Goalie Smith finally gets to shine for Shawnee girls' lacrosse

Her introduction to the definition of teamwork - the real definition of teamwork - came late in her freshman year.

That was the year Bianca Smith, No. 22 on the Shawnee girls' lacrosse team, learned an important lesson in perspective.

It's a key ingredient to her incredibly positive attitude. And it has helped her answer those tired questions often asked by adults who lacked the perspective Smith gained when she was 14.

Was she frustrated? Was she mad? Is it tough?

How did it feel to be a Division I recruit but not a varsity starter on your high school team?

Smith - a Boston University recruit who is now, finally, a first-year senior starter in net for the 9-0 Renegades - smiles and points to the number on her jersey.

She thinks back to when she shared the sideline with the other No. 22. Katie Kernan. A senior. A Division I recruit. A player who wanted to be on the field more than anything - but couldn't.

"I got to travel with the varsity team for playoffs that year, which was awesome. So I remember Katie always keeping stats every game. I remember her always trying to be as much a part of the team as she could," Smith said of her teammate who, little more than a year later, died after a courageous battle with brain cancer.

"She obviously couldn't be on the field," Smith added. "But she was the heart of the team."

Last year, the Renegades started a tradition. Each season, the senior who most exemplifies the traits displayed by Kernan - strength, teamwork, bravery, perseverance (this list could go on) - will wear the No. 22.

This year, it's Smith. And, really, it's a natural fit.

"The amazing thing about Bianca is how positive she was the entire time she was a backup," said coach Julie McGrory. "She was the best teammate you could ask for. She was always working hard, supporting everyone. It was an incredible thing.

"And now that she finally has her chance, she's showing just how talented of a goalie she is as well."

Kernan's place within Shawnee girls' lacrosse is legendary. It's part of the fabric of one of the most successful programs in state history. And it's part of the tradition Smith points to when she thinks about her time on the sidelines.

In some ways, she said, it's kind of cool.

On most other teams, not only would she have been a four-year starter, she likely could have been an all-South Jersey or all-state player.

But this is Shawnee.

"It's not even just about lacrosse. I just love being a part of this program," Smith said. "Not only for all of the history, but my best friends are on this team. I love every single girl on this team."

Shawnee is known for producing standout goalies, particularly over the last decade. Lily Argyle, a grade older than Smith and now playing at Vanderbilt, led her team to the sectional finals as a freshman and to the Tournament of Champions finals as a sophomore. There was no unseating her, which was just fine with Smith.

"She was my role model," Smith said.

And those aren't just words. Smith came to lacrosse later than most, especially by Shawnee standards.

She didn't take up the sport until eighth grade. And she started out as a field player.

"But I was terrible in the field," she said with a smile.

Nervous that she wouldn't make her eighth-grade team, Smith followed a suggestion from a few friends. She put on goalie pads. And, as it turns out, it was a natural fit.

"First of all, the rush is amazing. Making a save is the best feeling in the world," Smith said. "And just knowing that you're the last line of defense, I mean, it's scary sometimes, but it's the best feeling in the world."

Her bond with Argyle started even before high school.

"She doesn't remember this," Smith said. "But I went to a clinic at Shawnee when I was in eighth grade, and she was the instructor. I remember watching her make something that I knew was difficult look so simple. I was in awe. It was amazing."

That day was the foundation for what became a great friendship. Smith credits her fast rise as a goalie largely to the time she spent practicing with Argyle.

And even though she wasn't playing for the Renegades, she did rise - so fast that she earned a spot on the A team of the elite South Jersey Select club program, which led to her committing to Boston.

But not until this year did she know what it was like to play varsity for her high school team.

It's a chance she's relishing. She said it's been worth the wait.

More than that, Smith will be the last No. 22 who actually shared the sideline with Kernan - an honor she doesn't take lightly.

"You just have to work hard and keep the best attitude you can through everything. It's about being the best teammate you can be," Smith said. "That's what Katie was. And that's what I want to pass on to the other girls who didn't have the opportunity to see what I saw from Katie."

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