BUFFALO TWP — Since the turn of this century, boys and girls lacrosse have taken a firm hold at several high schools in Butler County.

Freeport seems to be next in line.

Both Yellowjacket programs are beginning their second year of varsity play. The boys game, in particular, is taking off in the district.

“We have a varsity team, but we also have 18 kids playing junior varsity and three different teams at the junior high level,” said Freeport varsity coach Jarvis Lindsay. “We started a U11 team in 2012. Now those kids are coming through the high school program. They have five years of lacrosse under their belt and it's tremendous.

“We don't have to spend as much time working on fundamentals like passing and groundballs and it makes things much easier. My assistant coach, Dave Riley, is now able to come up with different schemes, rotations and formations. He wasn't able to do that in the past.”

The 'Jackets enthusiasm for the sport is needed for a program that will face some heavy hitters this spring. Included on the team's schedule are Mars and Hampton, who played each other for the WPIAL Division II title last May.

Freeport finished 5-7 last year.

“Freeport is not a big school district and we are competing for kids with baseball and a very successful track program,” added Lindsay. “The goal is always to make the playoffs, but our success will not necessarily be based on our won/loss record. Are we getting better? That's what is most important to me.”

The Yellowjackets' first foray into girls lacrosse was during a non-varsity season in 2015 and the team lost all six of its games.

“Freeport was lucky if it had enough girls to play a game that year,” said second-year coach Bob Conklin. “We entered into a co-op with Armstrong High School last year and those extra players have really helped us.”

This season, 13 of the team's players are from Freeport while five attend Armstrong. They are coming together to try and improve on last year's 2-11 record.

Unlike the boys program, there is no junior varsity or junior high girls teams. That must change if the 'Jackets are to meet with and sustain success.

“I used to coach at Indiana and the younger players would come up and by the time they hit the varsity team, they were so much quicker and faster. It's very helpful.

“But a lot of areas struggle with (junior high) teams. We encourage girls in seventh and eighth grade to come to the games. Maybe if they see the older girls out there playing, they would think about coming out.

“We're trying to get an after-school program set up for next fall at both Freeport and Armstrong, something to spark their interest.”