Montclair High School Brings in Young, Familiar Face to Lead Girls Lacrosse
It was not long ago that the new Montclair High School girls lacrosse head coach was actually on the Woodman Field wearing the Mounties blue and white.
Emily Crane last carried her stick for Montclair in 2021 and her last game was against Ridgewood, a 20-9 loss in the North, Group 4 semifinals.
Crane would move on and play four impressive seasons of lacrosse at Gettysburg College including her senior year where she was second on the team in goals and points with 59 and 77 respectively. She collected 168 goals and 48 assists for the Bullets in her four seasons.
And she was part of the 2023 and 2025 Gettysburg teams that made it to the NCAA Division III title game and the NCAA Division III semifinal game respectively. In her senior year she helped lead Gettysburg to a 19-4 record and all the way to the NCAA Division III semifinals where they lost to Tufts. Crane had a pair of goals.
After graduating from Gettysburg in May, she wanted to continue her education and is working toward her master’s degree in Elementary Education at Montclair State University. And added that her long term goal is to be an elementary school team and to be a high school lacrosse coach. Crane coached last fall at Montclair State and found out about the job opening at Montclair High School for the head coach for the Mounties.
Crane Takes a Shot at Job Opening
“I actually found out about the opening at Montclair High School through parents in the community who let me know the position was available,” said Emily. “Once I heard about it, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue because Montclair means a lot to me as a former player.”
In choosing Crane in December and ratified by the school board in February, Montclair Athletic Director Matthew Belford said that she was picked for her ‘energy’ and local connection to the youth lacrosse programs.
“A former standout Mounties player who has tremendous energy and had great experience as one of Gettysburg all-time players,” said Belford. “A lot of positive energy about her hire and her connection to the lower levels to bring back the program’s storied tradition.”
With only 11 months from graduating at Gettysburg, she does understand that there could be skepticism of her leading a varsity team.
Coach: ‘Young and Fresh Out of College’
“I’m definitely aware that I’m young and fresh out of college, and it’s something I did think about when deciding to accept the job,” said Emily. “I understand that some people might question it at first, but for me it was an opportunity I felt ready to take on. I’ve been around this program and this community for a long time, and I care deeply about the team and what it represents.”
Crane takes over for Kim Depaolera who was her coach in her junior and senior seasons with the Mounties. The junior year though was cancelled because of COVID. Depaolera also was a young coach when she took over the reins at Montclair and Crane has talked to Depaolera about coaching.
“I’ve talked with her a bit while preparing for the season, mostly just discussing the experience of being a young coach and learning how to navigate the position, since she was also young when she first came to Montclair,” said Crane. “At the same time, I’ve tried not to get into too many specifics about the team because I want the chance to evaluate the players and build the program from my own perspective. That said, she’s someone I respect a lot, and I’m grateful to have her as a resource if I ever need advice during the season.”
Never Expected to be Montclair Head Coach
“Growing up when I played at Montclair High School, I never really imagined that one day I would come back as the head coach,” said Crane. “At the time I was thinking about my time there and my next steps for playing the sport. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be an elementary school teacher and coach lacrosse at the high school level, so it’s pretty incredible that this opportunity opened up right as I graduated (from Gettysburg). I think I always thought it would be cool to coach at Montclair High School, but never thought it would actually happen.”
In the fall she got a little taste of coaching on the college level nearby. “This past fall, I had the opportunity to help coach at Montclair State University, which was an incredible experience and a great way to stay involved in the game while learning more about coaching,” added Crane. “However, when the head coaching position opened up at Montclair High School, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Because of the timing and responsibilities that come with being a head coach, I had to step away from coaching at the college level, but I’m extremely grateful for that experience and everything I learned from it.”
And she said that it is that her ‘energy’ will be an asset for the Montclair girls lacrosse program.
“I also think that coming in with a lot of energy, passion, and a strong connection to the game can be really valuable for a program,” said the new head coach. “At the same time, I don’t see my age as something that holds me back. I just finished my lacrosse career at Gettysburg College, so I’m bringing a very recent playing perspective and a lot of knowledge from my experiences as a college athlete.”
Jim Crane, Deep Roots with Montclair
And one of her other attributes is her family’s connection with the town especially with her father Jim Crane, growing up in Montclair.
“Growing up in Montclair, you tend to stay connected to the community and the local sports programs,” said Crane. “My family also has deep roots in the area, my father (Jim Crane) grew up in Montclair as well, so we’ve always had connections with many of the lacrosse families in town. Because of that, I’ve gotten to know some of the players and their families over time, which makes coming back to coach at Montclair High School even more meaningful. It really feels like I’m giving back to a community and program that I’ve been around for most of my life.”
She added that because her sister, Meghan, was around for a few years at Montclair while she was at Gettysburg that she knows of a few of the members of the 2026 team. Meghan Crane is currently following in her sister’s footsteps and is a junior for Gettysburg College women’s lacrosse.
“I do know some of the girls on this year’s team,” added Crane. “A few of the seniors I’m familiar with because my younger sister, Meghan Crane, was a senior when they were freshmen, so I’ve known of them and followed their careers over the years.”
Some of the top players back from a 5-13 team are goal scorers in junior Keira Griswold (20 goals), senior Anahi Mendez (15), senior Thea McGarry (12) and junior Delilah Nicoll (7). There is also the return of top goalie senior Sefina Morrison as well as the comeback of senior Hannah Rosenheck and sophomore Riley Hacking who suffered a torn ACL last season.
The Emily Crane era starts on April 1 at home against Columbia in the season opener.
She added that her background over the years, especially with success at Montclair and Gettysburg will bring a winning tradition for the Mounties that have a tough schedule every season.
“I’ve learned from great coaches and teammates along the way, and now I’m excited to take those lessons and apply them in a coaching role,” said Crane. “I also hope that being closer in age makes me approachable for the players. I want them to feel comfortable coming to me with questions, challenges, or anything they might be going through on or off the field. My goal is to support them, help them grow as athletes, and guide them in the right direction.”
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Montclair Girls Lacrosse is proud to announce the eighth head coach in the program’s history, Emily Crane.
A Montclair High School Class of 2021 graduate, Emily was recognized as Female Athlete of the Year, an Academic All-American, and served as a team captain during her senior year. She went on to play lacrosse at Gettysburg College, graduating in 2025, where she also served as a team captain.
Emily is currently coaching with Centercourt Lacrosse and brings prior club coaching experience with DewLax. She previously served as a Graduate Assistant with the Montclair State University lacrosse program. Emily is proud to return to Montclair and give back to the MHS program that helped shape her as a student-athlete.
******ANNOUNCEMENT *****
The Montclair High School Girls Lacrosse program is looking for passionate, dedicated coaches to join our family for the upcoming season! If interested, please reach out to head coach Emily Crane at 973.868.5563 or [email protected].
2026 LACROSSE SEASON PLAYER REGISTRATION
Are you interested in playing girls lacrosse? The MHS Girls Lax team is collecting contact information for new and returning players and their parents so important updates about the team and the season can be communicated. Please complete this link. Please note the link has also been posted on grade level google classroom pages. If your child completed the form there, you do not need to complete it again.
IMPORTANT DATES
| First Practice: | 03/09/2026 |
| Competition May Begin: | 03/16/2026 |
| Entry Form Opens: | 05/01/2026 |
| Entry Form Closes: | 05/11/2026 |
| Conflict of Interest Form: | 05/11/2026 |
| Cutoff: | 05/19/2026 |
| PowerPoints Close (12:00pm): | 05/20/2026 |
| Seeding: | 05/21/2026 |
| Regular Season Competition Ends: | 06/14/2026 |
https://www.njsiaa.org/sports/lacrosse-girls
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1: | 05/28/2026* | Higher Seed |
| Round 2: | 06/01/2026* | Higher Seed |
| Round 3: | 06/04/2026* | Higher Seed |
| Sectional Finals: | 06/09/2026* | Higher Seed |
| State Finals: | 06/12/2026 or 06/13/2026 | TBA |
https://www.njsiaa.org/sports/lacrosse-girls
https://www.sec.powermediallc.org/
Registration for Spring 2026 Lacrosse is now OPEN!
REGISTRATION LINK
Girls Lacrosse Club of Montclair
The objective of the Girls Lacrosse Club of Montclair is to foster the growth of girls lacrosse in the Montclair area.
The Club provides the opportunity to learn and play lacrosse for girls in grades K-8th and
places emphasis on the player as a positive competitor, supportive teammate and conditioned athlete.
IMPORTANT DATES:
K and 1st - Start date: March 14th, 2026
2nd-8th - Start date: March 7, 2026
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
Girls lacrosse stick, mouth guard, goggles, water bottle, sneakers or cleats. Grades 3-8will also require a uniform, you can order here:
UNIFORM LINK
If you have difficulty in obtaining the required equipment or need any financial assistance, please contact Meagan Coomber 908-655-7140.
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Little Laxers: Kindergarten – 1st Grade Saturday 12-1pm @ Fortunato Field Fee: $150 The Little Laxers program is run by the Montclair High School coaches and players on Saturdays from 12-1pm. This entry point into lacrosse is all about fun and learning the fundamentals. |
2nd Grade In-House League & Practices Saturday 1-2pm In-House Games @ Fortunato Monday & Wednesday Practices 5:30-6:30 @ Fortunato Fee: $250 In addition to 2 practices per week, the 2nd grade will participate in approximately 8-10 intramural games against one another on Saturday mornings in our In-House League. Players will be “drafted” onto evenly split teams with the 3rd graders and compete in fun games that help the players learn positions and rules! Every level of player is welcome!
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3rd Grade In-House League & Travel Saturday 1-2pm In-House Games @ Fortunato Monday & Wednesday Practices 5:30-6:30pm @ Fortunato Fee: $325 All 3rd grade girls will get to participate in both our In-House League on Saturdays as well as approx. 6 travel games against neighboring towns! The girls will also practice 2 times per week as they focus on fundamentals, positioning and rules. As always, we want the girls to develop their skills in a supportive and fun environment. Every level of player is welcome! |
4th Grade - 8th Grade Travel Fee: $350 Girls Lacrosse Club of Montclair welcomes players of ALL levels to join our teams! Each grade level will have approximately 8-10 games against neighboring towns and practices will focus on both skills and game development. 4th grade Practices Saturday 3:30-5pm @ Woodman Monday & Wednesday 5:30-7 @ Woodman 5th Grade Practices Saturday 3:30-5pm @ Fortunato Tuesday & Thursday 5:30-7pm @ Woodman 6th Grade Practices Saturday 3:30-5pm @ Fortunato Monday & Wednesday 5:30-7pm @ Woodman 7th Grade Practices Saturday 2-3:30pm @ Fortunato Tuesday & Thursday 5:30-7pm @ Fortunato 8th Grade Practices Saturday 2-3:30pm @ Woodman Monday & Wednesday 5:30-7 @ Fortunato |
PLEASE CONTACT MEAGAN COOMBER WITH ANY QUESTIONS
Cell: 908-655-7140 OR Email: [email protected]
