Wyatt Branish scored 100 points (70 goals & 30 assists) as a sophomore. Wyatt was named 1st Team All-Conference & 2nd Team All-State (CHSAA) en route to a State Championship on an undefeated team. He collected a hat-trick & 1 assist against Valor Christian in the championship game, solidifying himself as a big-game guy. Branish is at his best on the left wing, where he can catch & shoot, initiate, or flash inside for a finish. He keeps his eyes up when dodging, recognizing defensive pressure quickly & finding open teammates when slides commit. Wyatt works well in the motion offense and rotates effectively on his attacker’s triangle. This leads him to become the beneficiary of some easy dunks on the backside, where he can creatively cash in with behind-the-backs that create more angle or quick sticks. Branish is gritty on the inside, where he can pick up rebound goals or finish with a guy on his back, where he can draw fouls. He is determined to get to his strength (lefty), where he can finish with the best of them – verbally committed to Michigan.

Wyatt Branish delivered the most clutch performance I saw all fall during the Colorado Kings’ five-goal comeback win over Sweetlax Upstate at the ALL Fall Invitational. When the game tightened up, he took over from the lefty wing. In the fourth quarter, he scored on an S-dodge with a subtle hesitation, finishing while falling to cut the deficit to 7–6. Also, he added two assists off lefty rollbacks to Sean Kilkenny, one of them was the feed that sent the game to overtime. If that wasn’t enough, Branish locked up a Division I commit on defense in overtime, forcing a rushed shot that led to the save.

Branish is an impressive talent for a lot of reasons, but his dodging and re-dodging really separate him. He has a great feel for getting that first step and working to spots where he can free his hands to shoot or open passing lanes to the backside. His hesitation moves are subtle but deadly, often freezing defenders just long enough for him to slip by. The deception in his game is next level. As a feeder, he reads slides well and isn’t afraid to look defenders off to free teammates. As a shooter, he mixes release points and subtle pauses to freeze goalies before snapping it past them. Michigan landed a legit difference-maker in Branish.

A left-handed midfield initiator, Branish is part of an outstanding class of Colorado natives and had a terrific year, posting 70 goals and 30 assists for the undefeated state champs. I was struck by how many different ways he can score the ball, whether on a S-dodge, a sweep to his left, off the invert, or when dodging through the teeth of the defense while absorbing contact. Branish’s dodging repertoire is just super polished, and he’s got the first step and acceleration to match. He made some pretty looks and noteworthy plays between the lines throughout the camp, so he’s far more than just a party starter out of the midfield. Game 5 at Maverik is always a survival of the fittest after a long week, and Branish went off for a hat trick to go with an assist, which says a lot.