The MIAA spring season has begun, and many familiar teams should be at the top of the power rankings for Division 1 and 2 girls lacrosse.

Central Catholic and Notre Dame Academy are the defending champions in Division 1 and 2, respectively, with the Raiders winning their first title in program history. Central head coach Vanessa Pino said that the memories of last year will stay, but her team is ready to move on to the future.

“We’re not letting go of last year, but we are putting it in the past,” Pino said. “It’s a new season and a new team. We know what worked last year, we are trying to implement things that will help this year’s team and then we will go from there.”

Central Catholic lost 10 seniors from last year’s champions, but Pino said the core will be able to step up. She mentioned sophomore Sarah Wilson and freshman Maddie Finneran as names to monitor, while Kerri Finneran will be among the state’s best.

“We have a roster of 17 and everyone is very capable of being on the field,” Pino said. “It’s just about putting the pieces together and meshing well.”

Wellesley was the Division 1 runner-up last season and head coach Steve Balter said a stacked upper class that includes seven NCAA Division I commits should make the team a formidable foe.

“Last year the sophomore and junior classes formed the foundation of our midfield and attack,” Balter said. “We graduated three defenders and one attacker but the core group is back and they are now seniors and juniors so they are really experienced, skilled and motivated.”

Kaitlyn Uller, Abigail Beggans, Olivia Comella and Tara Battaglino are a few of the notable returners for Wellesley. Other teams to monitor in Division 1 are Concord-Carlisle, Lincoln-Sudbury, Acton-Boxboro, Andover and North Andover.

The Notre Dame Cougars have ruled Division 2 for a bit, having won three consecutive state championships. Some notable names like Jane Hilsabeck and Siobhan Colin have moved on to the collegiate ranks, but head coach Meredith Frank McGinnis believes a core led by Emma Connerty, Caroline Haggerty, Ava Orlando and Adair Routh will be able to keep the success coming.

“When you have success in the past, people like to raise the bar for expectations,” Frank McGinnis said. “I just want them to be confident in the way they execute, know they are getting better every single time they are picking up a stick and enjoying every time they pick up a stick.”

She noted that the previous success and a difficult independent schedule will mean they get every opponent’s best effort.

“Every single team is going to show up with their best game,” Frank McGinnis said. “We’re going to have our work cut out for us. We’re going to work day by day and try to get on the same page as quickly as we can.”

Walpole fell in a tight game to Notre Dame in last year’s Division 2 title game and head coach Mike Tosone said the team is back and will play with a tenacious style.

“We’re very athletic and very fast,” Tosone said. “We can score goals in bunches, it doesn’t always have to be a systematic, settled offense. We can push it like a fast break offense in basketball, there’s definitely similarities to that in how we produce offense.”

Caitlyn Naughton and Sophia Fruci are just some of the numerous starters’ returning from last year’s lineup as the Timberwolves look to make noise once again. Other teams to monitor are Hingham, Duxbury, Westwood and Reading.

Players to watch

Tara Battagliano (Wellesley); Kassidy Carmichael (Westford Academy); Caroline Connelly (Hingham); Emma Connerty (Notre Dame Hingham); Mira Flaherty (Weymouth); Kerri Finneran (Central Catholic); Sophia Fruci (Walpole); Brooke Lomasney (Peabody); Grace Maroney (Hingham); Teagan Morrissey (Concord-Carlisle); Karleigh Mutch (Concord-Carlisle); Caroline Nozzolillo (Westwood); Caitlyn Naughton (Walpole); Libby Quinn (Reading); Isa Robinson (North Andover); Ella Ryan (Lincoln-Sudbury); Maggie Slimbaugh (Duxbury); and Kaitlyn Uller (Wellesley).