Staff Report
Woodstown High junior Emma Morgan recently broke the school draw controls record and currently has 187 career draw controls heading into the first round of the South Jersey Group 1 sectional playoffs against Lower Cape May. The Wolverines, the No. 5 seed in the sectional tournament, host the Caper Tigers at 4:30 p.m., with the winner facing either No. 4 Shore Regional or No. 13 Haddon Heights on Monday in the quarterfinals.
Morgan also is second on the team in goals with 39 and leads the Wolverines (13-3) with 41 assists.
South Jersey Glory Days Correspondent Brian Tortella recently caught up with Morgan to talk about all things lacrosse — and beyond. Check out the most recent “Tort Reports” Q&A:
Tortella: How old were you when you started playing lacrosse, and what got you into it?
Morgan: I was 7 years old when I started lacrosse. I started with the Scoopers program that Woodstown has, so it’s not full games, but mostly the basics of the sport. My sister is the one who got me into it. She is three years older than me and when she decided to play, I followed, in typical younger sibling fashion.
Tortella: How did it feel breaking the school draw controls record?
Morgan: It was amazing. There were lots of talented players before me, and it is awesome to be able to push the limit for the girls that follow.
Tortella: What is your expectation heading into the sectional playoffs?
Morgan: Playoffs are tough and always have been. Since there’s not a lot of teams directly in South Jersey, we tend to travel farther North and play teams we haven’t heard of. This makes it hard to compare scores and statistics which leaves us pretty blind going into it. But, I love the challenge of playing a new team and seeing what they have to offer. We have had a great season and I can’t wait to see how far we can go.
Tortella: What went into your decision to commit to The College of New Jersey, and what do you plan on majoring in?
Morgan: I’ll start first with my major. I’m undecided but I am certain that I want to do something with languages/linguistics. I’ll definitely be minoring in Spanish. This has been a huge dream for me since I was a kid, and I’ve always loved learning to communicate with others. I think that’s a really important part of human nature. Because of this, I needed a school that was more flexible. One of the first questions I asked every school was how comfortable they were with me studying abroad, for that is something I’m definitely planning on doing. Being able to be flexible while still playing at a high level is an intricate balance, so that took a lot of schools off of the list initially. But TCNJ just had the best energy. They seemed to be able to find a balance between school and life while also being successful. The coaches are an amazing unit and have proven it over the many, many seasons they have been there. And the girls are amazing. I can’t wait to play there!
Tortella: Who was your biggest inspiration growing up?
Morgan: My biggest inspiration was always my mom. I had always been called her “mini-me” as a kid since we look so much alike and it was always my dream to be just like her.
Tortella: What was your most memorable moment, play or game from your high school career?
Morgan: Beating Schalick (in soccer) my freshman year was so much fun. The soccer team that year was such a great group of girls and we have always had the best rivalry with Schalick.
Tortella: How do you like new coach Christine Murray?
Morgan: Mrs. Murray has given 100 percent to our team all season long and I am so appreciative that she stepped up to take on this role so that we could have a season.
Tortella: What team has been the most challenging you’ve ever faced?
Morgan: Haddonfield has to be the most challenging team we have ever faced, and we have played them a lot. Their coach is very intelligent and her team is so respectful, making them an opponent I do not mind playing. They are able to adjust quickly to anything we try and throw at them, and work so well as a team. It is definitely fun to watch them work together as a unit.
Tortella: What do you like most about Woodstown High?
Morgan: What I like is we have a very tight-knit community. Everyone knows everyone, and we are able to support each other every step of the way. I think our small-town community allows us to have a bigger culture.
Tortella: How do you balance school work, athletics and social life?
Morgan: Finding that balance was really difficult for me and took a big adjustment freshman year. I’d have to say, and anyone can support this, that I am very much a list person. I constantly have alarms set as reminders, google tasks to complete, and notes to-do lists open. I also have a very detailed calendar with every event for the foreseeable future. In all honesty, I would forget what I had to do or where I had to be without these things. Being able to compartmentalize what I have to do allows me to focus on the task at hand. I also have really understanding parents. If my room is a mess, instead of yelling, they have trust in me to get it cleaned whenever I have a free second. Additionally, they are always there to help me study or quiz me for a test. I definitely think my parents have helped me find a balance in all of it. They almost always say yes to my last minute plans with friends and offer to have people over whenever needed, without question. Without them, I would not be able to maintain this balance.
Tortella: Is there any difference in your mentality approaching swimming season vs lacrosse?
Morgan: Definitely. Swimming is such a different sport from anything else we offer. It is definitely a lot easier on my body, which helps, but it provides its own challenges. Swimming is a very mental sport, especially since Woodstown has a co-ed team. It is very, very hard to beat the boys I have to swim against every time, so it becomes an individual battle. Instead of worrying about what place I get, I focus on my own times. Have I improved from the last time I swam this? All that matters is doing my best and beating my last time. In lacrosse it’s easy to have a “next play” mentality, but swimming is entirely different. You only get those few seconds or minutes to exert as much energy as possible. So, though it is very different, I think the variability is really healthy for me and my attitude for sports. I love being able to tackle different challenges and develop new ways to overcome them.
Tortella: Best friend on the team?
Morgan: I have played lacrosse and other sports with a similar group of girls my entire life: Blair Baldi, Delaney Walker and Lizzy Daly. I’ve gone through club lacrosse, soccer, youth basketball, and every lacrosse season with them. I’m so thankful for those girls and I can’t be the player I am without them. I also played off and on seasons with Jaime Deal and Shelby Foote, two of my favorite seniors. High School lacrosse only grew those relationships and allowed me to get closer to the other girls, one being Lauren Hengel. Lacrosse is the only sport I play with her, but it genuinely ends the year on a great note. I think our team has a great bond and there isn’t a player I wouldn’t call a sister.
Tortella: Who was your favorite professional athlete growing up?
Morgan: Since my dad played soccer at Elizabethtown and my mom played semi-pro, we are very big soccer people. Growing up, we watched the women’s National team play all the time. We even went to Canada to watch them play in the World Cup semifinals. Like many other girls, my favorite athlete had to have been Alex Morgan.
Tortella: What’s the best advice someone has ever given to you?
Morgan: One summer tournament, my former club coach, Mike Yarusso, was giving a halftime speech. We were down a lot and it was hot and we were exhausted. He said to us “It’s 20 more minutes either way. You can either play and be proud of how you do, or not.” This advice helps me push through sometimes when I don’t want to, because complaining or not trying won’t help me get out of it, but doing my best can make it better.
Tortella: Who do you believe is the best women’s lacrosse player in the world?
Morgan: I got to do individual draw lessons with Taylor Cummings, the Tewaaraton award recipient in 2014. Getting to be able to witness her lacrosse IQ when dissecting how to win the draw was a pivotal moment for my skills. She’s definitely been an impactful player for women’s lacrosse.
Tortella: What would you tell your freshman self if you could go back to your first day of high school?
Morgan: I would tell her to welcome the change that comes into her life instead of worrying about it.
Tortella: What do you believe is the greatest challenge high school athletes face today?
Morgan: I think the biggest challenge is maintaining that balance that we talked about. If you can’t figure out your schedule, it’s easy to become stressed.
Tortella: What advice would you give to younger players just starting out playing lacrosse?
Morgan: I would tell them to not give up. Lax is a hard sport to start because it takes a while to get the hang of. It’s easy to see a lot of beginners get upset when they can’t figure it out right away and it’s important to keep them motivated.
Tortella: What’s your favorite way to bond with teammates outside of lacrosse?
Morgan: Team dinners are such a fun way to bond with my teammates.
Tortella: Favorite food?
Morgan: Pasta.
Tortella: Favorite bus ride snack?
Morgan: Gotta be the cheese flavored Chex mix or any type of gummy. A little salty with a little sweet is the way to go.
Tortella: Favorite artist and song?
Morgan: Taylor Swift — “Sweet Nothing.”
Tortella: Favorite pro sports team?
Morgan: Big fan of any Philly Sports team, doesn’t matter.
Tortella: If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Morgan: Teleportation— I’d love to be able to go anywhere in a split second.
Tortella: If you could pick three people to have dinner with, who would you choose?
Morgan: Emma Watson, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lawrence.
WHAT’S NEXT: No. 5 Woodstown hosts No. 12 Lower Cape May today at 4:30 p.m. in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 1 sectional tournament.
