IL ID Experience: Top '27 Performers at Attack

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription! The fourth annual IL ID Experience once again took place at Troy Park in Elkridge (Md.) and attracted over 80 talented members of the Class of 2027 in search of high-level coaching and game play to set the tone for November's recruiting circuit. After the instructional portion of the event had wrapped up, I made my way over to Howard County to watch the next wave of young recruits. Kicking off the post-showcase coverage coming away from Sunday, here's a look at eight of the top performers at attack.    Given the reputation that he's built at an early age, I had Caldroney's name circled as the '27 that I was most looking forward to watching in person at IDX, and he certainly didn't disappoint. Producing a hat trick plus a helper in an early battle against the Bruins and then chipping in three goals over his next two games, Caldroney played with a ton of energy and poise while demonstrating a wildly impressive skill set. Everything he does is fast, from his decision-making, to his footwork, to his passing. He showed the ability to turn the corner, and on one occasion tallied on a pretty lefty hitch, while also creating opportunities for his teammates. It's just incredibly evident how hard he has worked on his game, and he's as good as advertised. The next step for him will be committing himself to the weight room, which shouldn't be a problem considering the facilities and resources that he has at his disposal down at IMG.     After racking up 70 points as a freshman and enjoying a successful campaign on the summer circuit, Randles showed particularly well during his time at IDX and is a well-rounded young attackman worth keeping an eye on going forward. I was wildly impressed with how hard he works off-ball, and that's on top of his ability as a ball-carrier. He's super skilled, slick and shifty, possessing the burst and change of direction to beat his man off the endline and turn the corner. Randles is tough and can get shots off from any release point (even when his defender gets hands on him) and with either hand. I also loved his ability to find the open man in traffic after drawing the slide.     <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/04/promising-class-of-2027-attackmen-suddenly-on-my-radar/">Highlighted in early April along with several other promising '27 attackmen</a>, Shaw continues to look every bit of a top prospect in the class at this early point. Doing some of his best work dodging from the wing, the left-handed Texas native sees the field at a high level and has an excellent repertoire of moves to get his hands free for a scoring opportunity. Shaw, who played on a loaded Longhorn attack unit on Sunday, posted five goals in three games, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBWkhxupA_m/">including this beauty</a>. His stick work is excellent, as is his decision-making and knack for knowing what it takes to beat his man. I've been really impressed with the progression of his game in the six or so months since he saw time for the Lakers as a freshman, and I'll be intrigued to see where his game goes from here. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWkhxupA_m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWkhxupA_m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWkhxupA_m/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>     A highly intelligent quarterback type, Waldman has a field sense beyond his years. He's certainly got the bloodlines, considering the fact that he has older brothers at Georgetown and Cornell and a father who played at Rutgers. The younger Waldman, who looks comfortable when operating from behind the cage, showed tremendous poise and was super productive, finishing with seven points across three games. He took his man from X, scored one-handed, and scored on a textbook inside roll, but was always looking for cutting teammates and knew when to attack his matchup and when to defer.     His numbers on Sunday don't tell the full story, but it only took a few possessions to realize that Herendeen is an elite passer, and that's not a term I throw around too often when talking about sophomores. A bouncy and savvy head-up dodger who is incredibly decisive with the ball, he has a really strong understanding of the game and puts feeds right on teammates' sticks. Also a menace on the ride, Herendeen is the younger brother of Jack, a Cornell freshman, and the two not only share incredibly similar skill sets but also have identical frames, with each listed at 5'9 and 160 pounds. There's no doubt that the younger Herendeen will be a crucial piece of the puzzle for Victor these next few years after getting his feet wet as a freshman.     Another member of a loaded Longhorn attack unit on Sunday, Goodman is a bigger body, standing close to six feet tall. Recording two goals in the first game I saw, he finished with at least four tallies on the day and was generally an impactful presence for his squad. He did a great job above the cage and was constantly attacking his man from the wings or sweeping across the top, but also showed the ability to bury slick finishes within a few yards of the cage. A Howard County native who was playing in his own backyard, Goodman has phenomenal stick skills and is a two-handed weapon who puts himself in spots to succeed by constantly keeping his feet moving.     Right off the bat, the Georgia resident undoubtedly put together the event's best individual performance of the day. In Game 1, Coluzzi posted four goals in the first half and added another in the second half, plus an assist, then went on to record four goals in the last game of the day. An energetic and excitable dodger who can separate at will, Coluzzi was a force with his change of direction, burst, and terrific body control. He came off of picks, scored on twisters, finished appropriately with bouncers, sold out for diving goals, and more. A recent transfer for the Big Red, Coluzzi is highly athletic and a super talented playmaker who played with a ton of confidence, and he was always performing under control. As always, attack minutes will be hard to come by at Lawrenceville, but I could see him finding his way at midfield early in his career.     At IDX, Druhot was constantly setting himself up to be at the end of a lot of plays, though I've been told that there's a lot more to his game than just finishing. However, he was able to be incredibly productive by scoring in transition and by getting it done with time and room. A high-percentage shooter with great size for his age, Druhot has superb hands and wrists, allowing him to throw fakes to make goalies move and get well-placed shots off in a hurry with a nasty release. Working in tandem with Coluzzi, the stat sheets had Druhot down for three goals against the Tide, two goals and an assist against the Longhorns, then another two-goal outing against the Wildcats. I'll be intrigued to see more of him this fall with his Sweetlax team.

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!

The fourth annual IL ID Experience once again took place at Troy Park in Elkridge (Md.) and attracted over 80 talented members of the Class of 2027 in search of high-level coaching and game play to set the tone for November's recruiting circuit.

After the instructional portion of the event had wrapped up, I made my way over to Howard County to watch the next wave of young recruits. Kicking off the post-showcase coverage coming away from Sunday, here's a look at eight of the top performers at attack.