McKenzie Brown is a standout on the lacrosse field and not just because she is 5-feet-10 and can envision the action unfolding a step or two before it actually does.

The Cherry Creek senior and returning All-Colorado player of the year led her team with 64 goals last season and helped guide the Bruins to a third consecutive state championship. That performance was so impressive that Notre Dame recruited and signed Brown to play in South Bend, Ind.

But when Brown, like her Cherry Creek teammates, puts on the school uniform she simply becomes another cog in the Bruins' machine.

"At Creek, there is never one standout player," said Brown, a midfielder. "Everyone on the team has a purpose, and everyone has a job to do. If you shut down one or two players on most teams you shutdown the entire team. For us, there are six or seven threats, and teams have to shut all of those people down to win."

Cherry Creek, coached by highly acclaimed Cayel Dwyer, won its seventh state title since lacrosse was first sanctioned in 1998. The Bruins have played in every championship game during that time.

"I don't know how he does it," Brown said of her coach.

Others have said the same about Brown, who has struggled with some growth-related injuries for much of her high school career. Recurring shin splints and a stress fracture in her tibia sidelined Brown for much of her sophomore year and parts of last year.

"She grew pretty fast and I think her body is just starting to figure out what the heck happened during that time," Dwyer said. "Once she gets her legs under her and gets moving I think she'll be fine and won't have any issues."

Brown said she has grown about 3 inches throughout high school and never fully healed after first feeling the pain in her legs.

"I'd get one or two games in during the beginning and then I'd have to sit out," Brown said. "I'm not 100 percent even now, but I'm better than I was at this point last season."

Brown is praised for her ability to anticipate plays before they happen, and she uses her height and size to take up space and shrug off would-be defenders. She also has people around her who can take over the game or take some of the burden off.

"We always have someone who steps up when they are needed," said Cherry Creek defender Ali Ellickson, who will play for California-Berkeley. "There is a ton of talent at Creek."

Added midfielder Sara Tanabe: "All that skill is what makes Creek what we are. We are hard to defend, that's for sure."