Alliance Fall Invitational 2028s: Offensive Stalwarts, Part II

As we enter the fourth and final weekend of the November recruiting circuit, here's a closer look at five more offensive talents in the 2028 class at A.L.L., a post that comes on the heels of my <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/11/alliance-fall-invitational-2028-defenders-who-looked-the-part">evaluations of the top defensive weapons</a> and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/11/alliance-fall-invitational-2028s-offensive-stalwarts-part-i">Part I of the breakdown of the top offensive players in attendance</a>.    Sweetlax Upstate was without a handful of its top players, and it felt like Crouse took on a substantially larger role and took advantage of it, despite probably receiving more attention from defenses than he was used to. Having missed the lion's share of the summer circuit, transferred from Salamanca (N.Y.) to WRA, and reclassed to the '28 group, he looked like he was playing with confidence and is just scratching the surface. Crouse is athletically gifted and thus able to win matchups, often favoring a sweep across the top. Once the slide came, I was particularly impressed with how consistently he made plays with guys draped all over him. Having posted 38 goals and 22 assists last spring, he could be an intriguing piece for Dylan Sheridan's program going forward.     I couldn't help but be incredibly intrigued by what I saw from Erwin, who showed the athleticism and playmaking ability that indicated a rather high upside. With his tool kit of dodges and explosiveness from the top of the box, he had very little trouble getting to the second level of the defense. Erwin netted one of the more impressive goals that I saw all weekend when he attacked a shorty matchup and put a move on him, threw a subtle fake, initiated contact, then ran past him before unleashing an absolute laser into the top right corner. It felt like every time he found the back of the net, it was a timely juice goal, and the way his teammates reacted was notable. I'll be curious to see how he fares in his first year at Holderness, having transferred from Mansfield HS in Vermont and bumped back from the 2027 class.     I really liked what I saw from Honos, a top performer for a rather deep 3d New England team that was without some big names at the A.L.L. event. At his best above the cage, he's a slick, crafty playmaker with a penchant for winning his matchups, dodging with purpose, and separating with ease with his electric first step. Honos has tremendous wiggle and often utilizes a pretty little hitch move to free up his hands. Simply put, he just kept getting to his spots and did so while playing within himself and sharing the ball. Even on a team as talented as his, he seemed to perform in a way that lifted the play of the guys around him, and much can be said about that quality of his game. Honos also added a spark on the ride and showed a willingness to get some tough GBs under duress.     The Rye (N.Y.) native joined a short-handed 3d NE team for the weekend along with three of his Hilltop teammates, and made his presence felt right from the jump, seemingly scoring at will and posting five goals in a game at one point. Positionless and relentless, he's the type of ballistic dodger who can get his at any moment and make it look pretty along the way. He's super smooth with the ball in his stick and is constantly keeping his feet moving to generate scoring opportunities, then cuts to space and puts the ball in the back of the net. Off the catch, Strazzini has a full repertoire of tricks to get his hands free and make goalies move, and quite frankly, it felt like he never got saved. He's dynamic, creative, and always taking risks as a dodger, but also excellent as a mid-range shooter and doesn't settle for below-average takes.     Young is right up there with the very best 2028 middies that I've evaluated this fall and has a ton of polish to his game despite his youth. Whenever 3d New England needed a play from its middies, the lefty was the one to provide juice or put the game away. Big, athletic, and incredibly skilled, Young can accelerate into a higher gear better than most. He's an outstanding shooter on the run and can put the ball wherever he wants, regardless of the release point. Young played under control at all times and was superbly poised when the slide came, moving the ball appropriately or darting through the teeth of defenses. It's early, but he looks the part of a midfielder who will get a lot of attention in September 2026.

As we enter the fourth and final weekend of the November recruiting circuit, here's a closer look at five more offensive talents in the 2028 class at A.L.L., a post that comes on the heels of my evaluations of the top defensive weapons and Part I of the breakdown of the top offensive players in attendance.