Fall NHSLS: Founders League Underclassmen Poised for Spring Roles

NHSLS gave us an early read on which underclassmen are poised to break out in the Founders League this spring. While Choate goalie [player_tooltip player_id='125548' first='Mac' last='Privateer'] is already a known varsity commodity (but was still worthy of being highlighted), a handful of freshmen and sophomores showed maturity well beyond their years and look ready for meaningful roles once the season begins    An obvious standout for Choate at NHSLS was [player_tooltip player_id='125548' first='Mac' last='Privateer']. In the half I watched against St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), he piled up nine saves, an absurd number for one half of lacrosse. But Privateer is no stranger to the spotlight — he started 15 games as a freshman, helped lead Choate to its first-ever Founders League Championship appearance, and earned All-Founders League honors. His future at Choate is clearly bright after doing all of that in year one.   His game absolutely backs up the résumé. Privateer is balanced and efficient in his footwork. On outside shots, he's incredibly calm, squaring up without wasted motion. His hand speed is elite — from outside, he takes away spots all over the cage, and inside, he's confident enough to bait shooters because he knows his hand speed can take away the open net in an instant. He also has that competitor's edge: winning races to the endline, staying poised under heavy ride pressure, and sparking transition with quick outlets. Privateer will be one of the most coveted goalies in the 2028 class come September 1, and his play alone makes Choate a must-watch this spring.     [player_tooltip player_id='171817' first='Silas' last='Corveddu'] has had an impressive fall campaign with the Predators and he continued that success with his Hotchkiss squad at NHSLS. He is an athlete with box lacrosse and wrestling in his background and those skills show up in his game. The lefty is excellent at manipulating defenders with fakes and hitches, freeing himself to get to the middle of the field for high-quality shots. His physicality shows up everywhere—on rides, in groundball scrums, and in the way he absorbs contact.   Corveddu loves his sidearm release, both as a shooter and passer, but he mixes in different angles to get the ball around defenders, and his quick release makes him even tougher to guard. Hotchkiss will have a very strong lefty option in the spring with Corveddu in the mix.     Already showing signs of being one of the top faceoff prospects in the '28 class, [player_tooltip player_id='171742' first='Soren' last='Techet'] will be firmly in the mix at Westminster this spring after transferring from Cary Academy (NC). At 6'1" and strong, he has the physical makeup you want at the X—able to take a beating, fight through groundball scrums, and hold up over the course of a full game. He's excellent at picking his exits, and when he gets hot, he's tough to stop, especially when he wins it forward to jumpstart transition.   With the ball, he's more advanced than most faceoff specialists at his age. He's comfortable passing and shooting with both hands, and he even buried a lefty goal at ALL. Westminster rode the hot hand at NHSLS, and it wouldn't be a surprise at all if Techet becomes that guy this spring.     The slick lefty looks primed to find a role in the Trinity-Pawling offense this spring. [player_tooltip player_id='144592' first='Jackson' last='Cairl']'s size stops mattering the second you watch how smooth and quick he is. He can dodge from anywhere on the field. At NHSLS, he buried a couple coming up the hashes, but he's just as comfortable shooting on the run down the alley. That versatility will make it easy for him to find a spot in the Pride offense.   When he dodges, Cairl's best trait is how close he gets to short sticks before making his move—then he's gone. If slides come, he reads them well, whether they're adjacent or from the crease. The skill that really pops is his ability to manipulate defenders to get exactly what he wants. If he wants to move you, he'll show shot and slip a feed. If he wants his own look, he'll free his hands with speed or subtle stick fakes.     After transferring from Fayetteville-Manlius (N.Y.) and re-classing, Hotchkiss looks to have its goalie of the future in [player_tooltip player_id='141708' first='Grant' last='Rhyde']. At 6'3", the first thing you notice is just how much of the cage he covers. His size alone makes it tough for shooters to beat him high, whether it's from range or right on the doorstep. In tight, he's confident enough to bait shooters and isn't afraid to put his body in harm's way to make a stop.   One of his biggest strengths is how well he moves pipe to pipe and reads a shooter's body language to take away looks before the ball is even released. In the clearing game, he processes quickly and throws a clean ball to spark transition. If he continues to sharpen up on low and five-hole shots, Hotchkiss will have a rock-solid anchor in the cage for this season and the years ahead.     As you'd expect from a freshman, [player_tooltip player_id='171744' first='Lucas' last='Reeser'] still has plenty to polish, but the long-term upside is obvious. At 6'3", his length alone can disrupt opposing offenses, and once he adds more strength, he's going to be a real problem for attackers. At NHSLS, he showed promising off-ball instincts — staying in an athletic stance, sliding on time, and getting his stick into passing lanes. On the ball, his feet are calm, and if dodgers do gain a step on him, he can use his reach to his advantage to make up ground. What stood out most, though, was how well he handled the ball under pressure against Georgetown Prep's aggressive ride. For a young defender with his height and poise, the ceiling is high.

NHSLS gave us an early read on which underclassmen are poised to break out in the Founders League this spring. While Choate goalie Mac Privateer Mac Privateer 5'11" | 185 lbs | G | Right Hand Choate Rosemary Hall | 2028 CT is already a known varsity commodity (but was still worthy of being highlighted), a handful of freshmen and sophomores showed maturity well beyond their years and look ready for meaningful roles once the season begins