Daily Journal Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year: Sacred Heart Prep’s Ellie Noto

For her efforts, Noto is the Daily Journal’s Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year.

“I guess I kind of bounce all over (the field),” Noto said. “I have different skill sets on the offensive and defensive side. On defense, I’m a very vocal player, which is so key on the defensive side of the field. On offense, I’m more sneaky. … Someone can always be smarter and stronger than you, but you can still outsmart them.”

When Noto’s family relocated to the Peninsula when she was about 11 years old, Noto took her lacrosse game to the next level. She said she would often go to Woodside High School for pick-up games against older players. SHP head coach Wendy Kridel believes that is why Noto was ahead of most players when she got to SHP as a freshman.

“As a freshman, she was very mature as a player,” Kridel said. “She got a lot of playing time as a freshman, which usually isn’t normal.”

Noto has been one of top players Kridel has coached since arriving in Atherton. And while Noto was among the team leaders in goals scored, it was the way Noto controls the game that impressed Kridel the most.

“She is the most consistent, strongest leader, who does it all as a middie,” Kridel said. “She is equally strong on both ends of the field. She’s smart as an attacker. She has good one-on-one moves, good dodge, knows how to get her teammates open.

“She’s an excellent help defender and to top it off, she takes the draw.”

Ah, the draw. Similar to a hockey face off or a basketball jump ball, the draw determines possession and, in the game of lacrosse, possession is the most important part of the game. So while the casual fan gets caught up in goals scored, lacrosse aficionados know that the draw is key to success.

It also happens to be Noto’s favorite part of the game.

“I play middie because I like offense and defense. I can’t really pick (which I like better),” Noto said. “And I really love the draw. … The game really is decided with what happens on the draw. It really is a game of possession. [The draw] is so interesting to me.”

Noto’s effectiveness on the draw simply rounds out her all-around game. Unlike many middies, who lean one way or the other — offense or defense — Noto is a rare middie who excels on both ends.

“I know teams that run middie lines. They take out offensive middies and put in defensive middies,” Noto said.

Kridel said because of Noto’s ability to play both ends of the field, there was no need to sub her off.

“For her, I would have trouble saying she is either thing (attacker or defender),” Kridel said. “She’s fit, so she can get up and down the field. She barely came off the field.

“She has all aspects of her game dialed in.”

Kridel said Noto’s acumen on both ends of the field have helped her develop as both an attacker and a defender. Kridel said Noto’s work on the attack has made her a better defender.

“She spent a lot of time working on her offensive footwork, which helps make her a better defender,” Kridel said.

Now that Noto has wrapped up her high school career, she will become the third sibling in her family to play the game collegiately. Her oldest sister played at Brown and another at Stanford. Ellie Noto will now be taking her talents to University of Notre Dame.

“I’m so excited to continue my career there,” Noto said.

When Noto does join the Irish, Kridel believes she will have to choose between offense or defense. While she doesn’t think Noto has the speed to play middie at the Division I level, nothing Noto does will surprise her.

“It’s going to be an interesting adjustment for her,” Kridel said. “If she ends up playing offense or defense, neither would shock me.”