Nazareth Academy sophomore Kathleen Hardy has been involved with lacrosse since second grade.
“I’ve been playing for so long,” Hardy said. “I would say I love lacrosse and it’s so fun, especially playing with my team at Naz.”
This past season, Hardy and the Roadrunners had a whole lot of fun while making program history. Hardy became the first to achieve first team all-state after receiving honorable mention all-state in 2025. The Roadrunners (18-4) also had their best postseason by getting all the way to their first sectional final before losing 20-6 to perennial power Hinsdale Central May 29 at Maine South.
“(All-state) was awesome. That was my goal in the beginning of the year, to get first team all-state,” Hardy said. “I feel like the whole team itself progressed a lot. I’d say everyone was very supportive of each other, which helped my playing and the players around each other. We all pushed each other.”
Hardy was the state’s top documented offensive player with her phenomenal 145 goals and 175 points as well as 30 assists, 76 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers. Sophomore Eve Bedford was honorable mention all-state. Senior captains Morgan Fantozzi and Lily Reiter and junior Finley Gorman joined Hardy and Bedford on the all-sectional team.
Hardy’s biggest game also was one of the Roadrunners’ most satisfying – the 16-14 victory over Hersey in the sectional semifinals where Hardy had 10 goals. In East Suburban Catholic Conference play, Hardy scored the overtime game-winner in an uplifting 14-13 victory over St. Viator April 15.
As a freshman, Hardy had 137 goals, 29 assists, 62 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers.
“I actually was shocked (by this year’s stats). I didn’t think we’d go as far as we did (in the playoffs),” Hardy said. “Especially when you’re getting face guarded by teams, it’s hard to score obviously. But our overall team worked together and they were able to set picks and get me open when I was face guarded, which was huge.”
Hardy was named ESCC Player of the Year after being its Newcomer of the Year in 2025.
Bedford (63 goals, 53 assists, 62 ground balls, 57 caused turnovers), Fantozzi (21 goals, 21 assists, 76 ground balls, 30 controlled turnovers), Gorman (5 goals, 3 assists, 53 ground balls, 53 caused turnovers), Reiter (34 goals, 15 assists, 17 ground balls, 11 controlled turnovers) and senior Lilliana Bartzis (assist, 19 ground balls, 13 controlled turnovers) also were All-ESCC. The Roadrunners named sophomore Emma Ewald (assist, 19 ground balls, 20 controlled turnovers) was named Most Improved Player.
Fantozzi became Nazareth’s second three-time All-ESCC player. She has the school record for career defensive actions with 332 (237 ground balls plus 95 caused turnovers) and is sixth in career points (152).
Reiter became the program’s ninth player to score 100 points and leaves seventh in career scoring. Gorman graduates 10th in career defensive actions.
“We were not expected to do as well as we did,” Hardy said. “For sure, whenever I was down, they always picked me up and got me back.”