club in 2022. 

Despite a rough win-loss record, the Bears have improved in all areas this year. Considering that nearly half the team had never picked up a lacrosse stick before this season, that progress is significant and is evident when one looks at the statistics from their first game in comparison to their most recent. In the Bears first game, they struggled to possess the ball, only picking up two ground balls. In their last game, the Bears picked up 17!  Notable players include Adele Zyniewicz, a junior at Adams, in her first year playing as a goalie, she has a respectable 45.1 save percentage. Zyniewicz is highly competitive and has kept the Bears in games by coming up with big saves when they need them. On the defensive side of the ball, Adams junior Alyssa Morris, also in her first year, has snagged fourteen ground balls, forced two turnovers and snatched two interceptions. Also on defense, Adams sophomore Myah Arter has come up with thirteen ground balls and five forced turnovers. On the attack (offense) side of the field, Mia Haines (junior, Adams) and Lola McDaniel (sophomore, Edwardsburg) lead the team in goals with 9 and 7 respectively. The midfield has found strength in Ava Sweazy, Adams sophomore, who leads the team in draw controls with 15 and also 15 ground balls. 

The Bears now look to finish their season strong, facing Northridge on 5/9 , Culver JV on 5/11 and Chesterton on 5/13 before making their first appearance in state sectionals which will be held at St. Joe High School. Sectionals will feature all six teams from the Class 1A Sectional 5 grouping, Crown Point, Northridge, St. Joe, Chesterton, Munster and the Bears. All are strong teams with potential to win a sectional or go even farther. The Bears don’t yet know who they will face in sectionals, but they will be ready for any challenge given to them.