(Photos from inside the butt: Craig Chase)

Thank you to everyone who participated in IL’s Fall Invitational series. Day two of the second session at Rockburn Park, Howard County, MD, featured some fantastic action.

here is an overview of some notable players and clubs; more evaluations of IL coaches and staff are coming in. Go back to day one and see all the scores on Tourney Machine here.

2023

Outstanding Player: Brody Davis, D, Tri-State / Seton Hall Prep (NJ)

Play with a relentless engine that doesn’t slow down, even in the dying minutes of Game 3. Aggressive as a close cover man where he can use his athleticism to apply pressure and disrupt infractions and cause turnovers. Can also play LSM, make face-offs and display speed between lines. If his Sunday game was any indication, he will bring energy and intensity to his team every time he puts on the pads, practice or game.

Out of the ordinary club: 2 lanes

Connecticut boys are bursting with talent all over the court. It starts with Zach Hepworth (Colgate) in Showdown X and those possessions fuel an incredibly talented attack. Peter Moynihan (Yale) is a quick quarterback at X who can turn the corner with his hand or step away from the slide and feed himself. Teddy Gabrielian (Villanova) is a dynamic midfielder who can beat you downhill as a split dodge or with a deceptive change in speed moves. Close-back Hunter Spiess (Princeton) stands out among a talented post group with his footwork and ability to stay with the dodgers when changing direction below GLE. Rhett Chambers (Providence) is a left handed shooter who finds a way to open up by floating upwards and has enough jerks to free his hands and prick a wedge when paired with a short stick. Matt Harding and Andrew Donovan (Notre Dame) provide extra points and dodge threats from the midfielder.

2024

Notable players:

Nick Bounassi, G, Tri-State

Connor Phillips, G, Next Level

Tucker Williams, L, 2-way

Goalkeeper play was in surplus at Blandair on Sunday. Bounassi (Manasquan, NJ) is a 6-2, 190-pound right-hander who is just a constant presence and is really good at taking up space on low-diving attempts, which his defense is really good at creating when closing. the door to GLE. Williams (Brunswick, Connecticut) is more active at 5-10, 160, and I was really impressed with his ability to get around shots directed off the hip. Phillips (St. Andrew’s, Md.) Is the most active of the three and plays with a ton of flair. All three are guys to watch as September 1 approaches.

Outstanding player: Ian Dykes, M, ADVNC / Sacred Heart Prep (California)

A 6-2, 195-pound middie from Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.), Dykes is a real two-way guy and, when he’s got the ball on offense he’s legitimately two-handed (although he seems more comfortable going to his left).

Notable clubs: Tri-State, 2Way, Next Level

These three teams got into a fight and 2Way gets the first report because they were playing with a short bench, only three substitutes at the end of the day. Connecticut coach David Earl’s team dropped a one-goal game against Tri-State to open the day, rebounded with a three-goal win over ADVNC and then ended the afternoon with a quick jump leading against Next Level and hanging on for a 7-4 victory. They benefited a lot from middies Ryan Hornyak (Avon Old Farms, Connecticut) and Noah Mizhen (Brunswick, Connecticut) and left-handed forward Ben Wick (Taft, Connecticut), who has his hands buttered inside and gets the ball. in and out of his stick very quickly. Forward Trevor Perkins (Berkshire, Mass.) Is a right-hander who is a confident leader of the team, and LSM Tyler Quake (Brunswick, Connecticut) provided them with tons of possessions throughout the day.

Next Level, which IL odds have as the nation’s No.3 team in the ’24 class after the summer, topped Tri-State 5-3 and Nationals 8-4. They are led by forwards Ryan Duenkel (St. John’s, DC) and Owen Horning (Georgetown Prep, Md.), Middies John Draley (St. John’s, DC) and Mav Smith (Mount Hebron, Md.) And the posts Henry Weller (St. John’s, DC) and Alex Latchford (St. John’s, DC), who all impressed throughout the day.

For Tri-State, defenders Owen Richter (Middletown South, NJ) and Charles Hodulik (Seton Hall Prep, NJ) and middie Andrew Pape (Red Bank Regional, NJ) have shown their ability to consistently create an attack by dodging a shortstick . They showed an impressive level of competition in their 6-5 victory over 2Way and then passed ADVNC 8-7.

Out of the ordinary club: True Utah

With wins over 3d Upstate, 3d Colorado and Patriot Elite, coach PJ Martin’s team went 3-0 that day, scoring two two-goal wins. Goalkeeper Mason Fray (Brighton, Utah) was an excellent defensive support, evidenced by six saves in the win over Patriot. Forward Carson Isaacson (Freemont, Utah) was excellent in helping Trutah start the offense against 3d Colorado with two goals early in the game.

Check back for more on ’25 clubs and players.