Centerstage '29s: Five Specialists Who Made a Big Impact

Centerstage's 2029 bracket was stacked with top talent at traditional positions and in the specialty spots. From goalies with booming voices to longpole face-off dynamos and lockdown d-mids, there was plenty of variety across the field. Here are five specialists who stood out from the crowd at Centerstage.    If we're talking about five- and six-tool players, Butler is in the conversation. Here are some of the positions he filled for Beast Canada: Face-off guy. Wing. Close. LSM. There was a stretch where Butler flat-out didn't come off the field. I cannot remember the last time I saw a longpole that was this versatile and equally effective as he was deployable. Butler was so effective at the X that other teams were putting their poles up against him to try and fluster him. After he won groundballs, he carried like a seasoned O-mid and distributed it just as well. However, he was also gritty in scrums and knew how to clear out a man for his teammate to get the loosie, too. I think Butler is a fascinating prospect because he's got the IQ to play anywhere on the field.     First off, when you're evaluating SSDMs, the primary thing you watch is their footwork. Can they stay step for step with their man? Do they come out too far? How long are their strides? I can say with conviction that Sippel's footwork is elite. His motor is right up there with anyone else at this event, and he was dogged in his pursuit of ball carriers as well as loose balls. You can see why he was logging minutes as a freshman because he doesn't play his position to try and get more two-way or O reps. Sippel owned the space between the midline and the restraining line in a way that is rare. At this early point, he is one of the best I have seen in this class in that regard.       A loud lefty keeper is one of the best guys you can have on your roster. Mulligan has a commanding presence and directs his defense extremely well. There were times when I was on the other field and still heard him telling his defense where to go and when to slide. Mulligan mixed up his clears with masterful technique. He's not a long bomb artist; he's a multi-level possession manager. His shot-stopping was also at a high level. Mulligan made routine stops look even easier than they should and turned them into immediate dividends with his aforementioned clean and crispy outlets. Mulligan is definitely a rising goaltender talent to watch in this class.     Lackett had a lot to do as Tri-State's top SSDM. Physically, he was imposing and did not shy away from any contact. A midfielder tried to bulldoze him near the midline on a clear and paid the price by being cartoonishly blown up. The physical tools are there, and Lackett has enough in his bag to stay on O until the ball cycles to X. He's not the middle sprinting to the sub box; he's the caretaker until the attackmen lock down possession. Lackett did have to get back and hold the line more than once even after that initial two-pass progression, but he didn't have any issues doing so. Sometimes the best thing you can be is willing to gut out another shift - Lackett did it two to three times without any letdown.     There was a sequence in one of Laxachusetts' later games where Smith made four saves in two possessions, and the quality of those saves was so high that the other team was visibly vexed. Like, the entire team - not just the coach (who was approaching heart-palpitating agitation) but every player on the field who wasn't clad in throwback Patriots half sleeves. As for Smith, he hopped back to his feet after the fourth save and set his angle back to where the ball ricocheted out of play like he was sitting back down in a comfortable chair. That machine-like efficiency was Smith's calling card throughout the event, even as he split time with another very capable keeper in Declan Tattan.

Centerstage's 2029 bracket was stacked with top talent at traditional positions and in the specialty spots. From goalies with booming voices to longpole face-off dynamos and lockdown d-mids, there was plenty of variety across the field. Here are five specialists who stood out from the crowd at Centerstage.