JEFFERSON TWP — Mandi Boldy is a newbie surrounded by newbies.

But this newbie may not be a nobody for very much longer.

The Knoch sophomore has been playing lacrosse for barely one year. But what Boldy lacks in experience, she has made up for in pure scoring punch.

“She showed last season she had potential,” said Knoch girls lacrosse coach Garett Butler. “I knew she had improved coming into this season. But did I expect this? No.”

Boldy has excelled on a team long on youth and short on experience. Only four of the 36 players on the varsity and junior varsity roster had experience in the sport heading into this season.

They have all learned quickly during their on-the-job training.

Behind Boldy and her prodigious scoring this season, the Knights already have matched their win total from last year and sit at 2-4. Two of those losses have come by one goal.

Boldy scored five goals in a 14-5 win over Hempfield Saturday. She also had three assists.

In Knoch's other win, a 13-4 triumph against Blackhawk, Boldy was at it again with four goals and two assists.

She's only been held to fewer than two goals in a game once.

“Yeah, I'm pretty surprised; I'm not going to lie,:” Boldy said. “I practiced a lot this summer.”

Boldy wasn't alone.

A slew of her teammates worked out and played pick-up games with the four experienced players returning to the team.

Senior defensive specialist Jenna Morrow said she has been amazed by how quickly the younger players have developed in such a short period of time.

“They have a lot of potential,” Morrow said. “They have a ton of talent. They are very athletic. These sophomore girls, in two years, they are going to be in the playoffs. They have picked it up way faster than I did when I started.”

Morrow began playing lacrosse as a freshman and has developed into a solid defensive player for the Knights.

Lauren Crist, Janet Rieck, Desiree Goldstrohm and Morrow were the only returning players with extensive varsity experience.

Even Butler has been surprised by the rapid development of the team.

“I even told the girls that,” the coach said. “They are further along than I would have expected.”

Especially Boldy, a softball player growing up who decided to exchange her aluminum bat for a crosse.

“I don't know how to pinpoint it,” Butler said of Boldy. “She's just done a nice job handling passing, catching, handling and keeping her head up to make a pass. It sounds like those things would be simple, but around all that chaos, it's not. She's just better at everything.”

And she, as well as many of her teammates, are mere sophomores.

Morrow, one of the senior leaders, has seen their work ethic first hand.

“You can tell they go home and practice,” Morrow said. “They're improving so fast. It's probably a good thing they are so young because they really haven't gotten into any bad habits.”

Boldy said there is little reason to believe the team will not keep improving.

The bottom line: the Knights are having too much fun to fail.

“We work so well together because we are all best friends and are learning the game at the same time,” Boldy said. “I like it a lot.”