Girls lacrosse: Novato Nighthawks flying high after first WBLL title
Marin County high school girls lacrosse teams have dominated the North Coast Section since 2015, racking up an impressive eight championships for the most by any sport besides girls volleyball.
There’s a good chance that success will continue based on the strength of the under-14 girls players developed through local club programs.
The big winners this year are the Novato Nighthawks under-14 girls, who claimed the club’s first West Bay Lacrosse League title at the highest age-group level.
The Nighthawks edged their primary nemesis, Southern Marin, in the WBLL semifinals, 9-8. In the final on May 19, the Nighthawks prevailed 7-4 over the Ross Valley Grizzlies.
Southern Marin was the defending age group champ of the WBLL, which includes teams from San Francisco Peninsula and East Bay.
“Beating Southern Marin the day before felt amazing, but winning the championship was even better,” says Nighhawks’ goalie Gianna Rinaldi. “We grew stronger as individual players as well as a team. We won and lost games as a team, and if we lost, we grew from it, corrected, practiced, and prepared for the next game. That was always our mindset.”
The accomplishments and enthusiasm for high school lacrosse in Marin are not lost on the Nighthawks, who attended San Marin’s NCS Division II championship a week before they clinched their own playoff title.
“Our team followed the San Marin girls team very closely this year and to be there to witness the SM girls make history was absolutely an inspiration and no doubt fueled our girls’ desires to make a little history themselves,” said Nighthawks coach Travis Gill. “As a club, we encourage our teams to attend high school games to cheer on their former teammates whether that be at San Marin, Novato or Marin Catholic.”
Marin Catholic will be getting a keeper in Rinaldi, who has emerged as one of the top goalies in Northern California. Rinaldi has been chosen to ADVNC Lacrosse National Player Development (NDP) select teams in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
“I decided in sixth grade I didn’t want to play softball anymore, and my friend Ella (Gill) told me that her lacrosse team needed a goalie,” recalled Rinaldi. “I went to a practice, picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time, and fell in love with the sport. The Novato Nighthawks have always felt like a family to me. I have had the privilege to work under some great coaches all while playing with my friends.”
San Marin will be adding several talented freshmen next season including Izzy Coucoules and Gill, who led the Nighthawks in scoring with 36 and 23 goals, respectively.
Coucoules was selected to the ADVNC NDP teams in 2022 and 2023, and was chosen to play on the American Select Team for California and Bay Area Elite Club’s Select Team this year. Gill earned spots on the ADVNC Lacrosse National Player Development Team (NDP) in 2023 and 2024.
“Playing for the Nighthawks has made me prepared for high school in many ways,” said Coucoules. “My coaches — Chris Gregorio, Travis Gill, Brielle Rapsas and more — they taught me lacrosse and I can never repay them for that. Helping me with anything I needed every practice and helping me get better. I know that all of this has readied me for high school lacrosse and I can’t wait to join San Marin next year.”
Other Marin teams that won WBLL titles this year are the Ross Valley under-10 A boys, Southern Marin under-12 A boys, Southern Marin Timber Wolves under-12 B girls, Southern Marin under-12 A girls and Southern Marin Black Wolves under-14 B girls.