Delaware Dominance: Salesianum Reloads and Eyes a Sixth Straight

Salesianum's standard is simple: win the state, then come back for more. After a 12–9 victory over Cape Henlopen in the DIAA State Championship, the Sals enter 2026 chasing a sixth straight title—and there's a real case this group is deeper top-to-bottom despite graduating Division I talents Cam Taylor (Duke) and Luca Pompeii (Maryland). The roster checks every box you want in a title favorite: a veteran-led attack, waves of midfield options, a blue-collar defensive edge, and specialists capable of swinging possessions when the margins tighten.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offense</h2>   Salesianum's new-look junior attack group of [player_tooltip player_id='173435' first='Brennan' last='Nurry'] (Brown), [player_tooltip player_id='173439' first='Jake' last='Getty'] (Towson), and [player_tooltip player_id='123816' first='Drew' last='Motta'] (Delaware) has all the tools to keep the offense rolling. Motta, a lefty, has been on my radar since the summer—super slick, plays with feel, and showed he can produce in big moments last year. With Getty and Nurry sliding into even bigger roles, the chemistry and balance should be a real strength. The midfield is where Salesianum can separate itself. They've got waves of capable two-way pieces and more than a few natural attackmen who could start at plenty of programs. Zach Strohmeier (So.) has been covered extensively on this site because he is as complete as they come—deceptively fast, a tough cover as a dodger, and competitive on the defensive end when it matters. Behind him, the depth of [player_tooltip player_id='143789' first='Andrew' last='Althouse'] (Lehigh), Rickey Jewell (Robert Morris), [player_tooltip player_id='154237' first='Chase' last='Donohue'] (Villanova), Owen Morrissey, James McGovern, Rocco Pompeii, Matt Plews, and [player_tooltip player_id='171632' first='Trent' last='Motta'] gives the Sals the ability to run real midfield lines and stay fresh into May—even with an extremely demanding regular-season slate. Good luck to opposing defensive coordinators trying to pick their poison when choosing who gets the LSM matchup, because this midfield group will torch opposing SSDMs.   Two freshmen who could push for midfield minutes: [player_tooltip player_id='168569' first='Seth' last='Quinlan'] and Jax Taylor (Cam Taylor's brother). Both have scoring ability—now it's about how quickly they adjust to the speed, physicality, and decision-making demands of the high school game.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defense</h2>   Defensively, it starts with [player_tooltip player_id='143654' first='Adam' last='Dodia'] (Penn State), who can lock up the opposing No. 1 and set the tone for the whole defense. Around him, Salesianum has the kind of athletic, disruptive depth that fits their identity: [player_tooltip player_id='173446' first='Dante' last='Rottura'] (Drexel), Zach Hudson, Mikey Pompeii (Luca's brother), Nick Pompeii (cousin), and [player_tooltip player_id='173301' first='Kendrick' last='Carmouche'] give them multiple ways to pressure, run, and turn stops into transition. At short stick, they're loaded with tough, physical, high-IQ guys who can handle challenging matchups: Talan Anton (Marquette), Tate Fontanazza (Navy), Ayden O'Keefe (Saint Leo), and Ronan Haggerty (Catholic). Add in a true two-way runner like [player_tooltip player_id='154237' first='Chase' last='Donohue'], and it's a midfield/defensive group that can play fast without losing its toughness.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Specialists</h2>   At the X, Luca Joseph (Jacksonville) and [player_tooltip player_id='173486' first='Paul' last='Taraborelli'] give Salesianum a legitimate 1–2 punch. Two different looks, the ability to ride the hot hand, and the kind of toughness you need when possessions become gold. Taraborelli is already shaping up as a faceoff name to know in the 2028 class. In the cage, Jacob Garrity (Delaware) brings both Division I talent and real experience. He saw meaningful time last year when Cam Taylor went down with a shoulder injury, so he's already been tested and should benefit from that as the full-time guy.   Salesianum's depth of college-level talent is enough on its own to put them at the top of the Delaware picture. Add in the standard Bobby Healy demands every day, and the out-of-state schedule becomes less of a hurdle and more of a proving ground. If they handle that early stretch and keep tightening the details, they'll hit the DIAA tournament hardened, sharp, and in position to make six straight very real.    All over the field, pushing tempo, takeaway-check king between the lines — that's [player_tooltip player_id='173446' first='Dante' last='Rottura']. He's 5'9”, but it doesn't matter because the motor never stops. He's the juice guy that gets the sideline going and the one who keeps popping up in film sessions because he's always around the next play.   He's going to stack “yard sales” off trail checks purely off hustle — dudes think they're clear and then he's on their hands out of nowhere. When the ball hits the turf, he's usually right in the middle of the scrum, and more often than not, he's the one coming out with it because he can goose it to space and win the foot race to it. If this were a rating evaluation, he's a 10/10 tempo pusher. Once he scoops it, he's out of there instantly, and he makes smart decisions on the other end. And if you fall asleep and leave him alone? Watch out for the classic pole high bouncer — that has a real chance of ending up in the back of the net. Drexel got a dawg in Rottura.     Nurry's got some big shoes to fill with Luca Pompeii graduating, but the transition should be seamless. He's the type of player who can score in waves, and he can do it in a bunch of different ways. At 6'1”, 200, he's strong enough to get into defenders and play through contact, but he's still shifty enough to shake you clean when you overextend. What jumps out most is his shot selection and his ability to create offense on his own. All summer, I kept seeing the same thing: he's getting to the doorstep and dunking on goalies. A lot of it starts with where he initiates — that righty wing or from X — and from there his bag is deep enough that you can't really “scout” him with one answer. He'll finish lefty, he'll go backhand up the hashes, and on his strong side, he can inside roll you or become a real problem from the island.   When he gets close to the crease, he's an automatic finisher. And if you give him space, he's got a cannon from range. The other part of his game that I love is the way he distributes — he'll look off passes, hold that help for a beat, and then hit the skip to open up teammates. He also doesn't quit in the riding game: he turns defenders back, stays on hands, and uses his strength to bully ball-carriers in tight quarters. With this attack group (and the chemistry they already have), I'd expect the Brown commit to have a big year.     Getty is going to be a huge piece in the Sallies' offense this year because of his burst — with the ball and without it. It's going to be interesting to see how they split the touches from behind the cage between Nurry, [player_tooltip player_id='123816' first='Drew' last='Motta'], and Getty, because all three can initiate from X at a high level. Getty's advantage is his straight-line speed. He can beat defenders to dangerous spots and get a shot off before the help even has time to arrive. And when slides do come (or in transition), he processes fast — quick decisions, quick deliveries — and that's where he's going to stack assists.   He also represents the Salesianum brand the right way: nonstop effort, constant movement, and he'll wear a defense down by the fourth quarter. Opponents can't hide a weaker off-ball guy on him either, because that's where he wrecks you. If a defender turns his head for a second, Getty's gone — backdoor cut, hands ready, finish in tight. And in the riding game, he's the same as the rest of that group: he'll hustle to turn you back, sprint to the squeeze, and make life miserable for clearing units trying to breathe.     [player_tooltip player_id='173301' first='Kendrick' last='Carmouche'] stood out all fall with Brotherly Love as a true between-the-lines difference-maker. He's the type of LSM whose motor never stops, whether he's flying off the faceoff wing, hunting ground balls, or igniting transition the other way. On the ground, he's advanced for his age: he consistently wins messy situations by goosing the ball to space, protecting it with his body, and navigating his stick length to keep pressure off him.   Defensively, Carmouche plays with real confidence because the footspeed matches the aggression. He's comfortable getting on hands and extending, knowing he can recover if a dodger tries to steal a step. His instincts show up in the passing lanes, too. He sees the next pass early and has the length to turn “safe” windows into turnovers. And if you do get out in transition, you're never safe with him on the field: a lot of his trail checks come from pure chase-down speed and relentless effort, not from getting beat. With the ball, he's no slouch. He'll push pace, pressure the defense with his legs, and can get to the doorstep in a hurry. Any time a long pole is shooting from close range, it's a tough ask for a goalie — and Carmouche creates those moments.     After watching [player_tooltip player_id='173486' first='Paul' last='Taraborelli'] at the Terp Classic and NHSLS, I came away thinking really highly of him. He's got that quick burst you want in a faceoff guy — his hand speed is legit on the whistle, and he's not just a one-move clamp and go guy. He has counters and exits, and he understands the technical chess match that comes with winning more than just the first draw.   What makes him even more valuable is what he does after he wins it. His strides are short but fast, and it gives him just enough pop to become a transition threat — I saw him bury multiple goals this fall because he can turn a 50/50 into a fast break in two steps. The most impressive part of his game, though, is the mentality. He doesn't back down. He took reps against some high-end guys this fall, took a beating at times, and still kept showing up to the stripe. Even when he had a couple of hiccups at NHSLS, I liked how he responded. He had the endurance to reset, get right back on, and keep battling with a fresh mindset. Taraborelli's a FOGO in the 2028 class that people should know.

Salesianum's standard is simple: win the state, then come back for more. After a 12–9 victory over Cape Henlopen in the DIAA State Championship, the Sals enter 2026 chasing a sixth straight title—and there's a real case this group is deeper top-to-bottom despite graduating Division I talents Cam Taylor (Duke) and Luca Pompeii (Maryland).

The roster checks every box you want in a title favorite: a veteran-led attack, waves of midfield options, a blue-collar defensive edge, and specialists capable of swinging possessions when the margins tighten.