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

On the heels of Friday's writeups on five of the better defensemen, we're back for Part II, which focuses on big and rangy athletes from Georgia (x2), California, and North Carolina, as well as a 5'6 playmaker from Long Island. Check back after the holiday for more content from the IMLCA Players Summit, and ICYMI, read up on our previous reports from the event. <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/12/imlca-players-summit-27s-top-defenders-part-i/">Top '27 Defenders, Part I</a> <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/12/imlca-players-summit-27s-top-lefty-midfielders/">Top '27 Lefty Middies</a> <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/12/imlca-players-summit-27s-top-righty-midfielders/?itm_source=parsely-api">Top '27 Righty Middies </a>    Far and away the most impactful player on the field in Thunder's tilt with the Cherries, Kingsbury's upside is super intriguing. I've seen him listed at 6'3 and 6'4, so he's clearly still growing into his body and has considerable strength packed onto his frame, which looks to be somewhere around 185 to 190 pounds. At IMLCA, he picked up a ton of groundballs and was constantly involved in the transition game, where his athleticism was on display in the open field. He has big play ability, jarring the ball loose with pretty takeaway checks while continuing to move his feet. There might be more refined defenders at this early point, but Kingsbury has a lot to work with, and I'll be curious to check in on his game this summer.     Even on a field full of big and imposing athletes, eyes quickly land on Giraudo, who was a bright spot in a West Coast Starz loss to 2Way. Beyond his physical and athletic gifts, Giraudo has excellent hands and stick skills, allowing him to thrive off the ground, when covering the ball 1v1, and in transition. The lefty routinely puts the ball in the carpet with a simple poke, pick the ball up on the first try, and then triggers the transition game. He's very disciplined and fundamentally sound with his slides and off-ball play, his stick's always in the right position, and he's noticeably vocal. Capable matching feet above the cage or at GLE, he's able to flip his hips and steer his opponent away from dangerous areas. I like what I saw from him at both close and LSM this fall, so I could envision him playing either position at the next level.     Watch 3d Georgia play and you're sure to notice Roach, a relentless competitor and the type of defensive playmaker that makes ball-carriers keep their head on a swivel. At 6'2 and 190 pounds, he's an intimidating presence who has to be accounted for at all times and will follow his man into the parking lot if need be. For better or for worse, Roach is always looking to make a play, and though he needs to be reined in here and there, his competitiveness and ability to cover ground allows him to be a force on the back end of the field. Possessing an incredibly active stick, he had a pretty check that helicoptered his opponent's stick into the air, then followed that up with a nice interception later in the game against 91 LI.     Although it was a smaller sample size than I usually like, Higbea showed flashes of brilliance while covering an attackman who had given opposing defenses fits all fall long. A rangy and wiry lefty who moves well, Higbea held his man to just one assist in the first half and forced him into less-than-stellar shots with some excellent close-outs. He didn't throw many checks and didn't need to, but he stayed on his guy's hands and played strong position to limit production. Also a two-year starter in football, Higbea helped Cannon to a state championship as a freshman, earning All-Conference honors and finishing with 30 groundballs and 22 caused turnovers.     Despite being just 5-foot-6, DePietro constantly affected games and made a plethora of big-time plays while helping S2S to a title. He possesses a motor that doesn't stop, and his toughness and competitive energy were felt all over the field, including in the transition game. Against Madlax on Sunday, he cleared the ball down the right side of the field on a slow break, curled underneath once he had an opening, switched to his off-hand and scored a big juice goal. While plenty of teams may have initially felt inclined to go at a player of his stature, he held up extraordinarily well in coverage. Sitting down in his stance and playing hard-nosed defense, he utilized his tenacious disposition, sound footwork, and precise checks to make his presence felt. Overall, he was just a joy to watch, and it never really felt like his lack of prototypical size was a hindrance.

On the heels of Friday's writeups on five of the better defensemen, we're back for Part II, which focuses on big and rangy athletes from Georgia (x2), California, and North Carolina, as well as a 5'6 playmaker from Long Island. Check back after the holiday for more content from the IMLCA Players Summit, and ICYMI, read up on our previous reports from the event.

Top '27 Defenders, Part I
Top '27 Lefty Middies
Top '27 Righty Middies