New Jersey's Top Uncommitted '26s: Goalies

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!    Following my piece on the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/new-jerseys-top-uncommitted-26s-face-off-specialists/">Top Uncommitted '26 FOGOs in New Jersey</a>, we now switch to six uncommitted netminders with a lot of talent and skills that can translate to the next level.    Lyons hasn't gotten varsity minutes thus far due to a talented goalie room at Seton Hall Prep, but playing with Leading Edge in the summers, he has shown some real potential to take that next step as a junior. The 3-star recruit has good size at the goalie position and shows solid technique between the pipes. He sets up in his stance low, so if they shoot low, he'll be there and if they shoot high, he can see the release well and explode out of his stance, while stepping to the ball. He is a smooth operator in the net, eager to get the ball up and out after a save to start a transition opportunity. Lyons stood his ground at this year's NLF tournament and impressed out on the field in front of tons of scouts.     Orzillo split time with senior Devin Piacente in goal last spring, but with Piacente graduating, it's all on the rising junior now. In a down season for Mount Olive, he played well in cage, finishing with 90 saves on the season while seeing a lot of shots. He is a smart player who makes tough saves look routine with quick hands and good positioning in goal. He does a nice job of keeping his feet moving and trying to cut down angles for shooters when they are dodging down the alley or coming upfield from X. He's not the biggest player on the field, but he stands tall with presence in net and an ability to control rebounds after a shot with good stick skills for a goalie.     With two seniors having graduated, Jacob Natt will be in line to start this season for Caldwell and he'll look to help the Chiefs build off of a 20-win season a year ago. After recording only nine saves last spring, Natt will be thrust into the starting role, and from what I've seen, he'll be ready to go. He keeps his feet active, ready to make a split-second save, and has good anticipation and quick hands to stonewall opponents in tight. He is also able to challenge his opponents by baiting them. He does this by setting up in a low stance and wide base, leaving the top of the goal more exposed than the rest, and then shooting up and out of his stance for a save when they take the bait. He has shown good technique and mechanics in goal and can come up with big saves in big spots, whether on the doorstep or from distance.     Nazarian played for Mendham last spring and put up some great numbers as a junior, totaling 196 saves while starting every game for the Minutemen. This spring, he is re-classing as a '26 at Avon Old Farms (Conn.) in order to get a leg up on the competition. He is athletic in between the pipes and has shown the ability to track the ball well with laser focus in clutch moments during late-game scenarios. He also exhibits good positioning and footwork on the more challenging saves and after a save, he uses his high IQ and stick skills to pop his head right up and make crispy outlet passes in an attempt to start a transition opportunity for the offense.     With two seniors gone, Venezia will battle with one other goalie for playing time this spring for Bergen Catholic. While he only played in 12 games last season and recorded 19 saves, he'll look to take the reins in year three and run with the starting job. Spending his summer with Mad Dog, Venezia's size and athleticism were on full display for scouts. At 6'0, Venezia does a good job of taking up most of the goal with his larger frame, making the opponent's target to shoot at look smaller. Also, he is athletic enough to get down quickly on low shots and does a good job of moving laterally on off-stick shots. He is a smart player and has come up with some huge saves for his teams in high-leverage situations late in games.     Stelmak had a great summer for BBL North and made some really tough saves against talented competition. One of the size things you notice when watching him play is his size and presence in the net. He shows confidence in his ability to make plays whether the shots comes from distance or in tight and he does a good job of tracking the ball out of the opponents' stick and getting a good read on it in order to make the save. With his wide base and solid technique, he moves well from pipe to pipe and exhibits good footwork. With his large frame, he is able to use his body a lot of times to make saves in tight with good anticipation for where the opponents will put the ball.

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