Maverik Showtime '27s: Top Performers at Attack

As always, Maverik Showtime was stocked with top-flight attack talent. Having highlighted Offensive MVP William Schwarz (West Islip, N.Y.) / LI Express) and Riley Woods (Culver, Ind. / Evolve Elite) in yesterday's post on the All-Star Game, here's a breakdown of 20 more top attackmen from the event:    Cross is undoubtedly among the most heralded attackmen in the class at this early point, so I was anticipating how he looked relative to the last time I evaluated him live in November. The 6'2, 180-pounder started better (two helpers in Game 1, then a pair of goals in Game 2) than he finished in game play, but he still posted 1G/1A in the All-Star Game and looked strong throughout the week. I've always been pleased with his stick work and finishing ability: he's super comfortable playing with either hand, puts passes on a rope, and finishes appropriately in tight. He's armed with a snappy and deceptive release when letting it fly, but there's a ton of versatility in terms of the ways in which Cross is able to create offense.     <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/01/lawrenceville-n-j-newcomers-worth-keeping-tabs-on/">Richardson first jumped onto my radar during Lawrenceville's Red vs. Black Game in November '23</a>, and although he has yet to be featured heavily within the Big Red's offense, his future is bright and his skill set is tantalizing. A highly skilled left-hander out of Coquitlam (B.C.), Richardson likely projects as a middie, but posted at least seven goals and two assists playing attack at Showtime. Early on, he finished a dodge from the wing and buried a stepdown on back-to-back plays. Richardson snaps off shots before goalies can get a read on him and has a hammer of a shot from deep, along with all of the twisters, backhanders and other fancy finishes that come with box-bred Canadian scorers. He'll be a hot commodity come September along with several other talented Lawrenceville '27s, and I have a feeling he'll pop off next spring.     Another All-Star selection last week, Spallina put up at least nine goals and an assist as a steady scoring presence for Team 2. Fresh off a spring in which the lefty racked up 46 goals and 10 helpers, Rocco displayed soft hands, a booming IQ, and a knack for getting up the hash and finishing at a high clip. He's certainly not the biggest, but he's able to fight off stick checks and body blows on his way to the rack and isn't afraid to mix it up in the riding game. Spallina's goals weren't the flashiest but he showed a considerable amount of substance, and stacked up a ton of 'plus' plays throughout the event.     Lagunowich is one of the more proven scorers in the class, having registered a ridiculous 69-goal, 28-assist statline as a sophomore for the Cougars. He's a dynamic dodger who consistently puts pressure on opposing defenses and can get to his spots more often than not, whether that's been in the spring, on the club circuit, or in a showcase setting. Lagunowich was his usual self, scoring goals in a multitude of ways, riding the ball back several times, and showing off his shake, athleticism, and knack for scoring with flair. Watching him live for the first time since December, I was once again blown away by his ability as a shooter and how brilliantly he mixes up his release points and shot location - it's advanced in every sense. Unfortunately, his summer circuit came to a screeching halt last week, with Lagunowich breaking his collarbone in an event after Showtime. However, coaches are sure to have seen enough, so I can't imagine that his stock will take much of a hit, if at all.     Yet another known commodity with strong bloodlines, Colsey came off an excellent First Team All-FCIAC sophomore campaign and showed off his ridiculous skill level at Showtime. Producing at least nine goals and an assist, Colsey was also responsible for one of the top highlights from the event, burying an insane jumping between-the-legs goal among other Instagram-friendly finishes. He absolutely hums the ball as a shooter and is able to freeze defenses with fakes to get his hands free. There are times he needs to rein in his shot selection, but it's something that you learn to live with since he creates so many scoring opportunities. In addition to what he's able to do with the ball in his stick, he adds an element to the riding game with his relentless effort.     As advertised in every sense, the Rochester native has some of the best hands (and two-handedness) in the class and is seemingly able to get off high-quality shots off at will. He pairs great hands and a nose for the goal with excellent footwork and grit, as he routinely scores through substantial contact. Holbrough's field sense is remarkable in that he has a special ability to see what's coming his way and be a step ahead every play while knowing when to attack his man and when to become a distributor. He's got a deep bag, even throwing a fake shovel pass at one point in Game 4 on the way to the rack. Holbrough had several highlight-worthy plays throughout the week in addition to numerous ridebacks. He's just a really fun watch every time he's out there.     Caldroney is an incredibly intriguing talent who put on a show at Maverik, dazzling with the ball in his stick and putting up at least eight goals and four assists during his time in Tinton Falls. He opened things up by pulling off a jaw-dropping Air Gait move and continued to light it up with filthy back-handers, around-the-worlds, and creative passes, including the infamous fake shot to pass patented by MLL legend Brian Langtry. At his best above the goal line, Caldroney is super unselfish with the ball and was constantly throwing beautiful skips, and for a guy his size, he gets a substantial amount of torque on his shots. You never know what you're going to get when watching Caldroney, who keeps defenses on their toes at all times and is a highly difficult player to limit from getting his.     Quite frankly, I have no clue how Bladon didn't make the All-Star Game at Showtime, putting up at least eight goals and two assists and making it look downright pretty along the way. The tall lefty from Ontario is a tremendously talented shooter who can fit his shots into the tightest of windows and has a nasty release. Good for a few toe drags, he's excellent at dodging poor approaches and proved to be a high-percentage goalscorer. There's both power and slickness —  and equal parts style and substance —  in Bladon's game, as he knows how to use his frame to his advantage and is a lot more dynamic than his numbers might indicate, as he's a supremely skilled passer. It felt like every one of his goals was noteworthy, a testament to his skill level and crafty Canadian style of play.     King was another player that I felt was deserving of an All-Star nod, given that he produced multiple goals in all but one game, including a hat trick on Tuesday night. An All-American out in each of the past two seasons, King was poised and dangerous from the right-handed wing and did a great job shooting from the hash. He was calm under pressure, limiting turnovers and negative plays with prime decision-making while boosting the play of his teammates around him. I was impressed with what he added to the riding game, his deception and ability to mix up his releases and placement, and just his overall consistent scoring touch. He's the type of player who I could see playing either attack or midfield at the next level, too.     A smooth operator from Annapolis, Todd was one of my favorite offensive recruits that I saw during the fall and winter circuit, and he's only gotten better since then. Responsible for at least a goal every game, including a hat trick in Game 3, Todd showed off outstanding stick skills and two-handedness, a smooth shooting stroke with pinpoint accuracy, and a number of well-timed cuts. He can create and score in a variety of ways, and performs with an excellent plus-minus, never forcing anything and deferring to his teammates when appropriate. Posting a goal and an assist in the All-Star Game, Todd is another prospect with attack/midfield flexibility.     You couldn't help but be intrigued by Rosario, who earned an All-Star selection and showed a lot of flashes of upside. A Bronx Lacrosse product who was born in the Dominican Republic, Rosario was someone I heard a lot about coming away from his time at Best In Class, and he certainly backed all that up at Maverik. What he lacks in size and polish, he more than makes up for with explosiveness, pure speed, and an aggressive mindset when dodging. Showcasing a multitude of moves to get his hands free, he routinely beat his man and got to high-percentage areas. I'm really looking forward to seeing where his game is a year from now, as he's still a bit raw from an IQ standpoint and had yet to face a high level of competition prior to this month. Either way, I have to imagine he'll have his fair share of suitors in a few months.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2>   Cole Atkinson | St. Paul's (Md.) | Team 91 Maryland   Justin Bishop | MICDS (Mo.) | Project Midwest   Harrison Brown | Highland Park (Texas) | Mad Dog   Jake Johnson | Lambert (Ga.) | Thunder   Leo Gillette | Hill School (Pa.) | BBL   Jack Kelleher | Benjamin (Fla.) | Sweetlax Florida   Garrett Sullivan | Salisbury (Conn.) | Prime Time   Koren Vanterpool | Trinity-Pawling (N.Y.) | Sweetlax   Nolan Wieczorek | Massapequa (N.Y.) | Team 91 Long Island

As always, Maverik Showtime was stocked with top-flight attack talent. Having highlighted Offensive MVP William Schwarz (West Islip, N.Y.) / LI Express) and Riley Woods (Culver, Ind. / Evolve Elite) in yesterday's post on the All-Star Game, here's a breakdown of 20 more top attackmen from the event: