Unranked...For Now: Underrated Defensive '28s from New England

Every lacrosse fan loves goals. But do you know what coaches love? The guys who make scoring those goals as difficult as possible. Here are five guys from New England who specialize in making goal-scoring as laborious as possible for their opposition.    There's a certain energy that traditionally undersized poles bring to the field. They're scrappy, they're intense, and they know how to rile up the opposition. Villare does all of those things and is cognizant enough to use them to full effect without crossing the line. Every team needs one of those guys, even if they're more often than not short-stick defensive middies. That's a part of what makes Villare unique; he can serve multiple roles for Govs. His primary role isn't even as an agitator; he's just a goblin on the wing for draws, and if you hang your stick around him, the ball is going to end up on the ground and then in his stick as he kickstarts the offense.     One of the early service academy commits in this class, Callaghan was surely attracting interest from a lot of teams outside of that space as well, based on his early summer play. Part of a very young Middlesex squad that should be much improved this season, Callaghan combines great instincts on and off the ball to form a formidable pole that can guard inside or outside. His ball skills are also top-notch. Like any good LSM worth their salt, he can score on the break or hold the ball up and distribute, even under pressure. I think because he committed to Air Force so early, he's not getting his due on the national stage, but he is a key part of Middlesex's defense and transition.     A big part of last spring's Holderness team that went undefeated and won the Lakes Region championship, Gauthier has all the qualities that make for an impactful defenseman at the next level. Full disclosure, I did coach him at Lake Placid the last few summers (on a team that plays together once a year), so my experience with him as a leader on defense goes beyond usual analysis. This summer he played with an injured ankle and was still one of the best 1-on-1 poles at the tournament. To me, he was a plug-and-play defenseman that I always put on the best attackman. Toughness, solid fundamentals, and another season as a leader on a top prep defense mean that Gauthier is just a few steps away from ascending to the next level.     DeVito has great feet and does not overpursue his man, even if they are driving to X or the corner. He has excellent stick and check control to boot. The way that he can guide ball carriers away from the net and then isolate on them before they get their feet set to dodge is what college coaches are looking for. I would not be surprised to see him commit in the second wave. He has the size and power base that is necessary to catch the eye of recruiters - it's just a matter of when, not if, they see him play again this fall. His combo checking ability alone should yield him some offers in the coming weeks.     A New Hampshire native, Fox was one of the best young goaltenders in the ISL last season. A high-academic path is in his future, though it remains to be seen in which division that will play out. He will stay at home and cut down angles with a medium arc. Fox has a wide stance and exceptional wrist control, so he can explode to either side and make a save; he's not one of those 'sprawl to the ground and hope it's a save' goalies that permeate summer circuit fields each season. With a full season as a starter under his belt from last season, Fox will be eager to show his progression after a summer on the '28 Tomahawks' Purple squad.

Every lacrosse fan loves goals. But do you know what coaches love? The guys who make scoring those goals as difficult as possible. Here are five guys from New England who specialize in making goal-scoring as laborious as possible for their opposition.