Maverik Showtime '27s: Top Middies, Part I

As we roll out our Maverik Showtime content — having posted the All-Star Game standouts and attackmen earlier this week — let's now move over to Part I of our writeups on the top midfielders in attendance.    This was my first time seeing Gold play, and I came away incredibly impressed with how much he brought to the table. In his first three games, he posted an assist and back-to-back two-goal performances, but it's everything else that Gold did that caught my eye even more. He showed the constant willingness to get back and play defense, often causing turnovers and clearing himself, which frequently resulted in instant offense. He's super athletic and shifty as well as dynamic as a shooter, armed with excellent stick skills. Coming from the same high school that produced Ajax Zappitello, Gold racked up 51 goals and 14 assists as a sophomore to lead his team in points. He's certainly one to watch going forward, and I'm excited to see more of him in a more structured team setting.     If Booen wasn't the most productive midfielder at the event, then he was awfully close. I unofficially had Boeen down for four points (three goals, one assist) throughout his first two games, a hat trick in Game 4, and a single tally in his last game, along with an assist in the All-Star Game on his team's first goal of the afternoon. Putting up 47G/14A as a sophomore, Booen pairs noteworthy burst and athleticism with exceptional skills, from his snappy three-quarters release to his ability to use deception. Dangerous as a sweeping dodger, he shoots the daylights out of the ball, at one point sending a shot through the net. If I had to guess, Booen is bound to become one of the more highly coveted '27 recruits from out West.     An athletic specimen at 6'3 and 200 pounds, there's a lot to like about this lefty from Long Island, who appears to just be scratching the surface. Hecht came out of the gates hot with a two-goal performance on Monday, then added a goal in each of the next five games he played, including the All-Star Game. As a dodger, he's a hard charger who is tough to stop when he gets a full head of steam, often swimming his way through defenders. Burying some pretty high-to-high blasts over the course of the week, he's crafty and opportunistic, taking what the defense gave him without forcing much of anything. It quickly became clear that Hecht has the physical gifts, but he's much more than a big body, as there's plenty of substance and upside there.     A bull in a china shop at 6'5 and 195 pounds, Doyle scored in every game, something that only a handful of midfielders accomplished. The British Columbia native netted a pair of tallies in Game 5 after selections were made, but even so, I was a bit surprised to see him be excluded from the All-Star Game. Doyle is blessed with remarkable hands and wrists, utilizing them to execute twisters and intricate fakes. While he isn't the type of player who will be spotted running by his man too often, he has deceptively good footwork for his size and has little trouble freeing up his hands for prime scoring opportunities.     The type of athlete who can absolutely fly from one restraining line to the other, Mullahy turned in another impressive campaign at Showtime, showcasing a bevy of qualities that will make him coveted just over two months from now. The younger brother of Brendan, an incoming freshman at Notre Dame — not to mention a Kavanagh cousin — Barrett has similiar athleticism to his brother and might be slightly more polished with his in the box offensive skills than he was at this age. He can score from range with just a simple flick of the wrists, and is able to create off the dodge on a regular basis. Mullahy is super explosive out of his rollback and is talented at getting shots off even with guys draped all over him.     Down in Jersey, Hill put forth all the intangibles and attributes that made him a First Team All-State defensive midfielder for the state champions. Having really liked what I saw on film this spring, I was that much more impressed with how much he embraced his role, demonstrating his blend of athleticism, grit, and high-level footwork. He's not the biggest, but he plays bigger than he is and has a sturdy lower body, so he doesn't budge much even when matched up with much bigger dodgers. Hill is hard-nosed and relentless in scrum situations, and is quick to turn a big GB into an one-man clear, but he also knows when to pass it off.

As we roll out our Maverik Showtime content — having posted the All-Star Game standouts and attackmen earlier this week — let's now move over to Part I of our writeups on the top midfielders in attendance.