The Spartan girls look for a ‘threepeat’ as new players come up through the ranks.

It’s the proverbial “elephant in the bedroom” – the Bainbridge girls lacrosse team’s chances of winning a third straight state title.

Some coaches in other sports wouldn’t talk about their teams going for a three-peat, but Tami Tommila – who coached with Laurie Usher the last time Bainbridge won three in a row from 1994 to 1996 – doesn’t want the squad to tiptoe around the issue.

“There’s all these unknowns and there’s all these expectations (because) they’re following such a tradition,” she said. “It’s a lot of pressure for young kids, and I realize that, so we talk about that a lot. I think the acknowledgment of it is really good because it gets it out in the open.”

Senior attacker Jane Baumgartner felt they’ll deal with the challenge.

“You can’t say there isn’t pressure,” she said. “It would be nice to make it to State, but it’s a long journey ahead.”

“We just have to focus on one game at a time,” said senior midfielder Colbi Brawner, also a captain.

They’ll need that focus to deal with the big expectations as their quest for a third straight title gets under way for the 2006 prep season.

The Spartans lost 13 seniors from last year’s team, including co-captains in Christen Toepel, Amy Gulbranson and All-American Kathryn Bachen, who was second in goals scored to Alexandra Winnicki, who also graduated.

Several from last year’s team have returned, including senior goalkeeper and co-captains Dimi Lotakis, Baumgartner and Brawner.

Senior defender Abbey Pearl, junior attacker Marley Horne, junior midfielder Tarie Caouette and junior defender Erin Gulbranson also return.

Plus, there are some new skilled faces on the team, which Lotakis likes.

“It’s fun to see so many young, talented players out,” she said. “We have a lot of freshmen out that are really good. It’s really nice to know that by the time they’re seniors, they’re just going to rock.”

Out of the newcomers, four freshman make the squad in Rachel Harmon, Sarah Shea, Mariah Walk and Sally Baumgartner, Jane’s younger sister.

The latter two are members of the Northwest Regional team.

“We are continuously getting talent from the middle school teams,” Tommila said. “(The four we have) are such good athletes. If you have incredible athletes, you can make them into any sport you want, and I’m glad they picked lacrosse.”

Tommila also likes their hunger to improve, noting that many of them have trained off-season on the track and by playing as much lacrosse as they can.

“Our team goal has been the same the past few years, which is ‘Seek unlimited potential in each other,’” she said. “If you want to be successful, you want to work as hard as your teammates and make your teammates better, which makes you better.

“Just your desire is going to make a difference.”

That desire is going to be tested as several players get used to new positions, especially on defense as they try to replace the entire starting line.

Tommila knows she and the kids have some work to do.

“I’ve never yelled so much as I did than at the Jamboree last Saturday,” she said. “The first game I realized that I’m going to have to teach this year. There’s a lot of teaching and that’s my style and they have a lot to learn, but I also realized that for so many of them they haven’t been here yet and played these teams and been on these fields.”

She received some encouraging news as the Spartans defeated Mercer Island, Lincoln and the Oregon state champion Lake Oswego.

They also defeated Lakeside 9-4 at Lakeside High School on Wednesday in a rematch of last year’s championship game, which bodes well for their prospects of a third straight title win.

Lotakis knows that Tommila will have them prepared for the long road ahead. Tommila has advised the team to not think of the last two years as anything special, Lotakis said.

“It’s really nice to have that success and be able to say that we went there and got the state championship twice, but it’s a new team and like Jane said, it’s a new journey,” Lotakis said.

Bainbridge hosts Seattle Prep in their home opener March 22.