Rooney Dishes Dimes as St. A’s (N.Y.) Tops St. John’s (D.C.) 11-7

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Long Island powerhouse St. Anthony's entered this game fresh off a 10-day rest following its 9-7 season-opening win over Indiana's Culver Military Academy. Long breaks can sometimes have negative effects on players. However, this one had little impact on [player_tooltip player_id='14540' first='Gary' last='Merrill'], [player_tooltip player_id='45399' first='Danny' last='Rooney'], and the Friars, who looked sharp and ready from the opening whistle.<br><br>Rooney played a key role, recording four assists for the Friars—two to [player_tooltip player_id='126027' first='Giovanni' last='Massaro'] and one each to [player_tooltip player_id='17521' first='Dylan' last='Harrigan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='14540' first='Gary' last='Merrill']. He was one of five standout players I wanted to highlight in St. Anthony's win over St. John's College (D.C.):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["45399"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e5cce48e8ee"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rooney set the tone early, delivering the ball movement the Friars needed with three quick assists. He showcased exceptional accuracy, touch, and vision in their win. He was a reliable feeder in set plays and a key point man in fast breaks. Every time the ball touched his stick, he seemed one step ahead of the defense. With these attributes, expect him to be among the Friars' assist leaders this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["17446"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e5cce48e9b2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnston is invaluable to the Friars. As an old-school two-way midfielder, he rarely comes off the field. He's a grinder on the wing for face-offs, a lockdown short-stick defensive midfielder, and contributed three points on the day. His third-quarter goal stood out—he took a St. John's defender behind the cage in an invert, ran through contact at the goal line, and finished low and away. Another highlight from the third quarter is one we'll likely see again during his future at Hopkins—a punt return-style clear, where he weaved through three St. John's attackmen before finding LSM [player_tooltip player_id='14538' first='Parker' last='McDonald'] for a goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["17165"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e5cce48ea26"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Friars boast an impressive defense, and one of its key pieces is Bramoff. Though primarily an LSM, he played close defense in their game against St. John's while still showcasing the attributes of a true LSM—athleticism, a willingness to take risks, and strong ball-handling skills. Two moments stood out from his performance. First, he sparked a fast break that led to a goal by [player_tooltip player_id='126027' first='Giovanni' last='Massaro']. The second came during a man-down possession when he anticipated a pass, knocked it down against [player_tooltip player_id='14543' first='John' last='Offutt'], and quickly found an outlet to transition the ball the other way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["14543"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e5cce48ea76"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Offutt was a walking highlight reel in St. John's game against St. Anthony's. His first big moment came just before the first-quarter horn. He caught the Friars off guard during a substitution and scored a behind-the-back goal in transition. He had a tough matchup against LSM [player_tooltip player_id='14538' first='Parker' last='McDonald'], and St. John's made McDonald's job even harder by forcing him through picks while trying to keep up with Offutt's speed. Despite the challenge, Offutt delivered, finishing the game with four goals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["18836"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e5cce48ead8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">While Inzer probably wasn't thrilled with his performance against St. Anthony's, he made several unexpected saves. It is nothing short of impressive to have at least 15 saves against a talented shooting team like the Friars. One of Inzer's best qualities is his explosiveness toward the ball. He showcased this just before halftime when he reacted quickly to snag a high jump shot from [player_tooltip player_id='14540' first='Gary' last='Merrill'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->