IMLCA Players Summit '27s: Top Defenders, Part I

The Class of 2027 bracket at the annual IMLCA Players Summit turned out to be incredibly competitive, and as Sunday intensified, more and more defenders stepped up with key performances in tightly contested matchups. Here's a look at five sophomore defensemen from the Northeast who stood out when I was on the sidelines:    I tend to take notice when a traditional power like Garden City has a freshman starter, especially on defense. Dengler fits the bill and shares similarities with many of the program's defensive recruits that have come through in the last 15 or so years. He's big, athletic, and physical, also playing football for the Trojans' Long Island championship squad. Down low, he's super steady and plays shutdown D by relying on his top-flight footwork, powerful frame, and positioning to prevent his man from creating offense, and doesn't need to throw flashy checks to do so. Dengler doesn't think too much or get caught out of position, and he's fundamentally sound and disciplined with his approaches, slides, and pick play. As Shore 2 Shore picked up some narrow victories on its run to a title, I kept noticing the frequency with which Dengler picked up crucial and timely groundballs then made the correct decision on the clear.       Though this is often the case for me when evaluating close defenders, I gained much more of an appreciation for Fodor's skill set after seeing him the second time around this fall. His ranginess and athleticism stood out in November, but the more I watched BBL last weekend, the more I was impressed with his overall command of the defense, footwork, and off-ball prowess. Covering a lot of ground at all times while using his length to his advantage, he put himself in passing lanes and snagged a few clean nuggets out of the air. Fodor moves exceptionally well for a player his size, so he's more than capable of limiting different types of attackmen. He can also bump up and cover up top, where he stripped one of the event's most dominant middies and cleared upfield on Sunday.     Yet another promising defensive prospect in the Brunswick program, Ehrhart put together an excellent campaign at IMLCA. Like many Bruins before him, he certainly looks the part with his long 6'2 frame and athletic ability. An all-around defensive playmaker, he's incredibly disruptive and was pivotal in helping 2Way end possessions. Ehrhart is a threat with the ball in his stick and is frequently on the offensive side of the ball, scoring a big goal against the West Coast Starz created by a beautiful outlet by the goalie. As a cover defender, he held up well both at GLE and above the cage, doing a nice job attacking the bottom hand to jar the ball loose and making his opponent uncomfortable. He's got great hands and an excellent stick, so he's smooth off the ground and constantly involved in the transition game.       On Sunday, Chojnacki was tasked with covering one of the more reputable offensive weapons in the class and passed the test with flying colors, as his matchup was only able to score in transition when Chojnacki wasn't on him. Matching feet and staying active, the rangy and athletic sophomore made his presence felt by staying on his hands and preventing quality looks. He was aggressive yet under control and disciplined, using his stick exceptionally well and demonstrating terrific lateral movement. Chojnacki's close-outs were also a staple of his performance, as he was always making contact to affect the delivery. Over the years, Prime Time has developed a reputation for being a top destination for high-end erasers on defense, and Chojnacki looks to be next in line.     I wasn't able to watch Express play until the tail-end of the event, but when I did, Urich caught my eye right away with his play at LSM. His height obviously jumps out at first, and not only is he relatively filled out for his age, but he knows how to use his size properly and moves better than you'd expect. The lefty was a vacuum off the ground and consistently made an impact off the wings of face-offs, between the boxes, and in unsettled situations. On a handful of occasions, he came flying out of the box to disrupt the opponent's transition offense. When presented with the opportunity to play 1v1 defense, Urich threw checks when necessary and often made his man move the ball elsewhere rather than go at him.

The Class of 2027 bracket at the annual IMLCA Players Summit turned out to be incredibly competitive, and as Sunday intensified, more and more defenders stepped up with key performances in tightly contested matchups.

Here's a look at five sophomore defensemen from the Northeast who stood out when I was on the sidelines: