IL ID Experience: Top '27 Goalies and Face-Off Specialists

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!    The fourth annual IL ID Experience took place at Troy Park in Elkridge (Md.) and attracted over 80 talented members of the Class of 2027 who were looking for high-level coaching and competitive gameplay to build momentum heading into the November circuit.   Earlier this week, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/il-id-experience-top-27s-performers-at-attack/">I highlighted eight of the best performances by the attackmen</a>. Now, let's move to the specialists to check on six of the best '27 goalies and face-off prospects.    Among the headliners in what is shaping up to be a tremendous goalie class, the energetic and athletic lefty from Colorado had an awesome showing at IDX. Because his Longhorns' team played a lot of defense due to its struggles at the face-off X, Harmon and Goloboski saw quite a bit a rubber and were up to the task, with each talented '27 keeper earning All-Tournament honors. Playing with a wide base, Harmon is a bonafide goal-stealer who explodes to the ball while keeping his fundamentals and footwork dialed in at all times. It's never easy to be a goalie in a showcase environment, and Harmon not only did a phenomenal job of communicating, but allowed the defense in front of him to play with considerable confidence at all times. That was evident more than once when the game was on the line, and Harmon came up with huge second-half stops in the closing seconds to keep the game tied.       At first glance, Goloboski is rather unassuming, given that he's probably 140 pounds soaking wet. Upon watching him between the pipes on Sunday, however, it was hard not to be wowed by the performances that he put forth. Fearless and incredibly poised in cage, Goloboski showed off an explosive top hand while stymieing opposing shooters with some pretty 1v1 saves and some timely stops from long range. He was cool under pressure amid a barrage of shots and provided a huge boost to his squad. On top of that, I also appreciated how well he led the clear and performed out of the cage, winning a handful of run-outs to the end line. Big fan of what Goloboski brings to the table.       Gillis was incredibly tough to beat on Sunday, corralling 15 saves while allowing just ten goals in three halves of play. Possessing a massive 6-foot-4 frame, he eats up a ton of the cage and makes shooters really work. What stands out about Gillis is how great his hands are and how well he prevents rebound opportunities, catching it cleanly and controlling the ball. Like most keepers that size, he's good for plenty of saves with his body, but he's much more of a stopper than a blocker, which is awesome to see at this stage in his development. Looking ahead to the spring at Haverford, it's likely that he'll back up highly capable Williams-bound Colin Decker for a year before taking over starting duties in 2026, if I had to guess.     Lochte cleared the ball as well as anyone on Sunday - quite frankly, his outlets were outstanding. On a number of occasions, the rangy sophomore tossed 30 or 40-yard passes on an absolute rope, quickly getting the ball up and out after making the stop. That's not something seen often in showcase play, but it says a lot about the confidence that he has in himself in that area of the game. He took care of business in net, too, and although he had a tough outing in his final game, Lochte made seven saves and allowed eight goals in the first two halves of action for the Bruins. McDonogh has quite the goalie room - from five-star Aidan Seibel '25 down to the '28 class - so playing time will be hard to come by, but he's a name to keep an eye going forward.     Speaking of loaded positional groups, Bishai helps make up quite the four-handed monster at the face-off X for the Big Red, along with fellow '27 Max Slattery and a pair of Division I-bound seniors in Alex Swinnie and Luka Vecchione. On Sunday, he showed off his elite hand speed and ability with the ball while winning close to 60 percent, ultimately going on to pick up All-Tournament recognition. What struck me the most about the 6'1 Darien resident was how disciplined he was at the X. As ridiculously quick as his hands are, he never seemed to go early, which was noteworthy.     Dimnaku was undoubtedly the most dominant specialist in attendance, going 22-for-26 at the X on Sunday. It's clear how much confidence he gained as a freshman, facing off against many high-caliber (and older) opponents on Andover's schedule to finish 64% last spring. Dimnaku first got on my radar with a lights-out performance in the Maverik Showtime All-Star Game, and he certainly didn't disappoint in another showcase setting. On Sunday, he made it look downright easy and showed how polished he is with his skill set at the dot. He did a really good job with his counters and defensive exits, but really didn't need to utilize them too often given how quickly he was winning the ball to himself. Everything about his game is clean, and the expectation is that he'll be one of the more coveted face-off recruits when the time comes.

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