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Lacrosse has been a constant in Gracie Hart’s life and in her mind since she began playing the sport in kindergarten. With a college commitment in place, her senior season of high school lacrosse is fully devoted to helping the Oxford Hills girls earn a postseason berth.

Hart comes from a lacrosse family — her mother, Carrie Graver, played at Clarkson College; and her brother, Carter Hart, played for Oxford Hills before graduating in 2023. Graver founded the local travel team, Wicked Lacrosse, more than a decade ago. Hart also has several cousins who have played for the Vikings, including current freshman Anderson Marr.

Hart surpassed 100 career goals last season when she netted 65 goals while scoring on 69% of her shots. The Vikings, though, finished 5-10 and fell to eventual Class A champion Yarmouth in the preliminary round of the playoffs. Oxford Hills and fourth-year coach Jenna Durgin hope last season was a learning experience that will make the team stronger.

“You see a record, and that’s what it is, but we have that record because we play great teams,” Durgin said. “That’s how you get better as a program, so we really try to focus on that. … Unfortunately, that means some losses along the way, but it’s what you do with that and how you grow from that that makes the program kind of shoot off and have great trajectory year over year.”

Hart has played for travel teams such as Maineiax and Maine Elite since middle school, and said several of her teammates are players from southern Maine powerhouses like Falmouth and Yarmouth. That’s boosted her confidence to be great while also being a good teammate.

“She loves to make everybody feel included, and I think in doing that, she maybe downplayed some of her own talent, but she’s definitely, with a gracious step, stepped into owning who she is as a player, and it’s not cocky and it’s not aggressive in the way that it’s in your face, but she’ll put a goal right in the back of the net,” Durgin said.

Hart, one of the Vikings’ six seniors, is the catalyst of the team’s offense through scoring, winning draws and creating plays for herself and others. Her favorite trick shot is the Twizzler, a cross-body underhand shot with a scoop and twist. She said she likes to “get sneaky with it,” and slip a Twizzler into the back of the net from the top of the crease.

Hart, who has committed to play at St. Michael’s College, an NCAA Division II school in Vermont, leads an experience and talented attack that also includes senior Abigail Marcotte and junior Mallory Kennagh.

“Those two, I have grown up with, they are so fantastic and so amazing,” Hart said. “Mallory is younger than me, but she plays for Maine Elite, too, so we’re close through that. I like everything about our attack line, I trust (them).”

Hart describes herself as one of the more intense players on the team, due to the pressure she puts on herself to succeed. But that doesn’t stop her from having fun on the field or enjoying her teammates — especially after an Oxford Hills goal.

“Everybody’s always just (in) a group hug in the middle of the field, and everybody’s jumping up and down, freaking out, like, ‘Oh, my God,’ and it’s so fun,” Hart said. “You’re like, rushing to get back because you’re so excited.”