The Jersey Showcase featured some excellent lacrosse players on Wednesday, June 12 at Madison High School in New Jersey.
Featuring 16 teams by invitation only, the product on the field certainly reflected this fact, with impressive game action all day. More than 80 coaches were on hand to take in the action.
Here are five players that stood out and some others who made an impression.
JERSEY SHOWCASE FEATURED FIVE:
1. KEVIN BEIMFOHR
(Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes High School):
Position: Goalie
Class: 2015
Overall: Beimfohr was the best goalie we saw Wednesday. He was excellent in the cage, and tracked the ball very well from the outside. He was vocal with his defenders, identifying situations and ball position. Perhaps most impressively, he was outstanding on outlet passes, getting the ball to up and out quickly and very accurately, springing transition for his team on multiple occasions.
From the Notebook: Vocal. Great outlet passes. Encourages/congratulates teammates during stoppages. Sees ball well. Athletic. Leader.
Commitment: Undecided
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2. DAVID GILL
(Chatham, NJ/Chatham High School)
Position: Midfield
Class: 2014
Overall: Gill was very impressive on the day. Possessing excellent speed and a great first-step, he was a threat to get to get to the cage every time he touched the ball. An effective alley dodger, Gill was able to get downhill and unleash a very good shot, which was both fast and accurate.
From the Notebook: Fast and athletic. Hard, well-placed shots. Gets downhill. Keeps head up while dodging. Good awareness.
Commitment: Duke
*For more on Gill, including his highlight video, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
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3. ANDREW HELMER
(Summit, NJ/Summit High School):
Position: Defense
Class: 2015
Overall: Helmer commanded attention throughout the Showcase. A big player, he is an excellent on-ball defender who uses his size very well. He plays good body position and also displayed good off-ball skills and awareness. He has an excellent stick, and is very good on ground balls and in the clearing game.
From the Notebook: Ideal size. Tenacious defender. Good stick. Smooth on ground balls. Good off-ball.
Commitment: Undecided
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4. JULES HENINGBURG
(Maplewood, NJ/Seton Hall Prep)
Position: Attack
Class: 2014
Overall: An extremely intelligent player, Heningburg was a force from X throughout the showcase. An offensive QB, Heningburg is a feed-first dodger from behind the cage. A tall, rangy player, he has good athleticism and used his speed to get past defenders and his size to shield them off while finding cutting teammates. He had no problems getting to the cage himself, and showed a great stick and good poise finishing inside.
From the Notebook: Offensive QB. Game reminiscent of Ryan Boyle. High IQ. Dodges to feed. Can finish well when needed.
Commitment: Rutgers
*For more on Heningburg, including his highlight video, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
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5. GREG PANDISE
(Mahwah, NJ/Don Bosco Prep)
Position: Defense/LSM
Class: 2014
Overall: Pandise is a big, physical defender. A two-sport athlete (football), Pandise utilizes his great size and excellent footwork to keep opposing attackers at bay. He throws hard, solid checks and does not sacrifice position for takeaways. He has solid speed and a good stick, which he displayed nicely in the clearing game, legging multiple clears down the field by himself.
From the Notebook: Big. Prototypical defender. Excellent feet. Good stick. Athletic. Great position defending dodgers.
Commitment: Undecided
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Others who made an impression:
Christian Cuccinello, A, 2014 (Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes High School): Cuccinello is a fluid player, he plays with good poise and has a high lacrosse IQ. He was aggressive on ground balls and displayed good vision. Cuccinello is a Villanova commit.
Thomas Guida, A, 2014 (Chatham, NJ/Chatham High School): A small, shifty player, Guida impressed with the ball in his stick. He has an explosive first-step and a knack for getting to the cage. Most impressive was his tenacity in the riding game, where he caused numerous turnovers and afforded his team extra possessions. Guida is a Hopkins commit.
Michael Handlan, A, 2014 (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown High School): A skilled attackman, Handlan displayed good shooting ability from the outside. A good finisher, he has an excellent stick, and is dangerous with the ball. Handlan has committed to Delaware.
Kieran McCullough, G, 2014 (New City, NY/Don Bosco): McCullough was outstanding in the cage. He was able to track outside shots well, and showed good athleticism inside. He was also very active in the clearing game.
Peter Welch, LSM, 2014 (Bernardsville, NJ/Delbarton): Welch was a force in the middle of the field. A tall player with great reach, Welch used his long stride and athleticism to cover a lot of ground. He has an excellent stick, which he used deftly both on the wings and in transition. Welch is a Duke commit.
*For more on Welch, including his highlight video, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here