Rochester 2028s: Seven Up-and-Coming Defenders on Our Radar

As the last of three pieces on promising 2028s coming out of New York's Section 5, we now head over to the defensive side of the ball, having already covered the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/08/rochester-2028s-up-and-coming-attackmen-on-our-radar/">attackmen</a> and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/08/rochester-2028s-up-and-coming-midfielders-on-our-radar/">midfielders</a> who are worth knowing as 9/9 approaches.    On the handful of occasions that I got eyes on Pittsford live streams, No. 7 caught my attention in multiple instances. Always playing with noticeable energy, he's a menace off the wing, picking up first-time groundballs in traffic and then darting upfield, pushing transition, but never recklessly. Gerby is a lights-out defender who is sticky on-ball both up top and closer to GLE, with his active stick a marquee component of his game, giving his matchup a hard time with constant checks. He has the foot speed to match up with impressive athletes out of the midfield, and is just a bona fide pest who is always tough to run by and create offense against. Off-ball, he never gets lost, either. Gerby is under control at all times, laying surgical checks and choosing the right time to use his stick and when to rely on his footwork and position.      I've always been somewhat partial to big left-handed defenders, and Horton is certainly a promising one out of Irondequoit. Now up to 6-foot, 200 pounds, he already has the frame and lower body strength to be a Division I defender, among other qualities. He has really good hands, too, punching the sky with the occasional over-the-head check or causing turnovers with just a simple slap check on unsuspecting attackmen. His feet are still getting there, but when guys get a step on him, he's been able to recover and get back into position to hinder them. He never budges at GLE, and plays angles impeccably well. Horton is physical and aggressive, and when he learns to rein in that aggression and pick and choose his battles, he'll be in excellent shape. His spring tape was particularly impressive, as he showed a lot of flashes while helping lead the Eagles' defense, ultimately earning HM All-League recognition.     In all likelihood, Mallaber will be the highest-ranked and most coveted defender out of upstate New York in a few weeks. The lefty has already been highlighted a few times on here, wasting no time leaving an impression back in November. As we noted then, Mallaber is incredibly valuable because his size and tenacity allow him to give big-bodied attackmen trouble, but he's just as formidable when covering smaller, quicker jitterbug types. He's fundamentally sound both on and off-ball, where he simply seems to know how to play team defense. Mallaber is always in the right position and understands how to stop his man from getting to high-percentage areas without needing to throw a ton of checks. His long arms and impressive stick skills allow him to tip or intercept passes cleanly, and he's awfully smooth off the ground, too. I'll be intrigued to see where he winds up, and he's earned the right to have his pick of the litter.     A Maverik Showtime attendee and the Defensive MVP at the Apex Sophomore Select event, he's excellent between the lines and makes a bevy of heads-up plays that won't always necessarily show up on the stat sheet but speak loudly. Although he needs to put on a little more weight and muscle, Pulver checks a lot of boxes otherwise, between his stick, feet, and the tenacity with which he plays. His checks are timely and disruptive, and he does a nice job making life difficult for his matchup, flipping his hips and harassing ball-carriers into turnovers. Pulver has experience playing both spots within the defense, and though he's more of a longstick midfielder, he's perfectly comfortable coming down low and making his presence felt closer to GLE. Moving forward, he'll only get better with two more years to go playing for one of New York's best high school programs.     Long an afterthought locally, the town of Spencerport has sent several players to prep school and then the Division I ranks in recent years. Schiano is homegrown, however, and looks the part of someone on track to be one of the better '28 longpoles in upstate New York. Watching him back in the fall, I was struck by just how many scoring plays he was involved in, and having seen him a few times since then, I've found his overall progression noteworthy. A takeaway machine who puts the ball on the ground better than most, his hands are phenomenal, and he's an artful stick-handler in transition with outstanding instincts when going from D to O. There are times he tends to freelance ont he defensive end, but when he does, he often makes a play, so you have to learn to live with excitable LSMs who play the way he does.     Between his size, athleticism, stick work, and strong defensive principles, there's plenty to like about Schild, who I thought had a particularly impressive summer. He's well-coached, too. His stick is consistently in the right position to make a play; he never fails to initiate contact, fills space well, and communicates at a high level. I love how effectively he takes away passing lanes and gets his stick on passes to disrupt offensive possessions before transitioning into fast breaks. His feet are noteworthy, and he's smooth off the ground, rarely struggling in that area. This summer, I felt like he almost always passed the test when matched up against highly regarded offensive weapons, particularly at NAL. Whether Schild comes off the board quickly or after the fall, whoever gets Schild will be getting a sound defender with significant upside.     Yet another promising lefty who checks a lot of boxes, Wagner is a hard-nosed upstate New York defender who finished his summer on a high note. There's a lot of balance to his game, as he consistently plays under control and stays active without getting overzealous or putting himself in the penalty box. He's incredibly impactful as a slide guy and when closing out on shots, never hesitating to lay the boom while consistently delivering big, clean hits. As capable as he is as a cover defender, Wagner does some of his best work away from the ball, where he's an organizer and a voice that is always heard. He has a knack for getting teammates into the right spots while never missing an assignment himself. I can't help but think his best lacrosse is still ahead of him, which speaks volumes given just how much he's already shown to this point.

As the last of three pieces on promising 2028s coming out of New York's Section 5, we now head over to the defensive side of the ball, having already covered the attackmen and midfielders who are worth knowing as 9/9 approaches.