Over the first and second quarters of this game, Ballenger was simply dominant at the face-off dot, going 8-for-10 in the 1^st half (unofficially). Ballenger used his fast hands and refined technique to win clean clamps consistently. He then exploded out of the face-off area to create transition opportunities for St. Paul’s. When things got chaotic at the dot, Ballenger demonstrated that he owns the tenacity and GB skills to track down the ball and then secure possession in a crowd. During this contest, Ballenger flashed the ability to run at SSDM, too.    

Among several sophomore face-off specialists who earned starting duties in the MIAA last spring, Ballenger looked increasingly comfortable as the season progressed. At 6’0 and 180 pounds, he brings athleticism, a tenacious mindset, and strong ball-handling skills. Upon making a clean offensive exit, he evades traffic admirably once the ball is in his stick and makes the appropriate pass. Perhaps just as notable, I’ve also been impressed with his relentless compete level —when he doesn’t win initially, he scraps and claws to win possession, so his hustle is never a question mark. Playing with a handful of club teams this fall, he continued to show well as a catalyst and will look to carry over that momentum to his junior season.