NAL and Naptown Standouts: Class of 2028 Defenders On The Rise

Serving as the final evaluation opportunities before the dead period, the North American Lacrosse Summer HS Invitational and Naptown Challenge were must-stop events to close out June, featuring highly competitive matchups between many of the top club teams in the Class of 2028. In this piece, we spotlight six defenders — four long poles and two short-stick defensive midfielders — who significantly boosted their stock.   For 50 percent off an annual subscription, take advantage of one of our biggest sales of the year by using the code FOURTH50 at checkout through the end of the weekend.    An athletic thumper who looks the part at 6'2 and 200 pounds, Boyle moves exceptionally well for his size and embraces big matchups, showing his physicality and cover skills. At NAL, I was also rather impressed with his hands and stick work — he corralled every groundball on the first try and plucked passes out of the air or knocked them down to disrupt the flow of possessions. Boyle was at his best around GLE, where his big frame and sturdy lower body didn't budge and helped him prevent notable '28 attackmen from getting quality looks on cage. I liked how he picked the right times to throw checks and tailored his defensive approach based on who he was facing, relying on his position play and footwork when necessary. The constant was his physicality, which Boyle always displayed without ever getting overly aggressive. If this past weekend served as any indication, I'd count on him becoming one of the more highly recruited 2028 defenders in the region.     Wise was someone who stepped in and showed out this spring, stepping up for a Salisbury defense that was hampered by injuries to its senior stalwarts. Facing a rigorous schedule and passing the test, the Georgia native had every reason to come into the summer with a high level of confidence and parlayed that into Defensive MVP recognition at the HS Summer Championships in Newport. At NAL, he showed off his elite footwork, matching feet with the quickest of dodgers and effectively blanketing each matchup he faced. Off-ball, he has excellent instincts and thrives in the passing lanes. Wise also slides with authority and ill intent, often laying out unsuspecting offensive players or knocking the ball free. He's not the biggest cat, but he plays with controlled aggression and consistently puts himself in position to make plays and to keep his matchup from doing much of anything. Fundamentally sound and well-coached, Wise is a promising defensive recruit who checks a lot of boxes.     A known commodity from Las Vegas who reclassed to the '28 group upon arriving at Lawrenceville, Riiber possesses just about every quality that you'd want in a shortstick defensive midfielder. He clearly loves to play the position and looks to make his presence felt on every possession, often utilizing a crowbar and ragdolling his man to the point that they have no desire to dodge him again. Riiber is relentless and tough as nails, and moves laterally at an elite level. Though he may not be super polished on the offensive end, Riiber is constantly the catalyst for transition opportunities by ending possessions on the other end and then darting upfield. I loved his play for the Big Red this summer, and he was lights out in June, touted by many a college recruiter as one of the very best SSDMs in the Class of 2028.     A name that I was vaguely familiar with heading into the summer, all it took was one possession at NAL for Gorton to pop. His size and athleticism jumped out right away, as he has a bigger build than a lot of guys at the shortstick position and uses his long arms to make opposing dodgers uncomfortable. He's tough at the point of attack, and did a really nice job when teams inverted and tried to test him from behind the cage. His slides were timely, and he always seemed to be in the right spot, preventing some long dodges between the midfield line and the restraining line before the opposing middies could gain any downhill momentum. In addition, Gorton is reliable off the ground and has a pretty good stick, two attributes that helped him jumpstart transition when the opportunities presented themselves. More than anything, I loved how confrontational he was, which, paired with his 6'2 frame and athleticism, should excite any college recruiter looking for a stud SSDM.     Over the past week, Riccio backed up everything I'd heard about him, and then some. Above all, I love the way he moves, along with his elite hands and takeaway ability. He's perfectly comfortable and confident taking risks, throwing flashy checks and putting the ball and/or his man on the ground at a high rate to draw a reaction from the sidelines. Riccio will sit hunched in his stance and play shutdown defense, and he's someone who does a really good job tailoring his style based on the scenario and who he's going against, though he's at his best when he's hunting with his stick. Simply put, he affects so many possessions, and once the ball is on the ground, he's picking up cleanly and moves it upfield. Watching him these last few days, it's clear that his Sweetlax coaches feel content leaving him out on an island, and for good reason.     Having scouted Zooker live a handful of times during the spring, he's someone who has continued to grow on me and put together a pretty impressive NAL campaign. A sophomore starter for the Greyhounds, your eyes go right to his 6'3, 195-pound frame upon sitting down at the field, and from there, he brings a lot to the table. He caused a turnover against a surefire five-star attackman in an early game on Saturday, and kept harassing ball-carriers throughout the weekend, often forcing throwaways and below average shots. While I would like to see him become more consistent off-ball, I have to applaud his communication abilities, as his voice was always heard and his messaging effective.

Serving as the final evaluation opportunities before the dead period, the North American Lacrosse Summer HS Invitational and Naptown Challenge were must-stop events to close out June, featuring highly competitive matchups between many of the top club teams in the Class of 2028. In this piece, we spotlight six defenders — four long poles and two short-stick defensive midfielders — who significantly boosted their stock.