Her scoring numbers were staggering. She was a game changer, getting her biggest goals at the biggest moments.

Rylee Rath from Pleasant Valley is the 2026 Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year. Last year, she was a co-winner of the award with Toni Bush, also from PV.

Rath ended her stellar career with a record-breaking season. She scored 129 goals and contributed 44 assists for the 22-3 Bears, who won their third consecutive District 11 championship in her four years playing at the midfielder position. For her career, Rath scored 442 goals with 160 assists for an incredible 602 points.

“My personal goal coming into this year was to break the school goal scoring record,” she said, “but my focus was on helping our team win the league and district titles.”

Although Pleasant Valley lost to Nazareth in the EPC league final, the Bears got their revenge when Rath scored an overtime goal to beat the Blue Eagles 13-12 in the district title game.

“There were 20 seconds left in OT and their goalie had made some great saves,” said Rath. “I got the ball to the left of the net and moved to the right where a lane opened. I charged through and shot toward her left hip and the ball got by her and into the net.”

The Bears had stormed back from a five-goal deficit at halftime to tie the game.

“With four seconds left in regulation, Rylee hit the post with a rocket shot, but that gave her and our team an extra energy to get the win in OT,” said PV coach Hanna Doerner. “Her winning shot that won us the district championship will always be a great memory for me and after the game, she gave me the biggest hug that I will never forget.”

Another marquee game this year was a come-from-behind win over Southern Lehigh in which Rath fired eight shots that found the back of the net.

What makes her accomplishments even more impressive was the double team and face guarding she experienced during many of her games.

“I expected that, every team wanted to shut me down,” said Rath. “They wanted to bother me enough to take me off my game and get me angry, but that made me more confident in my ability.”

Doerner witnessed a superior potential when her star player was in the sixth grade.

“Rylee has a different grit about her, a work ethic and a competitive level that’s above and beyond many lacrosse players. This season, she took on a different role, one not only of leadership by example on the field, but to be more vocal to help our younger players.”

In the Bears’ high scoring offense, Rath often positioned herself on the wide flank of the goalie area. She would circle the net, looking for a lane to open for a pass or a shot.

She relied on her quickness; her signature move was a spin around to shake off the defensive opponent before she charged the net and slung a sure shot past the goalie.

Success in the game of lacrosse is often premised upon the number of possessions a team can gain off the draw at centerfield. This was Rath’s expertise. She won 395 draws this season and was well over 1,000 for her career.

“I never took the draws until I tried it one day,” explained Rath, who is self-taught with winning face-offs. “I pay attention to my opponent as to her body placement when the ball is set by the official. That helps me decide how I will position myself when the whistle blows.”

Rath was an offensive juggernaut, but she took pride in playing defense as well.

“I learned when to step up and stop an opponent when she had gained a burst of speed and then make her slow down and change direction or make her pass the ball.

“Lacrosse is a different game every time you play it,” she said. “Every day you have to make adjustments depending on who you’re playing.”

With her week-to-week outstanding success on the lacrosse field which included a nine-goal game against Saucon Valley, this senior — ranked in the top third of her class — caught the eye of several Division 1 recruiting colleges.

Northwestern, Syracuse, James Madison and Florida all had her on their radar screens.

“I chose Northwestern,” she said.

The Wildcats just won the national championship for the eighth time in school history with a victory over UNC before a record-breaking crowd.

“She made a great pick,” said Doerner. “She’ll be in a great program with the best players and coaches in the country. She won’t have to be the go-to girl right away, but I know she’ll embrace the opportunity. For Rylee, the sky is the limit.”

The expectation to be successful will motivate her at the next level after her incredible high school career. The Times News honors Rylee Rath as its 2026 Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.