Standouts From Alliance League Summer Championships

Below is a review of prospects who battled through the oppressive heat in Maryland this past weekend and impressed with their outstanding play at the A.L.L. Summer Championships.    Carey is an incredibly shifty mid who got in an out of his cuts quickly, then immediately kicked it into gear and accelerated past would be defenders. His ability to allude the slide / help defender at the second level was impressive too. Once he found open space, Carey proved he could shoot or distribute on the run with both hands. In settled action, Carey operated as an offensive initiator. In that role he showed an extraordinary ability to balance his own scoring opportunities with getting teammates involved. At the A.L.L. Summer Championships, Carey also worked as a two-way mid-fielder. On the other end of the field, Carey was plus defender who generated turnovers and then used his speed to create an odd man rush.        Ohio State landed a gem in this FOGO with quick hands, a well-built frame, and a tenacious mindset. This past weekend, Gaertner was a one-man wrecking crew. He won clamps cleanly, then streaked down field and deposited the ball in the back of the net or dropped a dime to an open teammate. As a bonus, Gaertner showed he could execute clean defensive exits. When action at the dot got messy, Gaertner was able to use his physicality to overpower his opponent and then scoop up ground balls. His ability to muck-it-up for an extended period and then emerge from the scrum with possession was remarkable.     The first thing that popped about Harrington's skill set is that he played with extreme pace. His speed, quick cuts and attacking approach made it appear that he was operating in a higher gear than his opponents. Harrington's polished footwork and well-timed stick checks enabled him to pursuit ball carriers on the perimeter and then create turnovers. Once the ball hit the grass, Harrington gobbled up those ground balls and then charged down field. Harrington was extremely dangerous in transition. The combination of his high IQ and stick skills produced several fast break passes that came at the exact right moment. Harrington also proved that he owns the physicality and patience to be an effective on-ball defender behind the cage.     Conner is an uncommitted net minder who college coaches are sleeping on. During the A.L.L. Summer Championships, Conner was under heavy fire all weekend. Yet Conner remained poised as he repeatedly turned away point-blank shots. His quick reactions and stick skills produced several Instagram worthy saves. Conner has decent size, so he takes up a considerable portion of the net. Plus, he exhibited the ability to smartly play the angles and cut down the places left open for shooters. His quick and precise drops erased numerous low shots. After the ball was in his possession, Conner distributed precise clearing passes to open teammates.           When Robison won draws cleanly, it created serious issues for opponents at the A.L.L. Summer Championships. With his long strides, Robison covered a great deal of ground and was inside the restraining line in a flash. From there he his quick decision making led to a slew of beautiful assists as well as a few goals. Robison also proved he can play an extremely physical style of FOGO and bully his way to the cage. When he was looking to score, Robison unleashed powerful overhand shots as well as creative releases from different angles. Of course, all these offensive opportunities started with Robison's quick hands and fundamentally sound technique, which allowed him to secure clamps all weekend.

Below is a review of prospects who battled through the oppressive heat in Maryland this past weekend and impressed with their outstanding play at the A.L.L. Summer Championships.