New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine ’24s Among New England’s Best

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When lacrosse fans think of the New England region, Massachusetts and Connecticut first come to mind, though the latter tends to get grouped with the tristate area, especially Fairfield County. However, a few of the very best Class of 2024 recruits in New England either reside in or play high school and/or club ball in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine, so let's give those guys some well-deserved recognition. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["14837"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Prep Lacrosse isn't even three months old, yet we're already close to 'what more can we say?' territory when it comes to heaping Buonanno with praise, having highlighted him when we \u003ca href=\u0022https://preplacrosse.com/2023/12/breaking-down-best-in-class-committeds-all-tournament-offense/\u0022\u003eadded the electric lefty as a 5-star\u003c/a\u003e when the site launched in December and \u003ca href=\u0022https://preplacrosse.com/2023/12/breaking-down-best-in-class-committeds-all-tournament-offense/\u0022\u003eagain after the future Tiger was named MVP at the Best In Class Committed\u003c/a\u003e event. That being said, there's a high level of anticipation heading into his PG year with the Big Green, in part because he rarely went up against Division I defensive recruits during his time at Moses Brown. Now, he's in a league overflowing with them. If he's this dangerous now, it's exciting to think about how much better he could become after a full season with Deerfield.\r\n\r\nView Buonanno's profile or click the links provided above for more on what he brings to the table.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["15298"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Freelove is a tireless competitor capable of making impactful plays all over the field and wreaking havoc between the boxes. Watching him for the first time two summers ago, the hockey influence was apparent after just one or two shifts. An absolute pest with a longpole, he has a sensational handle both off the ground and with the ball in his stick, and always brings tenacity when making life difficult for his opponent. With excellent lateral quickness and a deceptively strong lower body, he very rarely gets beat. Still, when he does, Freelove's athleticism allows him to recover with ease and cause disruption with his elite hands and stick. Hailing from Tyngsborough (Mass.), a town nestled up against the New Hampshire border, Freelove is slated to join the BU program at a crucial time with All-American LSM Roy Meyer and four-year defensive starter Patrick Morrison graduating after the '24 season. It wouldn't come as a surprise to see Freelove step into the Terriers' system and make an impact right away.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["15055"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Delaware did a stellar job at identifying and securing Class of 2024 talent in the months that followed its upset of second-seeded Georgetown and a trip to the 2022 NCAA Quarterfinals. Looking at the Blue Hens' class of 13 signees, Lathrop might project the best, which speaks volumes about the potential of the 5'10, 175-pound lefty playmaker. Last spring, he ran away with Maine's Player of the Year award by racking up 62 goals and 20 assists to lead Cape Elizabeth to a 17-1 state title run, and as recently as last week, he won a Class B state title in slalom skiing. On the lacrosse field, Lathrop is incredibly dynamic and dangerous with the ball in his stick, dodging with creativity to the point that his skill set can be described as Canadian-esque. Often running out of the box on the club circuit, he's got a full bag of tricks to create separation up top and from the wings, exploding out of rollbacks and getting shots off from a variety of release points. Lathrop has powerful wrists, so the ball flies out of his stick, and his shot has proven to be tough for goalies to get a read on. If he adjusts well as a freshman, Lathrop could very well earn a starting role for the Blue Hens in 2025.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["14865"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"A native of Marshfield (Mass.), Picard presents a strong argument as the most athletic recruit in the entire class, \u003ca href=\u0022https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgC4GzNtj8R/?utm_source=ig_embed\u0026amp;utm_campaign=loading\u0022\u003ewith his backflip after scoring a game-winner on the 2022 circuit providing further evidence\u003c/a\u003e. Recruited as a defensive midfielder, Picard blew evaluators away with his blazing end-to-end speed and knack for racking up winning plays (both in transition and 6v6, as well as his ability to give opposing dodgers fits. If you're his coach, put Picard on the other team's most athletic midfielder and you're bound to like the results. Hard-nosed and possessing a chiseled 5'10, 180-pound frame, he embraces his role and, because he's too fast to keep up with, Picard is always a threat to put the ball in the back of the net when going from defense to offense. Even when the slide comes or when he's faced with a sharp angle, Picard has the confidence and big-time shot needed to finish the play. In 2023, he was a force while doing a bit of everything for a fast-rising Holderness program that went undefeated last spring.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["14853"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"In the past, it has always felt natural to talk about\u003ca href=\u0022https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/buonanno-grimley-scioletti-among-the-standouts-at-li-summer-showdown/61874\u0022\u003e O'Farrell and Peter Buonanno in tandem\u003c/a\u003e, as the two showed incredible chemistry together for both Moses Brown (R.I.) and 3d New England before enrolling as postgrads at separate NE West I programs for the '23-'24 school year. While Buonanno's development has been meteoric and worthy of attention, O'Farrell deserves a lot of praise for what he's done to grow and evolve his game in preparation for the next level, especially since he'll almost certainly be a middie at 'Cuse. Quite frankly, his game would fit in just about any system. He's incredibly well-rounded, getting to his spots time after time and making opponents pay as both a scorer and a passer. Above all, he brings the effort, IQ, and intangibles required to be successful, throwing his sturdy 5'8 frame around while going above and beyond in the riding game and on GB's, two areas that help set him apart from his peers. Another hockey kid, he's seemingly unbothered by checks and physicality and has a stellar feel for the game and its clutch moments. I'm very intrigued to see how he's used at Westminster, a program that went 6-12 last spring, though the Martlets will be better due to O'Farrell's inevitable multi-faceted impact.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["15164"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"I must admit that when Cobery committed to Harvard in the fall of 2022, I didn't know much of anything about the Bristol (R.I.) and Fighting Clams standout, who was formerly a '23 recruit. However, he has consistently impressed me ever since, popping on spring live streams and checking all of the boxes during live evaluations by producing offense in a plethora of different ways. Cobery is athletic, heady, and highly efficient. He knows when and how to attack his matchup, when to pass the ball, when to re-dodge, when to cut, and how to use picks. He's such a threat above the cage and when getting to 5x5 for those reasons, and demonstrates superb body control with the ball in his stick, consistently getting his hands free with his change of direction and use of deception. He's got an awesome shot, but Cobery doesn't need the ball to put points on the board, a testament to his understanding of spacing and off-ball play. Coming off of an All-League junior season and an impressive summer, Cobery will have a bigger target on his back.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6925ad5e47"} /-->