The Jake Reed Fall Nike Blue Chip took place Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina.
One of the preeminent stops on the Fall recruiting circuit, the event featured players from the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 graduating classes. About 160 participants per grade represented a diverse geographical area.
Some of the nation’s top college programs were on hand to take in the action, including Denver, Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Ohio State and many, many more.
Here are five players that stood out and some others who made an impression from the 2016 class. Be sure to check back tomorrow for a great highlight video.
JAKE REED FALL NIKE BLUE CHIP: FEATURED FIVE (2016):
Note: Click here for our Featured Five from the Classes of 2014/2015.
1. ALEX ALACQUA
Position: Midfield
Class: 2016
High School: Chaminade (NY)
Overall: A do-it-all midfielder, Alacqua was outstanding over the weekend in North Carolina. He is a naturally athletic middie who plays best in-between-the-boxes, getting tough ground balls, riding hard and sparking transition. Offensively, his lacrosse IQ was outstanding – he continually made smart passes with the ball and smart cuts without it. Defensively, he played smart with his positioning and used his strength to meet dodging opponents at the point of attack.
From the Notebook: Athlete. Fluid. In-between-the-boxes guy. Smart. Team player. Does everything with purpose.
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2. CAYSON FINCHER
Position: LSM
Class: 2016
High School: St. Margaret’s Episcopal (CA)
Overall: In an event filled with outstanding defenders and LSM’s, Fincher was one of the best. The California product was outstanding in the middle of the field, using his athleticism and outstanding stick to cause numerous turnovers and gobble up ground balls. What stood out most was his body positioning in between the boxes. In a place on the field where many swing at sticks, Fincher was always in front of the opposition, being physical and using his feet to set up checks on the run. Making plays always stands out, but doing so with outstanding fundamentals that will translate at the next level is even more noteworthy, which is why Fincher stood out most to us.
From the Notebook: Awesome in the middle of the field. Athlete. Great stick. Outstanding body position and footwork. Playmaker.
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3. DAVID STRUPP
Position: Defense
Class: 2016
High School: New Canaan (CT)
Overall: In an era where flashy stickwork is the norm, Strupp’s physical play is a welcome throwback. The New Canaan product is a big, physical defender who plays tough on-ball defense with outstanding position and footwork. Never chasing sticks, Strupp uses his size and strength to keep dodgers off their lines, utilizing good, hard pushes on ball carriers before throwing a barrage of slap checks. He consistently beat his opponent’s to their desired spot, never allowing them to get topside or inside his body. Strupp has a good stick as well, and good speed to run the ball out of harm’s way in the clearing game.
From the Notebook: Physical. Old-school defender. Never chases sticks. Slides hard. Smart. Push-to-slap-checks. Imposes will. Great at point of attack. Great footwork.
*For more on David, including his highlight reel, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here
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4. CHRIS CROWLEY
Position: Goalie
Class: 2016
High School: Delbarton (NJ)
Overall: A big and athletic keeper, Crowley played very well in the games we took in. In showcase settings, it is often tough for goaltenders to stick out, but Crowley caught our attention. He dials in on the ball very well from the outside, and plays sound position, constantly squaring himself to the shooter. Most notably, he was outstanding in the clearing game. He surveyed the field well, and he threw precise outlet passes on a line, consistently hitting breaking midfielders and defenders in stride accurately.
From the Notebook: Big and athletic. Squares himself to the shooter well. Outstanding outlet passes. Good decisions in the clearing game.
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5. OWEN PETERSON
Position: LSM
Class: 2016
High School: Cathedral Catholic (CA)
Overall: Another outstanding long-stick at Jake Reed’s Fall Nike Blue chip, Peterson’s solid blend of athleticism and footwork make him a player to watch. While he made plenty of plays in transition with his stick, what stood out most for us was his one-on-one defense. He was very strong at the point of attack, and dictated direction to opposing dodgers. His all-around game was impressive, and the combination of his stick and defending skills were very obvious in the games we took in.
From the Notebook: Do-it-all LSM. Very good at point of attack. Great stick. Good athlete. Brings feet well. Makes good decisions in transition.
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Others who made an impression:
Aidan Coll – A – 2016 – Hill School (PA): Coll is a fluid attackman with great size. His athleticism and lacrosse IQ were evident throughout the weekend, where he consistently put himself in good spots on the field. He is an excellent finisher, and can initiate offense himself when needed. Was productive in each game we saw him compete.
Jack Forest – M – 2016 – Bullis (MD): An athletic midfielder, Forest impressed with his dodging ability from up top. He has an outstanding first step, which he used to get away from defenders early and often. He was able to get down the alley on numerous occasions, and showed good lacrosse IQ throughout the weekend.
Anthony George – M – 2016 – Culver Academy (IN): George was tremendous in the middle of the field, and played with good tenacity on the weekend. He has outstanding vision and great passing ability, constantly leading teammates in stride, which sprang them for scoring opportunities. George is a player to watch at Culver.
Robert Johnson – D – 2016 – Bayport-Bluepoint (NY): Johnson was constantly around the ball on defense, scooping up grounders and causing turnovers. He also showed good athleticism and a great stick in transition, legging the ball on numerous clears himself.
Matthew Robinson – A – 2016 – Governors Academy (MA): A smaller, shifty player, Robinson plays a scrappy and smart game. He is a fluid dodger, and looks to pass first, utilizing his great vision. He is a good finisher as well, and does a great job of changing planes on the goaltender. What stood out most about his game, though, was his tenacity on rides, constantly hustling to get the ball back.
*For more on Matthew, including his highlight reel, check out his SportsRecruits.com profile here