The rising sophomore sessions of Jake Reeds Nike Blue Chip Lacrosse Camp took place from Tuesday evening, June 25 through Thursday morning, June 27 on the campus of UMBC in Catonsville, Maryland.
In total, there were four sessions of games played on two adjacent fields one Tuesday evening, three Monday (although poor weather altered times for the afternoon and evening timeslots) and one final round on Thursday morning. Upward of 270 members of the Class of 2016 participated in games in front of some 100 coaches, including many of the top programs from the DI ranks.
Here are five players that stood out and some others who made an impression.
Before naming some standout players, though, a disclaimer: Evaluating lacrosse talent at this age is a near impossible task, and I have even more respect for coaches after attempting to do so myself.
It is largely a subjective art, as many players at this stage are very similar. They are still developing on every level physically, skill-wise and IQ-wise. Those who stood out tended to be far superior in one of those aspects, which is how I tried to judge.
As a rising sophomore in high school (2002, long before the accelerated recruiting timeline), I attended two developmental-style lacrosse camps but was otherwise just having fun in the summertime. Every participant this week was light-years ahead of where I was at this With plenty of time to grow into themselves and develop their game, each has a very good chance to be successful at the next level.
For a video recap, click here
NIKE BLUE CHIP RISING SOPHOMORES — FEATURED FIVE:
1. COLE BOLAND
Position: Midfield
Class: 2016
High School: Regis Jesuit (CO)
Overall: A fluid player in all phases of the game, Boland is a strong, two-way midfielder who impressed with his footwork and natural athleticism. Offensively, he displayed a good first step when initiating from up top, and made a few excellent passes on the run when he recognized the oncoming slide. Defensively, he was able to cover dodgers easily, brining his feet underneath him while showing the ability to open his hips and steer players down the side. He also has great straight-ahead speed, starting a couple of fast breaks in the games we saw.
From the Notebook: Fluid. Fast. Good vision. Makes passes on the run. Athlete. Plays tough. Great footwork on defense. Solid handle. Good IQ when dodging.
*For more on Boland, including his highlight video, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
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2. COLE WILLIAMS
Position: Attack
Class: 2016
High School: Loyola-Blakefield (MD)
Overall: Williams is a big and strong attackman who impressed each time we saw him on the field. An outstanding finisher, he scored multiple goals in different ways. He uses his size extraordinarily well, shielding his stick with his big frame when carrying the ball. He has outstanding IQ, which he showed when finding seems to make himself available to dodgers. While he doesnt have an explosive first step, he is an effective dodger from behind, and had his head up to locate cutters, which he did successfully on multiple occasions.
From the Notebook: Big. Great finisher. Outstanding stick protection. Fundamentally sound. Effective dodger. High IQ.
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3. REILLY WALSH
Position: Attack
Class: 2016
High School: Bronxville (NY)
Overall: Walsh has been on many radars thanks in part to his excellent season for NY State Class C Finalist Bronxville, and it is easy to see why. While he is a big attackman at 60, he moves far more quickly than one would expect for a taller player. He is an effective dodger and an outstanding finisher, showcasing a hard and accurate shot. He seemed most comfortable on the right wing, and made a few nice passes in the game we watched in addition to his scoring touch.
From the Notebook: Productive. Looks the part. Faster than his size would indicate. Great shot. Fluid. Smooth. Effective.
*For more on Walsh, including his highlight video, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
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4. JACK RAPINE
Position: Defense
Class: 2016
High School: Upper Dublin (PA)
Overall: A big, athletic defender, Rapine stood out with his technique and footwork when covering ball carriers. He displayed good positioning defensively, and was physical at the point of attack, dictating to dodgers while not allowing them to get in on his body. He utilized all six feet of his long pole, and had an active stick, throwing a barrage of chop and slap checks to disrupt ball carriers. He also displayed solid handle on clears.
From the Notebook: Big. Athlete. Solid footwork. Uses stick well always out and active. Physical. Sound position.
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5. NIGEL ANDREWS
Position: Midfield
Class: 2016
High School: Deerfield (MA)
Overall: A standout athlete, Andrews showed the physical tools necessary to be successful at both the varsity high school and collegiate level. He is an explosive athlete who has a tremendous first step, which he displayed when dodging from the top of the box. He has an excellent stick and plays hard, doing things with purpose, and when dodging rarely failed to create separation from his defender to get his hands free. He scored on a nice dodge and bounce shot in a game we took in, showing a solid overhand release.
From the Notebook: Explosive. Fluid. Great first step. Plays hard. Needs to improve shot selection. Quick. Good understanding of game.
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Others who made an impression:
Cameron Macri LSM 2016 Hamilton Wenhem (MA): A shorter LSM, Macri was excellent in the games we saw him play. He has a very disruptive stick defensively, and is very effective using the lift technique on dodgers. He had multiple takeaways, not via home-run checks, but by good position and solid lifts. He also has an excellent stick in transition, and scored a poised goal on a slow-break.
Alexander Marshall D 2016 Andover (MA): A big defender, Marshall showed good fundamentals and athleticism. While not fancy, he did all of the little things well, and played sound position defense. We also liked his off-ball presence he sluffed to help well and timed slides effectively.
Matthew Robinson A 2016 Bishop Guertin (NH): A smaller, shifty attackman, Robinson was very productive. An initiator from X, he has an excellent first step, which he used to generate his own shot on numerous occasions. He is a good finisher, and not afraid to stick his nose into the mix. Was also effective off-ball, constantly moving and showing good awareness when finding seems.
*For more on Robinson, including his highlight reel, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
Matt Stagnita M 2016 Montgomery (NJ): Stagnita showed good dodging ability and an excellent split-dodge from up top, where he became a threat to shoot or pass. His first step was quick and effective, and he showed excellent vision on multiple occasions.
Jared Nugent M 2016 St. Anthonys (NY): While small, Nugent was excellent in the game we saw. He has outstanding speed, starting multiple fast breaks simply by outrunning opponents. He has great vision, and made precise passes on the run to set up teammates for scoring opportunities.