IL Knockout Fall Derby: Midfielders to Watch in the '27 Class

It was an action packed 2-day weekend at the Inside Lacrosse Fall Derby! The event itself, as well as the skill on the field, was very impressive. The IL team did an excellent job in attracting a fantastic group of competitive club teams and a solid list of college coaches at all levels. Teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, and New Jersey competed throughout the weekend-long event. Here is a list of my favorite midfielders from the 2027 class who impressed me the most from this event:    For Team 91 Carolina, Lambert was a dynamic threat all weekend. Whether it was dodging from up top, laying the body on an opposing dodger, or clearing the ball up the field, Lambert was Team 91 Carolina's "IT" factor. Named the Offensive MVP of the championship game, his step down in the title game proved why he is making his mark in this '27 class.     Carrasquillo possessed a tremendous left-handed shot on the run, or stepping down and painting the bottom corners. He was one of the standouts of True Illinois' fantastic midfield unit. Speeding down the alley, he could let it fly to sling it past the goaltender and paint the far pipe. He is a slick lefty who can succeed when attacking down low and from the low wings, or when he comes out of the box and gets the short stick matchup, it is a match up nightmare for the opposing team.     Sininsky was another fluid lefty who was a force to be reckoned with both down low and coming out of the box. He had the finishing touch to paint the far side pipe or bounce it around the opposing goalie. His ability to see an opportunity and make quick flash cuts showcased his grasp of the game. Sininsky knew what he was going to do with the ball when he received it, and he was always one step ahead of his defenders. He had a smooth underneath dip-and-dunk to open up the scoring on Day 1, against a very talented Honey National squad.     All day long, the slick righty was a beast. Whether it was causing chaos on the ride, battling for loose ground balls, or getting gritty and diving across the goal mouth, Hogue was a dynamic threat all over the field. In my opinion, Hogue was his club's more talkative and outspoken leader over the weekend. He was not hesitant to lead his team on the right sets and quarterback the offense. In the game I was able to watch, he started the game down low on attack, but was able to adjust and take some runs out of the box, exposing the short stick from up top with a nasty hitch and split dodge to a goal. The Honey National Club was unfamiliar to me, so I was happy to catch some game action. All I can say is - they have some BALLERS!     Stats do not lie when it comes to the face-off position. It is a 1 vs. 1 battle, and Kepka dominated it all weekend long. In the game I was able to catch on Sunday, Damian Kepka of True Illinois finished almost flawless from the stripe. Kepka wasn't your average get-off and face-off guy. He managed to clear space off the faceoff exit and withstand pressure from the poles. You can tell that he has amazing game sense. He is aware of when to slow it down and knows when it is time to push it off the faceoff. Kepka gave his offense lots of possessions over the weekend thanks to his quick release from the clamp and skillful play off the ground. Keep your eyes out for this kid!

It was an action packed 2-day weekend at the Inside Lacrosse Fall Derby! The event itself, as well as the skill on the field, was very impressive. The IL team did an excellent job in attracting a fantastic group of competitive club teams and a solid list of college coaches at all levels. Teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, and New Jersey competed throughout the weekend-long event. Here is a list of my favorite midfielders from the 2027 class who impressed me the most from this event: