IMLCA Players Summit '27s: Top Lefty Midfielders

<a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/12/imlca-players-summit-27s-top-righty-midfielders/">After featuring six of the top right-handed midfielders in Wednesday's piece</a>, it's time for the lefties to get their flowers, as the '27 class is chock full of dynamic left-handed dodgers at the midfield.    Fresh off of helping Somers' football program capture a third consecutive state title earlier this month, Violante showed no sign of rust with a stick in his hands down in Florida. A highly athletic and crafty midfield initiator, he popped off for two goals in a win over Mad Dog on Sunday, getting on the board with a smooth lefty dodge down the right side of the field. Next, he beat multiple defenders and deposited a beautiful backhander through the teeth of the defense. The hard-charging lefty has a superb first step and an aggressive mindset when going at his matchup - it quickly became clear that he was willing to take a beating as long as the ball ended up in the back of the net.     The combination of Violante and Mullahy at midfield proved to be hard to stop, as the pair helped Prime Time bounce back after a tough Saturday to boost their squad in some notable wins in Sunday's consolation bracket. Mullahy consistently got underneath the defense or got his hands free with a textbook rollback, posting two goals of his own in an impressive win over Mad Dog. Noticeably two-handed for a sophomore, Mullahy is exceptionally skilled and intelligent, operating with poise up top and getting defenses to rotate with his precise passes. Though tall and wiry, he showed guts when darting through traffic and dodged with purpose no matter how he chose to create offense.     Schoonmaker burst onto the scene as a freshman, thriving in a complementary role early on before eventually working his way up to a spot on the Cardinals' top midfield. He can manipulate a defense with a subtle fake or a hesitation move at the top of the box and take off; then, once he's created separation, he's a high-percentage scorer both with his feet set and when running full speed. At IMLCA, I thought he asserted himself nicely (if anything, he probably could have been even more aggressive) but played under control at all times. A fundamentally sound shooter on the run, Schoonmaker has an advanced understanding of the game, patiently working to find the right opportunity to initiate and deferring when necessary.     Fox, a versatile and savvy midfield weapon, continued to demonstrate how much he could do at a high level and brought a level of competitive energy that was a lot of fun to watch. Offensively, he initiated a lot of possessions (favoring a sweep to the left) and was comfortable handling the rock as the setup man from his spot up top. Even when his plays didn't end up on the stat sheet, he was often the catalyst due to his ability to make the right read or his prowess on groundballs. He was terrific when going from D to O and was also a tremendous asset on the wings of face-offs, especially in tight games.     An attackman by trade, Maag provided a significant spark running out of the box for Shore 2 Shore's offense, recording a hat trick in the first game I caught. The fleet-footed lefty goal-scorer does everything fast, from his explosive first step to his speed in the open field to his rapid release as a shooter. Often attacking shortsticks, Maag excelled at winning his matchups and getting back to his strong hand in the middle of the field, though he also produced as an invert option. His first name is fitting — he rides like his hair is on fire and makes a habit out of gaining extra possessions with precise wrap and trail checks.

After featuring six of the top right-handed midfielders in Wednesday's piece, it's time for the lefties to get their flowers, as the '27 class is chock full of dynamic left-handed dodgers at the midfield.