Autumn Bowl: Five Dynamic '29s Who Impressed on Sunday Morning

The Autumn Bowl kicked off the November circuit, welcoming a number of reputable clubs to Delaware's Kirkwood Sports Complex. Both of our full-time scouts were on-site — myself for the morning games and Mike Campanile for the entirety of the event. Here's who stood out during the opening rounds of the day.    Though he plays down south for Florida powerhouse Ponte Vedra rather than a New Jersey mainstay, Cavanaugh was one of several 3d Garden State 2029s who wasted little time making a strong impression with his assertive and bouncy dodging style. The straw that stirred the drink (as was Matthew Solomon), good things happened when the ball was in Cavanaugh's stick. His bounce popped right away, and his overall burst and speed were some of the most impressive I saw all day. Setting up his dodges with an elite first step, his eyebrow-raising change-of-direction moves got his hands free at will. From there, Cavanaugh was precise with his shooting and worked hard to find the best shot rather than forcing the issue. Based on what I saw, he'll be a bona fide problem for Florida defenses to cover for the next three years, in addition to being a consistent nuisance on the club and showcase circuit.     There's been quite an uptick in DMV clubs sending kids to Deerfield in recent years, starting with the Weller brothers. Well, Harrison seems to be next. He first caught my eye a few weeks ago at the IL ID Experience, flying around with the ball in his stick, riding his tail off, and showing off his craftiness, which included a downright nasty toe-drag. This past Sunday, he was back at it in style, producing a hat trick in the early game I caught. A hard-charging wing dodger, Harrison knows how to get his, simply put. He's formidable with either hand to keep defenses on their toes, and he was constantly executing rolls against his defender to shake them and get his hands free. Harrison is a smooth operator in every sense of the word, and I'm fired up to continue to watch more of him. Having seen him a handful of times now, and being familiar with how difficult it is to crack Deerfield's lineup as a sophomore, it seems to me like he could be too good to keep off the field.     I developed a level of appreciation and familiarity with Kaliszewski during his time with the Eclipse 2028s before he reclassed to the ‘29s at Loomis. The Hamden (Conn.) native is a two-way horse, playing bigger than he is and always emptying the tank. He was constantly jamming up midfield dodgers with his lights-out SSDM play, hustling hard for contested GB's, and clearing in wildly impressive fashion. He's just a pleasure to watch and does so many things well, and while I'm sure he'll end up playing SSDM for Loomis, I can see him contributing in transition. At one point on Sunday, he switched hands and unleashed a hammer into the back of the net. He's super athletic, is well-built enough to take on body and stick checks but keeps on chugging, and just possesses a lot of attributes in a player at his position.     McCarthy came out like gangbusters in an early game, riding the ball back and corralling an interception, then turning that into a goal himself. Later on, he had a pretty assist on EMO, though it was called off. McCarthy scored two goals while serving as Upstate Union's main initiator and showed off his blend of size, skill, and athleticism. More than anything, he demonstrated impressive two-way play and a phenomenal competitive energy, though sometimes he got a little too jumpy and turned the ball over. That being said, there's so much to like. Like so many upstaters, he's way more substance than flash, and he plays his tail off. McCarthy packs a punch between the lines, and I loved what I saw of his freshman year tape in terms of what he did both defensively and offensively. Of course, it's far too premature to peg him on either side of the ball; however, he does so many things well to the point that he's bound to be an intriguing college prospect when the time comes.     Stebbings was among the stars of the early window, posting a hat trick plus an assist in a short time. Part of a strong underclass contingent at Seton Hall Prep (and a highly talented roster overall), the incredibly skilled righty was artful with his dodging ability and got to his spots at will. On Sunday morning, he created offense on a pretty inside roll, scoring on the run, and by getting back to the middle. I was struck by how hard Stebbings played, how hard he worked for his opportunities, and how well he got the ball off the ground, too. Like most first-semester sophomores, he'll need to add weight and additional explosiveness, but he checks so many boxes with his skill and IQ. Stebbings is remarkably poised for his young age, and he was always in control while making things happen. I'll be eager to see what kind of impact he makes for the Pirates this spring.

The Autumn Bowl kicked off the November circuit, welcoming a number of reputable clubs to Delaware's Kirkwood Sports Complex. Both of our full-time scouts were on-site — myself for the morning games and Mike Campanile for the entirety of the event. Here's who stood out during the opening rounds of the day.

Will Cavanaugh

HEIGHT 5'7"

WEIGHT 165

POS A/M

CLASS 2029

View Player

Will Cavanaugh

State: Florida

School: Ponte Vedra

Club: 3D Garden State

Though he plays down south for Florida powerhouse Ponte Vedra rather than a New Jersey mainstay, Cavanaugh was one of several 3d Garden State 2029s who wasted little time making a strong impression with his assertive and bouncy dodging style. The straw that stirred the drink (as was Matthew Solomon), good things happened when the ball was in Cavanaugh's stick. His bounce popped right away, and his overall burst and speed were some of the most impressive I saw all day. Setting up his dodges with an elite first step, his eyebrow-raising change-of-direction moves got his hands free at will. From there, Cavanaugh was precise with his shooting and worked hard to find the best shot rather than forcing the issue. Based on what I saw, he'll be a bona fide problem for Florida defenses to cover for the next three years, in addition to being a consistent nuisance on the club and showcase circuit.