Next Man Up in the MIAA: Mt. St. Joe 2026 Preview

Last spring, the Gaels showed they can hang in one of the toughest high school lacrosse conferences in the country: the MIAA. Mt. St. Joe cracked the national top 25 at one point, picking up quality wins over Georgetown Prep and St. Paul's, and it's clear the standard inside the program has changed.   But the MIAA doesn't give you breathing room. When April comes, the schedule is a gauntlet, and MSJ's one-goal loss to Boys' Latin was a perfect snapshot of how this league works: thin margins, one or two possessions, and the smallest mistakes turning into the difference between a win and a loss. That “little things” theme is going to matter again in 2026, especially with turnover on both ends. The Gaels graduated key defensive pieces like Brody Reese (Maryland) and Austin Slade (Flagler), and they'll also be replacing a chunk of offensive production with new faces stepping into bigger roles. On the field, they'll be asking new faces to replace production on offense while also filling big roles defensively.   Still, Mount St. Joe comes back hungry with its eyes on the playoffs in a brutal conference, and the belief starts with how they've built the program. Head Coach Tyler Reid is quick to credit the development pipeline, especially the JV staff that's helped bring younger guys along, and he's also pointed to offensive coordinator Matt Justice as a difference-maker since arriving. With Justice's college-level background as a coach and player, the Gaels have tightened their approach on that end and raised the bar. Put it together, and MSJ has plenty of pieces ready to step into bigger roles when the MIAA grind hits.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offense</h2>   After graduating key producers like Cooper Myers (Wingate), Reed Herbert (Florida Tech), and Owen Craney (Gettysburg)—and losing [player_tooltip player_id='121619' first='Ryder' last='Scott'], who transferred to Calvert Hall—Mount St. Joe is in a true “next man up” spot on offense. In the MIAA, that's not a slogan — it's survival. When you're getting a steady diet of Division I matchups every week, the guys stepping into bigger roles have to be ready to produce and protect possessions.   The unit is quarterbacked by [player_tooltip player_id='123984' first='Ryan' last='Currie'] (Le Moyne), a four-year starter and two-year captain who plays with a high IQ and rarely makes mistakes. He's the guy who controls tempo, settles things when possessions get messy, and consistently gets them into the right look without forcing the game. He'll be surrounded by a group that got real reps last year, including [player_tooltip player_id='173592' first='Gavan' last='Conley'], who had big moments — especially in the win over Georgetown Prep — and [player_tooltip player_id='173628' first='Jake' last='Bosica'], who looks like a strong candidate to lock down the lefty spot.   The midfield will decide how far this offense can go. [player_tooltip player_id='124326' first='Jack' last='Birrane'] (Lynchburg) looked like one of their best players at NHSLS and has worked to become more dynamic — changing his tendencies, drawing slides, and creating for others. Tyler Appenzeller (Monmouth) gives them a two-way option after earning his way onto the offensive side, and [player_tooltip player_id='123763' first='Jake' last='Minderlein'] (Christopher Newport) is the Swiss Army knife who can impact games in a bunch of ways: wings, transition, man-up/man-down, defensive minutes, and offensive dodging when needed. Then there's [player_tooltip player_id='129909' first='Carson' last='Spitz'], one of the more intriguing uncommitted juniors in Maryland, who has a big frame, real skill, and the type of midfielder who can tilt a game if he's healthy and rolling.   The next wave is coming too. Sophomores Chase Sanchez and [player_tooltip player_id='173630' first='Matty' last='Curtin'] are two names with scoring upside — both can play attack, both can finish — and this spring will be about how quickly they can translate that talent to varsity speed and matchups.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defense</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='165585' first='Henry' last='Clark'] (Utah) is the lone returning starter on the close unit, and he's leaned into a bigger leadership role heading into the spring. He's the type of defender who does more than cover the other team's best attackman — he communicates, organizes, and can push tempo in transition when the opportunity is there.   With two starting close defenders gone, [player_tooltip player_id='123982' first='Carson' last='Rakes'] (Anderson) and Mack Vicchio '28 are two names trending toward bigger roles. Rakes is a senior who's hungry after sitting behind talented upperclassmen last year. Vicchio, meanwhile, had a strong summer and showed the staff he can play aggressively and not back down from the kind of matchups the MIAA throws at you every week.   At short stick, MSJ has athletes. Beckett Flurry and Amari Vass look like the guys you trust to take tough midfield assignments. Vass brings a different gear as an All-MIAA running back in the MIAA and has been featured on Prep Redzone. He is the kind of athlete who can erase his matchup and be a one-man clear. [player_tooltip player_id='143724' first='Simeon' last='Reid'] will also factor in because of his versatility. He can run both ways, take wings, dodge when needed, and still settle into that short-stick role defensively when matchups demand it.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Specialists</h2>   In a league decided by thin margins, possessions matter. Mount St. Joe has two pieces that can tilt that category. [player_tooltip player_id='123714' first='Grady' last='Rippeon'] (Jacksonville) gives them a steady presence at the stripe, and pairing him with [player_tooltip player_id='129825' first='Nico' last='Dinisio'] (Bucknell) on the wing/LSM spot makes them dangerous in the loose-ball game. Dinisio was an absolute vacuum on the ground last year, and if he's around the same production again, it's a major advantage in the MIAA where extra possessions matter.   In the cage, Mount St. Joe will have a real competition. Senior Cole Fuhrman (St. Mary's) brings steadiness and poise, while junior Grady Crapster has made big strides and can push the standard in that room. Both are capable options, and whichever way it shakes out, the goal is the same: consistent play that lets the defense stay aggressive and play connected. That competition should raise the bar early and keep everyone sharp, which is exactly what you want heading into an April schedule that doesn't give you time to ease into it.   Mount St. Joe has the pieces to be competitive: a quarterback in Currie, specialists who can win possessions when it matters, and hungry players ready to prove themselves. Now it's about whether this “next man up” group turns into reliable producers in a league with zero soft spots. If the Gaels can build on last year's momentum and stack quality wins through the MIAA grind, that experience should translate into mid-May lacrosse.    [player_tooltip player_id='123714' first='Grady' last='Rippeon'] is set to join his brother at Jacksonville next year, where his older brother is already the starting face-off guy, and it's easy to see why that pipeline fits. Rippeon has a chance to tilt games in the Gaels' favor because he's one of the more skilled FOGOs in the MIAA. He wins a lot of draws clean forward, and he's quick enough after the win that teams can't fall asleep — if you don't respect him as a scoring threat, he'll run right through your lock-offs and dunk it. He showed that at NHSLS this fall against Brophy Prep.   What I like most is that he's not a one-trick pony at the stripe. He can battle with top-level opponents, counter when teams adjust, vary his exits, and get physical when the draw turns into a scrap. And when you pair him with [player_tooltip player_id='129825' first='Nico' last='Dinisio'] on the wing — one of those ground-ball magnets — Mount St. Joe has a real chance to control the ground game and win the possession battle off face-offs.     [player_tooltip player_id='123982' first='Carson' last='Rakes'] is one of the hungriest guys on MSJ's roster, and you will feel it in his play this spring. The athleticism jumps out right away. He can run with quick dodgers, close space off-ball, and push tempo the other way in transition. In 1v1 defense, his feet are his separator — he stays on hands, mirrors well against straight-line speed, and doesn't get rattled when a guy uses a change of direction. As a lefty pole, he also gives matchups a different look and forces opponents to adjust their approach.   He's steady in the clearing game, too. He handles the ball cleanly, makes smart reads, and has the burst to run past attackmen and turn a routine clear into transition. When he does get involved on the offensive side, he plays within himself — calm under pressure, moves it to the right spots, and doesn't force it. In a league loaded with talented attackmen, MSJ is going to need Rakes to be consistent and dependable, and he looks ready for that responsibility.     The uncommitted junior has a lot to prove this spring as the leading candidate to lock down the lefty attack spot, but the skill set matches the moment. At NHSLS, he consistently tore defenses up from behind the cage. He has the shiftiness to shake his defender, the vision to find teammates, and the skill to thread passes in tight windows.   As a scorer, he creates in a couple of different ways. He can generate looks on the run, but he's also active off-ball and knows how to pop into space when defenses get caught ball-watching. With the ball, he's at his best getting up the hashes and turning the corner because of his speed and nimbleness. And when it's time to finish, his release package is what separates him. He'll shoot straight overhand and completely underhand. And he has a knack for pulling it high in a way that freezes goalies. Bosica has a prime opportunity to help stabilize the Gaels' offense and make a real statement to college coaches this spring.     [player_tooltip player_id='143724' first='Simeon' last='Reid'] might be the most versatile piece on Mount St. Joe's roster, and his athleticism shows up in every phase. He can take wings, dodge in the offensive set, and then turn around and play legit 1v1 defense — the type of guy you can plug into different jobs depending on the matchup and the moment. Offensively, he really pops as an initiator. His dodging is controlled and purposeful: short, choppy steps to get right to a defender's toes, then a sudden burst to separate. He's comfortable as both a dodger and a finisher, and he has a good feel for getting his stick to the middle when it matters, which is where shot quality jumps.   Defensively, the footwork is off the charts. He mirrors well, stays on hands, and doesn't give dodgers easy angles. In the open field and clearing game, he's a natural mover — composed with the ball, hard to strip, and capable of turning a stop into transition without forcing it. Reid's one of those guys with a lot in his bag, and with that comes responsibility. If he plays to his ceiling, he's a swing piece for how far the Gaels can go this spring.     [player_tooltip player_id='173630' first='Matty' last='Curtin'] is in a spot to be a real X-factor for the Gaels this spring because of his obvious scoring ability. He's a natural attackman who can do damage from his comfort zone on the righty wing — when his feet are set, he's lights out. The release is clean, he can hit spots, and he's not a one-look shooter either. He'll change arm slots, and when he adds a hitch to widen the angle, it's tough for goalies.   With the attack spots largely spoken for, Curtin's path to minutes could be through the midfield line — and that's where his growth will matter. The off-ball stuff is already there: he's good at finding soft gaps, he gets the ball out quickly, and he doesn't need a ton of time to turn a touch into a shot. He's great at drawing and making quick reads in transition that translate in any system. If he can adapt to more long dodging as a midfielder and the speed that the MIAA presents, Curtin can show off that scoring ability at the varsity level.

Last spring, the Gaels showed they can hang in one of the toughest high school lacrosse conferences in the country: the MIAA. Mt. St. Joe cracked the national top 25 at one point, picking up quality wins over Georgetown Prep and St. Paul's, and it's clear the standard inside the program has changed.