Let’s hop into the links…
Recruiting
TopLaxRecruits discusses Central Michigan commit Clare Laughery.
The Chippewas also picked up a pledge from St. Louis (Mo.) Ladue Horton Watkins 2015 midfielder Jane Nelson.
Prior Lake (Minn.) midfielder Ally Barian will play for Grand Valley State (keep in mind that unlike the men, the women field a varsity program in Allendale).
Howell goalie Alex Moyer will play at D-2 Lake Erie College.
2015 Farmington Hills Mercy midfielder Brooke Ottaway committed to Rollins College.
Clarkston 2015 midfielder John McLennan will play at Grand Valley.
Recruiting Rundown ranks the top 75 2015 prospects nationally. Michigan commit Decker Curran at No. 48 is the only prospect of interest to our territory. Two more Wolverines, Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga defenseman Michael Borda and Northport (N.Y.) attack Rocco Sutherland, make the watchlist, which stretched the whole deal to a top-100 list.
The 2016 Top75 list is even more populated with future Wolverines (though still no homegrown products from within our own borders. No. 35 Cali attackman Christian Ford, No. 37 Colorado attack Henry Adams, No. 54 Texas LSM John Michael Priddy, and No. 68 Missouri goalie Matthew Trowbridge, are all Ann Arbor-bound. The watchlist – a bit bigger for this class at 40 prospects – includes future Wolverines Curtis Alexander (a defenseman from Massachusetts) and Avery Myers (a midfielder from DC Gonzaga).
More of the same with the 2017 class, though I’m surprised – after reading how loaded the group sounds in composing last week’s Lax Links post – that U-M is actually only represented by four top-75 players. Manhasset (N.Y.) LSM Ben Cirella is the high man at No. 35, followed by Nevada goalie Zion Dechesere, N.Y. faceoff middie Connor Cronin, and Connecticut attack Alex Buckanavage. Mssr. Xanders conveniently ranks the classes for us, and the Wolverines come in at seventh.
Recruiting Rundown evaluates 2018(!!) Michigan commit John John Lombardi, and talks to him about his pledge.
“He reminds me of when I used to coach against Matt Rambo, a kid who just brings it every game and doesn’t care who we’re playing. You get him angry, you better watch out,” Martin says. “He’s intense and makes sick decisions and is extremely coachable. The bottom line is that he’s going to be a very special player in college.”
Matt Rambo? Is that good? I think it’s good. He was only the eighth-leading goal scorer among freshmen this spring, while playing for a loaded Maryland team.
Project 9 took place last weekend with three future Wolverines in attendance. Pingry (N.J.) 2015 midfielder JC Sorenson, Northport (N.Y.) 2015 A Rocco Sutherland, and Cherry Creek (Colo.) 2016 attack Henry Adams represented the Maize and Blue.
Division-1
Detroit has gained a transfer from Rosemont College midfielder Rasool Smith. Smith was the second-leading scorer for the D-3 program that finished 4-11 and as LaxPower’s No. 183 squad in the division last year.
‘Twas a beautiful day on The Mile when Detroit scrimmaged Adrian Saturday.
Lacrosse Magazine looks at the impact the Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network can have on the game. The big news out of that is it sounds like BTN is planning to significantly ramp up lacrosse coverage, but I’ll believe that when I see it. Gotta make room for all the Purdue Campus Programming, ya know?
Inside Lacrosse provides (text) highlights of Michigan’s fall ball scrimmages (video highlights for the UMBC/Navy game only) against UMBC and Navy. There’s a little bit of discussion of the Fairfield scrimmage on the LaxPower forum, the only place I’ve seen anything substantive.
The Next (and Next Next) Level
Brother Rice alum and Notre Dame sophomore Sergio Perkovic had a big day against Team USA in the Seatown Classic. Perkovic’s statline – just one goal to go along with six assists – leads 412 Lax to wonder if he can be an elite feeder.
Two lady Titans are on the shortlist for Team Canada’s U-19 team heading into next summer’s FIL World Championships in the UK.
High school, Club, Clinics, etc.
313 Lax’s fall and winter training sessions are starting up soon. For more info and to register, visit the website.
Registration is open for the 2015 Great Lax Bay classic.
Less than a week to register for the winter session(s) at All-American Lacrosse.
Blue Crew Lacrosse director and Friend of the Blog Ty McGuire is the new varsity coach at Dexter High School.
Any reports on how Detroit looked this fall?
Sad, Lost to Notre Dame 22-3, Lost to Lake Erie 12-3, Tied Mercyhurst 7-7 and Beat Albion easily with their starting line-up, I guess the New Coach considers it a good win. Much the same as last year weak on ground balls, general disorganization on offense and defense, little player development, will pick New Coaches fab 6 on offense and defense and everyone else can watch from the sidelines. Hope for good goal tending, back into the MAAC Playoffs and bring in another 15-16 players next year.
I didn’t see the games this fall, but I wouldn’t say defensive disorganization has been a hallmark of Detroit’s teams. They’ve been very good on that side of the ball (despite struggling in other facets) for nearly the entire history of the program – first couple years excepted, when they were, like Michigan’s Team One, playing with a lot of club guys.
Improving on ground balls is one of the biggest areas that they need to improve, and if they haven’t so far, that’s a bit troubling. I still think they have a good shot to put some good things together for the spring, especially since they won’t be playing a whole lot of (meaningful) games against teams like Notre Dame.
Those first two are disappointing scores if true, but it’s fall and as Tim says, they don’t have to compete with the likes of ND to have a successful season. As a top 10 D2 team Mercyhurst is probably a pretty good measuring stick, and that one appears even.
Waaaay to early to be critical of Kolon. Player development takes time. It’s unfair to expect any leaps there after a couple of weeks of fall practice. If he’s trying to put his own mark on the program it’s not unreasonable to expect a step back for a year before you see improvement. His role as head coach is completely different than it was as assistant. I’ll be interested to see if their recruiting changes at all over the next couple of years.
I’d expect the recruiting to change pretty significantly. Recruiting was pretty much what coach Holtz did there. My son only met coach Kolon once during the recruiting process. The majority of his recruiting class was similar. Not saying it will get better or worse but it will change. Expect fewer Canadians as that was Holtz’s speciality.
Don’t want to wade into the whole Brandon issue but I will give Brandon props on two things: making lax a varsity sport, and keeping John Paul on as the first mens’ varsity coach. Those are two decisions that UM lax alums should be very grateful for.
I’ve always loved watching lacrosse, I think it’s a really great sport to watch and to play! My son is wanting to start playing lacrosse, we are hoping that he does very well and is able to join better teams as he gets older. He loves watching the professionals and I think it’s great because they all started out as kids just like him! We are trying to find some good equipment for him so that he can start practicing!