Five Maryland Seniors Poised to Step Up on Offense This Spring

Lacrosse season is here in the Mid-Atlantic, with several top programs officially kicking things off earlier this week and a handful more set to open up on Friday. Having gotten eyes on a few of these players' debuts this week (with plans to see the rest in the coming days), let's take a look at a few offensive weapons who will be asked to step into increased responsibilities this spring after their respective programs experienced key losses to graduation.    Botek's game has evolved significantly ever since he first cracked the Cardinals' varsity roster as an underclassman, and now, as he begins his senior season on Friday night, he'll be asked to take on an even bigger role as a go-to option. A sneaky and intelligent cutter who displays soft hands inside, Botek is excellent within eight yards of the cage but has become more of a threat from the outside. He excels at attacking bad approaches, getting underneath defenses on wing dodges, and sharing the ball with selflessness, connecting on skip passes with teammates. There's no doubt that he's taken a significant step forward each year and his confidence with the ball in his stick reflects that improvement.     Formerly an under-the-radar recruit, Joerres' performance at a handful of summer and fall events saw his stock climb, ultimately leading to a flip from Vermont to Delaware. Set to play attack full-time for the Dons this spring, he has significant experience playing both spots within an offense and is a constant threat to make his man miss and get his hands free. He's a really talented shooter off the catch, a skilled cutter, and an artful dodger who knows how to get to his spots. I'm particularly a fan of what he can do when attacking from the wings, but he has an incredibly diverse skill set and is far from a one-trick pony. The ball will be in his stick a lot more this spring, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he performs in his last go on Chestnut Avenue.     A big, powerful 6-foot-4, 200-pound lefty, Rodgers was an All-MIAA performer at midfield a year ago but has since moved down to attack, where Gilman's staff can guarantee that he's on the field for every possession. Well, that decision has paid off so far. On Tuesday, Rodgers posted an unofficial tally of six goals and two assists in a commanding win over St. Albans (D.C.), with all but one point coming in the second half. A bonafide zone buster who can let it fly from the outside, Rodgers is still positioned up high in every offensive set and makes the most of his touches. He does a tremendous job of cocking his stick back to hide his release and places his shots impeccably well. I'd like to see him become more of a dodger, but that's not to say that he can't be, evidenced by what he showed this past summer. Rodgers certainly took what the defense gave him on Tuesday, resulting in a plethora of wide open stepdown looks that he cashed in on.     Souza has been a pivotal piece of the puzzle of the Saints' offense for a while now, however, a lot more defensive attention will be put towards him in 2025. With St. Mary's sputtering a year ago, graduating a handful of starters, and experiencing an offseason coaching change, Souza's play will be pivotal. A threat from the righty wing, Souza's a crafty goal-scorer who gained a lot of confidence as a dodger last spring and took over games from time to time. Watching bits and pieces of the Saints' near-comeback against Georgetown Prep the other day, it felt like his squad fed off of his play in the second half and he was up to the task with the ball in his stick. I'm a big fan of the way the 6'2 attackman has developed and see him playing early at UMBC.     Stewart is undoubtedly one of the better athletes in the class, blessed with game-breaking speed. With the Bears having graduated the lion's share of its offense from last year's IAC championship squad, he'll be among the seniors expected to step up for the Landon offense in 2025. Stewart seized the opportunity by recording a hat trick in Tuesday's season-opening win at Severn and continued to beat his man at will thanks to an explosive first step and a variety of ankle-breaking moves. Once the Admirals switched to a zone defense look, Stewart showed his range on stepdowns and jumpers. As brilliant a performance as it was, he'd be well-served to work on letting the game come to him, as he was sometimes overly aggressive and forced the issue. Right now, I'd lean towards projecting him as a d-middie at Penn, though I'll be intrigued to follow his progression as an offensive midfield weapon for the Bears this spring.

Lacrosse season is here in the Mid-Atlantic, with several top programs officially kicking things off earlier this week and a handful more set to open up on Friday. Having gotten eyes on a few of these players' debuts this week (with plans to see the rest in the coming days), let's take a look at a few offensive weapons who will be asked to step into increased responsibilities this spring after their respective programs experienced key losses to graduation.