Bearden finding new scorers
Coming into the 2026 season, Bearden High School girls lacrosse team had to replace some key players that graduated in 2025.
The Lady Bulldogs and coach Dawn Coe are rapidly finding replacements for the players who departed following last year.
“We lost a lot of scorers and a lot of great defensive players to graduation,” Cole said. “We’ve had some kids really step up on defense and we’ve really had some kids step up and score goals.”
Through the first four games of the 2026 campaign, the Lady Bulldogs have a 2-2 overall record with wins over Pigeon Forge (17-2) and St. Cecilia Academy (16-5). Bearden’s losses have come to Page and Father Ryan, two of the Nashville Area’s top teams. The Lady Patriots are the defending state champions while the Lady Irish are a power in the Midstate.
“Page is the defending state champion and Father Ryan, out of Nashville, has a really good team,” Coe said. “They have a Division I and Division II (college) recruit on their team.”
Bearden lost its season opener to Page, 7-3, late last month before bouncing back to rout St. Cecilia and the Lady Tigers. The Lady Bulldogs have boasted a balanced scoring attack out of the gate this season.
Kathryn Line has bound the back of the opposing net eight times this season and is Bearden’s leading goal scorer. Kendall Coe has amassed five goals in the Lady Bulldogs’ first four matches while Riley Hart has scored six goals. Madeline Councill and Shea Akagi have scored six goals each.
“Our scoring has been pretty much spread out,” Coach Coe said.
Bearden goalie Anna Conklin has recorded a .463 save percentage.
“Anna has a pretty good save percentage and she’s definitely kept us in games,” Coach Coe said.
Bearden returned to action in a game against William Blount in Maryville Tuesday but results were not available at press time.
