Hinsdale Central girls lacrosse standouts Anna Santulli and Yasmain Hamood share more than the honor of being named 2015 first-team high school All-Americans by U.S. Lacrosse.
Santulli, an attacker who will be a junior this fall, and Hamood, a midfielder who will be a senior, both helped lead the Red Devils last month to the championship game of the state tournament. They finished with the second-best record in school history, 15-9 overall and 4-0 in the West Suburban.
A Stanford commit, Santulli earned the distinction for the second year in a row, while Hamood, who has signed with Penn State, was an All-America honorable mention in 2014.
Santulli and Hamood will anchor the Red Devils next season, along with nine seniors aiming to return to the state championship and avenge a 6-4 loss to Loyola in the 2015 final.
The Red Devils, which last won a state championship in 2007, have emerged as perennial contender, finishing in the top three in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Santulli said a reason for the honor is because of her teammate.
“After playing in two years of high school, we’ve learned to play well together and our skill sets complement each other well,” Santulli said of her relationship with Hamood.
An offensive force, Santulli paced the Red Devils with 109 goals and 146 points and had 81 draw controls. She finished second behind state leader Shayna Lutz of Glenbrook North in goals and third behind Lutz and Loyola’s Brennan Dwyer in points.
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Despite her huge contribution, Santulli downplayed her individual performance and credited the team efforts that have fueled her progress and rapid maturation.
“It’s not just about how I play, it’s more about how my team has pushed me to play and improve,” Santulli said. “I’ve really learned a lot from the older players and my coaches. Being one of the youngest girls on the team, it’s helped me grow a lot as a player.”
Hamood, who at one time was a competitive swimmer, might not have set her sights on State College, Pennsylvania, if she hadn’t followed the advice of a nanny. After Hamood was cut from the cheerleading team, her caretaker suggested she take up lacrosse.
Hamood not only found success in lacrosse, but also discovered a group of girls who were motivated and determined and united in a pursuit of a state title while being loose enough to enjoy their friendship off the field.
“The most rewarding part has been creating family out of it,” Hamood said. “We’re practically sisters and we’ve bonded throughout it.”
Hamood led Hinsdale Central with 27 caused turnovers, and her 58 goals and 78 points were second on the team.
The exposure and prestige that came with their All-American recognition enabled the two stars to sign with their college programs early. As a result, they’ve been able to focus on taking the Red Devils to the next level.
“I want to sharpen everything that I know how to do,” Hamood said. “We really owe it to the seniors that set the tone and the leadership they showed for us.”
The honors and college offers are another part of the proud tradition at Hinsdale Central that has provided a foundation for the future and is a source of inspiration.
“It reflects on the program very well,” Hamood said. “It all starts with Hinsdale Central.”
Stefan Modrich is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.