GIRLS LACROSSE: Rothenberger, Davis help build Abington Heights into superpower

Allie Rothenberger played a major role in building the Abington Heights girls lacrosse program into a conference and district power.

As she prepares to hand the baton to her friend and teammate, Morgan Davis, they aim to create another memorable experience.

Both Rothenberger, who forged a lasting legacy, and Davis, a second-year star, lead the Lady Comets into the District 2 Class 2A postseason as the two-time defending champions. They are determined and focused on maintaining the standard of excellence steadily built for a program that started in 2017.

“It’s been nothing short of amazing being a part of this program,” Rothenberger said. “It is surreal. It seems that the program has been around forever, but it really hasn’t. We followed in the footsteps of the players who got it going, and we watched how hard they worked. We have carried that and worked just as hard.”

It took Abington Heights girls lacrosse only two seasons to earn a .500 record in the Wyoming Valley Conference. Then, after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season, the Lady Comets started their trek toward a championship level.

Abington Heights finished 7-6 in the WVC in 2021, was 9-5 in 2022 and pushed Wyoming Area in the District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals. Emily Bartell was one of those standout players who helped establish the foundation for the future Lady Comets and scored 100 career goals.

In 2023, the Lady Comets became a force. They were the runner-up to Crestwood in the WVC and had a 13-1 record. Crestwood defeated Abington Heights, 17-5, in the regular season, but in the rematch for the District 2 Class 2A title, Bartell scored four goals and Caly Yankow, another pillar of the program, had three in a 12-8 loss.

For the past three years, Rothenberger, a freshman on that 2023 team, carried that experience. She has been the catalyst for sustained success.

Two seasons ago, as a sophomore, the speedy midfielder had 50 goals and 33 assists and earned The Times-Tribune Player of the Year. She led the Lady Comets to the District 2 Class 2A championship and the PIAA playoffs.

Last season, Rothenberger was selected as the WVC Coaches’ Player of the Year after scoring 70 goals, including nine in the PIAA tournament. Abington Heights won a second straight District 2 title.

In her senior year, Rothenberger committed to Rider University, and fueled a dominant run for the Lady Comets in 2026.

“It’s been crazy,” Rothenberger said. “The time has flown by. I feel like I was just a freshman making the varsity team, and now this season, I am a captain. I am a perfectionist, and I have worked on my game. Coach Becky (Davis) has always told me to believe in myself, and that has played a big part in my success.”

Last season, Davis made quite a first impression as a freshman. With her mom as a successful coach, her passion for lacrosse started as early as kindergarten.

During club lacrosse, her quickness and skills helped build a reputation for being a dynamic scorer. As a freshman, Davis had 83 goals and 29 assists during the Lady Comets’ dominant run to the district title, and earned The Times-Tribune Player of the Year.