Autumn Bowl: Maryland ’28 and ’29 Talent on the Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In our second installment of coverage from Sunday's Autumn Bowl, we take a closer look at five Maryland talents on the rise, all being evaluated on the site for the first time. The group features two uncommitted 2028s looking for their college homes and three standout attackmen from the 2029 division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["218457"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9062b2e429"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wills will be tested heavily this spring at Spalding. With Cooper Johnson graduating and Ryan McManus transferring to St. Mary's, Wills and sophomore Finn Weiss are left to lead the way at the face-off spot. I liked what I saw from Wills over the summer, but on Sunday, he seemed to have an extra gear. He looked a little more quick-twitch at the dot, getting out of his stance and to groundballs faster while maintaining a strong base in tie-ups and battles for loose balls in tight spaces. He pairs a good mix of pinch-and-pops, rakes, and shovel counters with a reliable stick. There are a few uncommitted MIAA '28 FOGOs who would be on my board, and Wills is one I expect to trend up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["218455"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9062b2e39f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing at 100mph, Meehan caught my eye when he came out of the box like a horse out of the starting gate. Lightning-fast downhill, he made it tough for the hot guy to find an angle to get in front of him. Those plays define Meehan's style: shake you with a one-two split or jab, then run past you to free his hands for a shot on the run. He's a great party starter, but he does damage on his natural side and from behind the cage, too. He has a serviceable left hand and can get it done dropping back on defense, pairing good feet with the speed to erase advantages in a variety of situations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["218459"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9062b2e479"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the many threats on Next Level's offense, Mackey was the only player I saw score in all three games I watched on Sunday. What stood out was his ability to generate quality shots without making mistakes—two big boxes to check in an attackman. Whether he was working through the middle of the defense, serving as the point man in transition, or dodging down the alleys, Mackey showed he could score in a variety of ways. After earning offensive MVP honors on JV last year, he should be in the mix for a spot at attack. If he doesn't land there, though, I like what he could bring coming out of the box. He's comfortable dodging from up top, with the ability to bounce out and re-dodge to create those same quality looks as a midfielder.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["218461"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9062b2e4c5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A big lefty scoring threat, Geesaman's box background shows up throughout his game. He consistently works to get his stick to the middle, creating quality looks for himself off the dodge. Off the ball, he finds dangerous spots and pairs that positioning with an incredibly quick catch-and-shoot release, including backside one-timers that look straight out of box lacrosse. His shooting mechanics tell the same story. He has a straight-overhand hammer and can pull underhand shots high, enough to make the traditional coaches shouting 'change planes!' happy. I'm interested to see how Geesaman fits into Calvert Hall's offense this spring alongside the junior and senior lefty attackmen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["218463"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9062b2e50f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the many young guns St. Mary's should be excited about, Schummer was a main contributor at the lefty attack spot for Hilltop Black on Sunday. A ball-dominant attackman, he makes his money from the left wing. He has the speed to beat defenders to spots and the slipperiness to squeeze through traffic, consistently getting to dangerous areas even when it means taking a hit. I like his shooting on the run, where he mixes in jump shots and a deceptively quick release that almost looks short-armed. I'd like a little more deception in tight, but facing MIAA varsity goalies should give him plenty of incentive to add it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->