Maverick Showtime: 2028 and 2029 All-Star Game Standouts

I arrived Tuesday night, focused on the 2028s, and stayed through Wednesday to watch all three age groups, from 2027 through 2029, including the 2028 and 2029 All-Star Games. In the first of my three Maverick Showtime pieces, here is a look at six players who stood out during Wednesday's All-Star action in Tinton Falls, N.J.    I'm not sure whether it was the recent NLF rankings or just how Bligh usually carries himself, but he brought a noticeable level of confidence to Maverick Showtime. He is a gamer with the toughness to do whatever it takes to win his matchup on both sides of the field, which is a trait I have noticed since he was playing up with the 2027s last summer. He has all the on-ball tools needed to get by his man and get to his hammer of a shot. What stands out about his dodging is the balance of physicality and agility. He gets into defenders to cut them off on face dodges, rolls, and sweeps, and he does a great job turning the corner to get to his shot.   What pushes him over the top is his IQ and deception. He uses fakes to set up shots and mixes in windups and look-offs to create feeds. His work on the defensive end also shows off his competitive mentality, because he looks determined to win every matchup and every groundball battle. It is still too early for me to make a firm call on where he belongs in the rankings, but if I had to pick teams in gym class to win any competition, Bligh would be my first pick, and that says something.     There are not many players in the 2028 class with better feet than CJ Saunders. His footwork and athleticism show up all over the field, especially in one-on-one defense and the clearing game. Saunders first popped on my radar during Calvert Hall's early spring scrimmages, and he has stayed consistent into the summer, most recently at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge and Maverick Showtime, where he earned MVP honors.   What has surprised me most is how physical he is in his matchups. He does not look like a defender who will overwhelm opponents with hard cross-checks, but he absolutely can, even against bigger dodgers. The other part of his game that will translate well to the next level is his clearing ability. He is a smooth, skilled mover in the open field who can split double teams, run past riding attackmen, draw defenders and dish it off, and score in a variety of ways when left unchecked.     Since my first evaluation of PJ Kennedy in September, his game has remained just as dominant, even against better competition. He put up 38 goals and 39 assists for Culver, the No. 3-ranked team in the country according to LaxNumbers. There is almost too much to mention with his game. He is physical, fast, and dangerous with either hand as a dodger, and he has a very high IQ when it comes to finishing on goalies.   All of those traits showed up at Maverick Showtime, where he was one of the top scorers throughout the event and again in the All-Star Game. One trait you really only see in top players is how well they understand leverage in their matchups. He is a big-bodied dodger who forces defenders to body up, and he uses that against them with subtle rockers, hitches, and by deceptively squeezing in shots before anticipated contact. That skill throws off goalies, too. At Showtime, he scored in a ton of different ways, using both hands, quick sticks, leaners, and with a variety of release points. All of those skills are going to have coaches, and me, putting him high on their big board.     Aiden Kwok looks like a player who could stand out on any field, even if he were playing up. He is a super-crafty lefty who makes his presence felt through his dodging and scoring ability. One of his best plays in the All-Star Game, which helped him earn MVP honors, was a smooth hitch-and-split move for his first goal. His top-end speed opens up a lot in his game, especially when paired with his change of speed and direction. He also does a great job keeping his stick low to the ground to bait checks with toe drags and hitches, which constantly makes his defenders look silly. He loves to shoot underhand and sidearm, and he does it with a smooth release and deceptive wrist snap that helps him beat goalies cleanly.     Blake O'Hara earned Defensive MVP honors in the 2029 Maverick Showtime All-Star Game after leading the four goalies in saves. What jumped out right away is how difficult he is to beat if the offense does not move the ball. He is calm and comfortable in his stance before the shot, and once the ball is released, he explodes to it with clear top-hand speed. He makes a lot of clean saves and is quick to get the ball moving the other way. O'Hara is still young, but he checks a lot of boxes for a very promising future.     I really liked what I saw from Albert Soto-Diaz in the 2029 Maverick All-Star game, where he scored three goals and an assist to go with it. He has the size, athlethiscm, and overall feel for the game to have a big time future. He was very good when it came to his dodging ability. He uses both hands effectively, reads the field well, and can beat his matchup consistently. He worked around the goal line really well to get to dangerous locations for shots or feeds. His feel for the game showed in the way he opens his teammates up with last minute feeds and look offs and in the way he hitched subtly to free his hands.

I arrived Tuesday night, focused on the 2028s, and stayed through Wednesday to watch all three age groups, from 2027 through 2029, including the 2028 and 2029 All-Star Games. In the first of my three Maverick Showtime pieces, here is a look at six players who stood out during Wednesday's All-Star action in Tinton Falls, N.J.