Preseason High School Rankings: Previewing No. 4 Lawrenceville

The defending national champions put together a stellar season, bouncing back from a loss at Boys' Latin in the second game of the year before going on to win 18 consecutive games. Things couldn't have possibly ended more dramatically, as Lawrenceville put a bow on the spring with an incredible double-overtime win at Brunswick (Conn.) in the Prep Nationals title game. 10 players from last year's roster are now playing college lacrosse, and there's no doubt that the Big Red will miss a group that had a significant impact on the program since head coach Jon Posner came over from Culver (Ind.) before the '20-'21 school year, bringing lefty sharpshooter Hunter Chauvette and lockdown defenseman Quintan Kilrain with him. They're now off at Johns Hopkins and have become two of the best freshmen in college lacrosse. The Big Red will also have to replace another Power 100 recruit in face-off specialist Robert Simone (Army), as well as a pair of Canadian midfielders in DJ Clark (Denver) and Chuck Rawson (Hopkins), among others. On paper, this year's squad won't have the same amount of star power but expect the Big Red to get better with time, and don't be surprised if they experience early growing pains during <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/01/2024-schedule-rundown-taft-conn-and-lawrenceville-n-j/">March's challenging non-conference slate</a>. Fortunately, they'll be in good hands on the back end due to the return of top-five goalie recruit [player_tooltip player_id='14832' first='Timmy' last='Piacentini'] (Cornell), who can dictate the momentum of every game and wipe would-be goals off the board with his big save ability in tight. He routinely recorded 15 or more saves per game during last year's run, and his return is even more crucial since the Big Red will be working in fresh faces at the face-off dot, where 4-star junior transfer [player_tooltip player_id='20825' first='Alex' last='Swinnie'] (Johns Hopkins) will do the heavy lifting and classmate [player_tooltip player_id='20827' first='Luka' last='Vecchione'] (Lafayette) will provide relief. Recently switching his commitment from Penn to Hopkins, senior [player_tooltip player_id='14915' first='Reece' last='DiCicco'] is back in the fray and will be a key asset on the wings and off the break, as will Harvard-bound junior [player_tooltip player_id='16890' first='Brock' last='Getson']. He'll start as the primary LSM with Hopkins signee [player_tooltip player_id='14829' first='Tyler' last='Eye'], a lefty with big-time offensive ability, sidelined by injury for the next few weeks. Down low, the expected starters for the opener are [player_tooltip player_id='14893' first='Kevin' last='Morrow'] (Princeton) and [player_tooltip player_id='15334' first='Harrison' last='Vassel'] (Lehigh) - <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/02/new-jerseys-top-defenders-to-watch-in-the-class-of-2024/">a pair of seniors recently highlighted by NJ contributor Eric Bretz</a> - alongside 6'3 junior [player_tooltip player_id='14597' first='Nick' last='Voultos'], a Michigan recruit who put together an excellent summer and is likely to impress. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='14938' first='Jimmy' last='Manley'] (Army) is the best of the bunch, having improved mightily, however, he's also out of the lineup due to injury. Even after the graduation of Chauvette, the attack unit is plenty capable thanks to the return of starters [player_tooltip player_id='14871' first='Chris' last='Matia'] (Providence) and Conor Gately (Yale), with the latter poised to serve as the driving force with this offense. Gately is considered one of the smartest players in the country and makes the guys around him better. The two seniors will be joined by Schuylerville (N.Y.) transfer [player_tooltip player_id='16718' first='Hansen' last='Peck'], a highly skilled lefty who we covered in-depth earlier in the year along with several other promising underclassmen. Armed with a beautiful outside shot, he's more dynamic as a dodging threat and is bound to become a sought-after recruit once September 1 hits. [player_tooltip player_id='20830' first='Nate' last='Sage'], a lefty Canadian who was a high-priority recruit for UNC, will return to the extra-man unit and could rotate in at attack, though he's currently running out of the box with the second group. At the midfield, the Big Red will rotate in four players in the top group. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='14932' first='Mason' last='Vance'] (Michigan) and [player_tooltip player_id='14951' first='Mikey' last='Rooney'] (Boston U.) are formidable veteran presences, while Ontario-bred juniors [player_tooltip player_id='14558' first='Sawyer' last='English'] (Brown) and [player_tooltip player_id='20833' first='Ted' last='Rawson'] (Ohio State) look ready to break out as juniors after watching their older brothers dazzle with the Big Red. Sage, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='16729' first='Jake' last='Sturtevant'], and junior [player_tooltip player_id='20835' first='Evan' last='Calkins'] (Princeton) are among the names rotating in on the second unit, and Lawrenceville has even more depth than the names listed due to a handful of off-season arrivals.

The defending national champions put together a stellar season, bouncing back from a loss at Boys' Latin in the second game of the year before going on to win 18 consecutive games. Things couldn't have possibly ended more dramatically, as Lawrenceville put a bow on the spring with an incredible double-overtime win at Brunswick (Conn.) in the Prep Nationals title game.

10 players from last year's roster are now playing college lacrosse, and there's no doubt that the Big Red will miss a group that had a significant impact on the program since head coach Jon Posner came over from Culver (Ind.) before the '20-'21 school year, bringing lefty sharpshooter Hunter Chauvette and lockdown defenseman Quintan Kilrain with him. They're now off at Johns Hopkins and have become two of the best freshmen in college lacrosse. The Big Red will also have to replace another Power 100 recruit in face-off specialist Robert Simone (Army), as well as a pair of Canadian midfielders in DJ Clark (Denver) and Chuck Rawson (Hopkins), among others.

On paper, this year's squad won't have the same amount of star power but expect the Big Red to get better with time, and don't be surprised if they experience early growing pains during March's challenging non-conference slate. Fortunately, they'll be in good hands on the back end due to the return of top-five goalie recruit Timmy Piacentini Timmy Piacentini 6'1" | G | Left Hand Lawrenceville | 2024 #29 Nation NJ (Cornell), who can dictate the momentum of every game and wipe would-be goals off the board with his big save ability in tight. He routinely recorded 15 or more saves per game during last year's run, and his return is even more crucial since the Big Red will be working in fresh faces at the face-off dot, where 4-star junior transfer Alex Swinnie Alex Swinnie 5'9" | 170 lbs | FO | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2025 NJ (Johns Hopkins) will do the heavy lifting and classmate Luka Vecchione Luka Vecchione 5'10" | FO Lawrenceville | 2025 NJ (Lafayette) will provide relief. Recently switching his commitment from Penn to Hopkins, senior Reece DiCicco Reece DiCicco 5'11" | M Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ is back in the fray and will be a key asset on the wings and off the break, as will Harvard-bound junior Brock Getson Brock Getson 6'1" | 190 lbs | LSM/D | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2025 #60 Nation NJ . He'll start as the primary LSM with Hopkins signee Tyler Eye Tyler Eye 6'0" | LSM | Left Hand Lawrenceville | 2024 #26 Nation NJ , a lefty with big-time offensive ability, sidelined by injury for the next few weeks. Down low, the expected starters for the opener are Kevin Morrow Kevin Morrow 6'3" | 160 lbs | LSM | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Princeton) and Harrison Vassel Harrison Vassel 5'11" | 185 lbs | D | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Lehigh) - a pair of seniors recently highlighted by NJ contributor Eric Bretz - alongside 6'3 junior Nick Voultos, a Michigan recruit who put together an excellent summer and is likely to impress. Senior Jimmy Manley Jimmy Manley 6'3" | 205 lbs | D Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Army) is the best of the bunch, having improved mightily, however, he's also out of the lineup due to injury.

Even after the graduation of Chauvette, the attack unit is plenty capable thanks to the return of starters Chris Matia Chris Matia 5'10" | A Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Providence) and Conor Gately (Yale), with the latter poised to serve as the driving force with this offense. Gately is considered one of the smartest players in the country and makes the guys around him better. The two seniors will be joined by Schuylerville (N.Y.) transfer Hansen Peck Hansen Peck 5'10" | 155 lbs | A | Left Hand Lawrenceville (N.J.) / Schuylerville (N.Y.) | 2025 #35 Nation NJ , a highly skilled lefty who we covered in-depth earlier in the year along with several other promising underclassmen. Armed with a beautiful outside shot, he's more dynamic as a dodging threat and is bound to become a sought-after recruit once September 1 hits. Nate Sage Nate Sage 5'9" | A Lawrenceville | 2025 NJ , a lefty Canadian who was a high-priority recruit for UNC, will return to the extra-man unit and could rotate in at attack, though he's currently running out of the box with the second group. At the midfield, the Big Red will rotate in four players in the top group. Seniors Mason Vance Mason Vance 6'1" | 175 lbs | M | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Michigan) and Mikey Rooney Mikey Rooney 6'1" | M Lawrenceville | 2024 NJ (Boston U.) are formidable veteran presences, while Ontario-bred juniors Sawyer English Sawyer English 5'10" | 150 lbs | M | Right Hand Lawrenceville | 2025 #26 Nation NJ (Brown) and Ted Rawson Ted Rawson M | Left Hand Lawrenceville | 2025 #76 Nation NJ (Ohio State) look ready to break out as juniors after watching their older brothers dazzle with the Big Red. Sage, sophomore Jake Sturtevant Jake Sturtevant 6'1" | M Lawrenceville | 2026 #48 Nation NJ , and junior Evan Calkins Evan Calkins 6'2" | A Lawrenceville | 2025 NJ (Princeton) are among the names rotating in on the second unit, and Lawrenceville has even more depth than the names listed due to a handful of off-season arrivals.