The driving forces for Pleasant Valley’s rise to girls lacrosse success this season were two sharpshooting midfielders.

For leading the Bears to an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference title and a District 11 championship, senior Devon Bush and junior Rylee Rath have both been selected as recipients of the 2025 Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Lacrosse Players of the Year.

“Devon’s career at Pleasant Valley speaks for itself,” said head coach Toni Bush.

“She scored her 400th career goal in the last game in the state quarterfinals. She also has set the school records for most career points with 544, and most forced turnovers with 149.”

This season, Devon scored 111 goals and had a school record of 58 assists to bring her assist career total to another record-breaking number of 202.

Her list of postseason awards includes the 2024 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference MVP, three-year, First Team EPC All-Star, Morning Call Lacrosse Player of the Year, and this is her third time winning the TN/LVHN Lacrosse POY.

Devon has spearheaded four outstanding lacrosse seasons at Pleasant Valley. During her tenure, the Bears have been four-time EPC league champs, two-time District 11 champs, and two-time, state quarter-finalists.

Coach Bush would be the first to tell anyone that the success for her PV lacrosse program would not have been possible without Devon’s teammate, Rylee Rath.

A three-year starter for the Bears, Rylee has 303 goals and 114 assists thus far in her career, with another season yet to play. This year, she found the back of the net 47 times and assisted on 43 goals.

“Devon works very hard at the game,” said Coach Bush. “She’s a power player, smart off the ball, a good dodger with a precise shot and an excellent defender. She’s not flashy and does not bring attention to herself.

“Rylee is very technical in her game,” added Coach Bush. “She may be small in stature, but she plays with a lot of muscle.

“She’s scrappy. She wins a lot of ground balls, and her shots from the angles are strong and difficult to stop.”

Playing lacrosse since she was 4 years old, Devon has honed her skills and become an elite player at the high school level.

“It takes a commitment of course,” said Devon. “I love our practices, but not so much for the work we have to put in to be successful, but I love being around my teammates and celebrating with them when we win.”

In her own words, Devon says she’s been “hit and beat up a lot” from the physical contact that comes with the game of lacrosse, but that sacrificing her body has paid dividends with helping her team win 78 games in her four-year stint at Pleasant Valley.

As she closes the door on her PV career, Devon’s favorite memories are beating Easton last year for the district title, and scoring her 400th goal.

“I scored the 400th at a time in the state quarterfinal when it didn’t look like we were going to win the game. I really wished it would have happened in my final home game, but there wasn’t enough time at the end to get me the chance.”

Devon’s teammate and friend, Rath, began her lacrosse career at age 5.

“I just love the game because it plays fast, you need a lot of energy and no lead is big enough.

“The score can change quickly, and you can win a game even if you are behind by a lot of goals.”

Rylee’s three seasons playing lacrosse have been quite impressive. She was the 2025 EPC MVP. She was also selected to the EPC First Team All-Star team three years in a row, and was also named USA Lacrosse All American.

“If I had to pick my most memorable game this season, it would be scoring my 300th goal on an eight meter (penalty) shot against Emmaus.”

With Devon’s graduation, Rylee sets her sights on her friend’s school record.

“I’d like to beat her career goals’ record,” she said with a laugh, “and I’d like to get my 500 draw wins up to 700 or 800.”

Devon Bush plans to continue her lacrosse career at East Stroudsburg University where she intends to major in specialized nursing.

Rath has committed to Northwestern University, where she intends to join their highly successful women’s team that was ranked third in the country this year.

Two Times News Girls Lacrosse Players of the Year, once connected at the hip to terrorize opposing goalies, will now separate for their next ventures, but they still will remain friends no matter how much distance lies between them.