Four years ago, Taylor O’Gara would never have imagined all she would accomplished. The Curtis star only picked up a lacrosse stick as a freshman and turned into one of the city's best players.
“I never thought it would get this big,” the senior said. “I’m so grateful and happy to be here.”
Here was the Brooklyn Marriott Monday night, where O’Gara was honored with the PSAL girls lacrosse Wingate Award, given to the top senior in each spot. She described it an amazing honor to be in the same room with so many of the athletes she had only seen or read about over the years.
Denis Gostev
Taylor O'Gara of Curtis was the girls lacrosse PSAL Wingate Award winner.
Not bad for a kid who never heard of the sport until she entered Curtis, trying out at the behest of friend Erin Jacobson, the Warriors eventual goalie.
“I really loved it ever since then,” O’Gara said. “I’m happy to have made such a great choice.”
She ended up having of the best careers ever by a PSAL player. O’Gara scored 189 league goals in her career. That included a remarkable 98 this year, a PSAL single-season record, to go along with 17 assists. The Warriors went 41-18 in league play during her four years on the team and made three trips to the PSAL Class A final.
“By sophomore year, the end of it, she started putting in goals and we knew we had a really good player on our hands,” Curtis coach Matt Gonzalez said.
O’Gara tried her hardest to bring home a title to the St. George school this spring. She scored six goals in a semifinal win over Midwood and six more, including the tying score with 42 seconds left in the first overtime, in a championship game loss to Tottenville. It earned her MVP honors, despite the loss. Before the final contest, all of her teammates dyed their hair her signature red.
“[They] said it was for me,” O’Gara said. “It was just really nice for them to do it.”
She will continue her career at Robert Morris University in Illinois, an NAIA school where she received a full scholarship. O’Gara visited in November, felt comfortable playing with the girls on the team and fell in love with the area. She loved their cohesiveness and picked them over Detroit Mercy.
“It’s something I never thought I’d be able to do,” O’Gara said of playing in college.
Gonzalez believes because of her limited time playing the sport, she still has plenty of growing to do and her best is still to be seen.
“I could be more proud of her,” Gonzalez said. “She started as a freshman and improved every year and this year to have the season she had. ... I think she is going to improve and be a big asset to that program.”
jstaszewski@nypost.com
Taylor O’Gara, PSAL, O’Gara, Curtis coach Matt Gonzalez, Gara, The Warriors
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