There were nearly six minutes still left to play in the first half of Austin Prep’s lacrosse matchup against host Marian High in Framingham Tuesday afternoon. But with a 9-2 advantage, the Cougars were on cruise control.

In the midst of an Austin Prep counter attack, junior midfielder Annie Richards shot up the field, collecting a lengthy pass at the top of the offensive zone with a clear path open down the left side.

She instinctively looped down and around the opposing net, scanning for teammates at the top of the crease. Eventually, she found her sister Ellie Richards, a freshman attack, for a delayed give-and-go, creating space for Annie. One quick unselfish pass back across the field later, Ellie slotted the ball inches above the opposing goalie’s right hip, extending Prep’s lead.

As the sisters subtly embraced with a light tap of their sticks, their mother, Liz, the team’s head coach, looked on approvingly, and not for the first time.

Annie Richards currently leads the Cougars with 97 points, and Ellie is second with 77.

In Ellie’s first season with the team, she’s quickly become one of its strongest weapons. The result has been a red-hot 17-3 start for a squad that looks to be a contender in Division 2 in the postseason.

The Richards sisters have long played together. Before high school, the pair was often matched on the same Reading Lacrosse Association youth team. The spaces in-between were filled in by casual games of catch at the family’s home in that town.

“Having familiar faces right from the beginning,’’ said Ellie Richards, “has definitely helped.’’

“With me being on the team,’’ said the elder Annie, “I feel she’s a lot more comfortable. We talk a lot about the pressure and stress that can come with playing varsity at a young age, and with our mother as a coach.

“My sister is a great player,’’ Annie added.

But great players or not, said their mother, their working dynamic isn’t always easy.

“It can be uncomfortable at times,’’ said Liz Richards with a laugh. “We try to keep everything lacrosse-related on the field instead of bringing it home. I’m so proud of both of them.’’

At Westford Academy, coach Julie Oliver’s team was hit with a wave of adversity over a five-game stretch early this season when a trio of starting midfielders, including junior midfielder and BC commit Haley Cogliano, fell to season-ending injuries. The Grey Ghosts, who came out of the stretch at 3-5, were suddenly at risk of a poor season.

“Midfielders are often the core of your team, the people you’re depending on both sides of the field and in the draw control,’’ said Oliver. “A lot of girls stepped up, though.’’

Among those doing so was a trio of freshmen: midfielders Abby Katz and Mary Cadogan and defenseman Morgan Freud.

“After [the injuries], and the shock of losing important players started to fade, I think I realized even though I was a freshman that I had a lot to offer,’’ said Katz. “It came down to putting in work outside of practice. I try to go out and play to the point where people don’t even realize I’m a freshman.’’

Some of the injured players offered extra coaching, too.

The result: The 12-8 Grey Ghosts will soon begin Division 1 tournament play.

“It’s great to still have them around,’’ said freshman Cadogan of the sidelined players, “because they have a player’s perspective, but are able to watch the game and dissect our play’’ as a coach might.

Even as freshmen, players like Katz and Cadogan have years of play under their belts and were able to jump in needing only to learn the specific coaching strategy. Such is also the case at Marblehead High, where freshmen midfielders Grace Arthur and Lydia Bongiorno have started all 20 games of the Magicians’ 19-1 season.

“I’ve been playing for Marblehead youth lacrosse since third grade and the 3D New England travel team since the fifth,’’ Bongiorno said. “There can be a lot of pressure with having to contribute heavily right away, but having those years of experience before high school to draw from can help you pick things up quickly.’’

“I was more prepared for this year than anything in my life,’’ said Arthur, who plays on the same travel team. “I grew up with a lacrosse stick in my hand. It’s nice to have a certain level of skill so that you can also have time to focus on creating chemistry.’’

“We decided not to have JV and varsity rosters this year,’’ said coach Annie Pugh.

“It’s created an atmosphere that is both competitive and extremely encouraging. Everyone practices together and suits up for varsity games. The result is great camaraderie.’’

For Austin Prep, Westford Academy, and Marblehead, there are still games to be played. While each team hopes for the best this postseason, they’re optimistic as they look beyond that.

“It’s nice knowing that we’ll have talent to rely upon moving forward,’’ Liz Richards said. “The future is bright.’’

Ethan Schroeder can be reached at ethan.schroeder@globe.com.