'26 Maryland Rankings: Fall Verbals Who Flew Under the Radar

On Thursday, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/01/class-of-2026-maryland-rankings-top-40-juniors-watchlist/">we dropped an extensive ranking of the top '26 talent in Maryland</a>. While the list featured many of the usual suspects in the MIAA's 'A' Conference and IAC, plenty of recruits that could be considered off the beaten path or under the radar also made their way into the rankings and watchlist. Today, the spotlight is on five commits that fall into those categories. ICYMI, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/01/26-maryland-rankings-top-uncommitted-public-school-talent/">read up on seven of the top uncommitted '26s from MD public schools</a> — in case you haven't already subscribed, use the code 'PREP30' at checkout for 30% off all annual and two-year subscriptions.    Arrup had a sensational season for the state finalists, posting 36 goals and 19 assists and becoming the only sophomore to earn First Team All-Baltimore County recognition. His poise and playmaking ability belied his youth as he fearlessly took on multiple defenders and racked up big point totals in Towson's biggest games. The slick lefty goal-scorer has excellent stick skills, silky mitts, and an impressive arsenal of moves around the cage. Utilizing a strong first step and body control, Arrup can beat his man off the dribble or fill up the net off the catch. His nose for the goal stands out the most, though he's also a creative passer who can find the open man after drawing slides. A lot more attention will be focused on the future Retriever in 2025, so I'll be intrigued to see how he adjusts his game. Now that I'm back living in Towson's district, I'm looking forward to seeing Arrup play in-person at some point this spring.     Another incredibly skilled lefty, Durnbaugh put up 50 goals and 34 assists for the Sabres, who advanced to the MIAA 'B' title game before falling to Curley. In late October, he committed to Boston University (as a '27, according to his social media) and became SSPP's first Division I recruit since the 2021 cycle. Durnbaugh first caught my eye when he opened up the summer at Juniors Open and Best In Class, where his size, physicality, and dodging repertoire allowed him to make a big impact. Right now, I'd lean towards projecting him as a college midfielder, as he's at his best dodging downhill or sweeping across the top. Spending a lot of time this spring initiating offense from up top, he's a hard-charger who shoots the heck out of the ball with his feet moving and can stretch a defense with his range. Once Durnbaugh becomes more consistent at creating offense with his right hand, he'll be even more dangerous.     Hailing from Ocean City, this Mack truck of a left-hander is a lot of fun to watch on tape — Fohner's not as tall, but his frame is Ian Dingman-esque. Because of his size and brute strength, he's so tough to take the ball away from him and push off his line when dodging, and he's got the footwork and stick skills to get quality looks on cage from within 10 yards. Fohner gets a considerable amount of power on his shots (even when he leaves his feet) and is an excellent shooter from the wing. As an interior finisher, he's shown a terrific handle inside and the ability to use deception to beat goalies. Racking up 41 goals and 25 assists to land HM Public School All-State honors as a sophomore, Fohner played with a handful of club teams and wasn't at many high-profile events, though it's clear that the St. Joe's staff liked what they saw.     A two-time First Team All-MAC and All-County pick, Rupp racked up 38 assists, 14 assists, and 42 groundballs as a sophomore under head coach John Tucker, a Hall of Famer. As the primary offensive initiator, Rupp is super dynamic and can provide a spark in a multitude of ways. He's a crafty and reliable finisher from close range, and proficient in dodging from X, the wings, and from up top. He's got great wiggle on his split dodges, can bang shots from outside, score backhanders with flair, and bounce off contact on his way to the rack. No matter how he decides to go about it, Rupp has a knack for getting his hands free and has the lacrosse IQ to maximize his scoring chances. In addition to his offensive prowess, he picks up hard-nosed groundballs and is always wreaking havoc in the riding game.     A blue-collar lefty defender who never fails to empty the tank, Shannon plays a lot bigger than he is and is constantly harassing ball-carriers from sideline to sideline. He's got awesome hands, too, jarring the ball loose with precision, then quickly getting the ball off the ground and working upfield. Hanging your stick around Shannon has proven to be a fool's errand as well, as he's known to catch opponents slipping with a trail check. Even though he's relatively unassuming at first glance, Shannon is hard to miss with his combination of athleticism, grit, and tireless style of play on defense. In addition, he's beyond capable of making things happen in transition and versatile enough to thrive both up top at LSM and down low. After Mercer dipped into the Free State for four Class of 2025 commits, the Bears went back to Maryland for Shannon, an All-County pick who committed shortly after the fall circuit wrapped up.

On Thursday, we dropped an extensive ranking of the top '26 talent in Maryland. While the list featured many of the usual suspects in the MIAA's 'A' Conference and IAC, plenty of recruits that could be considered off the beaten path or under the radar also made their way into the rankings and watchlist.

Today, the spotlight is on five commits that fall into those categories. ICYMI, read up on seven of the top uncommitted '26s from MD public schools — in case you haven't already subscribed, use the code 'PREP30' at checkout for 30% off all annual and two-year subscriptions.