Breaking Down the Top Offensive Performers at Best In Class '26s

Any First Class Lacrosse event is always refreshing to attend because playing games is never the focus. Instead, much of the time is put into player development and teaching. Even after the first few rounds of games on Tuesday, players returned the next day and did drills before breaking back up into teams and finishing with a few games. Having spent both days at Chase Fieldhouse, here's a look at a few of the most impressive offensive players in attendance.    The way Clack moves is just flat-out different. Tall, athletic, and highly skilled, Clack was arguably the most dominant midfielder at the event. He was somewhat of a revelation in that he was largely an unknown to college coaches at this early point, and there's no doubt that they'll look back at this performance when 9/1 comes. Turning heads whenever the ball was in his stick, Clack showed off a nasty first step that allowed him to create separation with relative ease. Dangerous with either hand, his shot on the run was on-point, and he had a few gorgeous feeds, sending a beautiful skip pass to a cutting teammate on the doorstep late in the event. Clack looked comfortable when inverting too, which makes sense since he played attack this spring, posting 74 goals and 29 assists.     Garcia is still the most talented offensive player I've seen in the Class of 2026, and he further proved that earlier this week. Coming off of a sophomore season in which he posted 27 goals and 22 assists, he can do damage from just about anywhere within an offense. Beyond that, he was a coach on the field and one of the loudest voices at the event, getting his teammates in the right spot and quarterbacking the offense at a high level. His game is seemingly complete: he intercepted passes in the ride, attacked from X, attacked from up top, fed at a high level, and took care of the ball. I didn't see anybody else produce at the level that Garcia did, and I'd imagine that he'll be one of the most sought-after prospects in the class when the time comes.     After racking up 25 goals and 12 assists for a veteran-laden 'Wick offense, Garcia's longtime running mate was incredibly productive at BIC and continued to show off his elite outside shot. His release is uncanny, hiding it behind his ear and letting it rip before goalies can even get a read. He often made things happen when re-dodging and consistently applied pressure with his outside shot. In terms of his development, I'd like to see Giordano develop as a passer. He tends to hold on to the ball and would benefit from dodging to feed more regularly given how much attention is put on him due to his ability to stretch a defense.     Lombardi came out on fire, posting three goals and two assists indoors to start Tuesday's game play. He's the type of player who can seamlessly fit into a showcase offense and fill up a stat sheet because of how well he moves without the ball and how great his hands are. He not only caught everything in sight but finished at a high rate and was at his best within 10 to 12 yards of the cage. Even so, I think he'd also be a good fit to run out of the box since he's still athletic enough to beat a shortstick and sling it from the range, though he did a lot of damage with his feet set as well.     Coming off of a 68-goal, 36-assist sophomore season and a trip to the New Hampshire state final, Matthews was playing with a ton of confidence. With a strong and athletic 6'1, 185-pound frame, he's a physical dodger who doesn't hesitate to put his shoulder down on the way to the rack. Matthews has phenomenal wrists that allow him to put considerable velocity on his shots both on the run and with his feet set, and he's equally capable with either hand. I liked what he was able to do on the defensive end as well, as he made interceptions in two of the games I watched.     A smooth operator at X, what Modica lacks in size he more than makes up for with his superb skill level and impeccable vision. He routinely made big-time plays as a feeder, making the right read every time and putting passes right on the ear of cutting teammates. Modica is slippery with the ball in his stick, putting opponents on skates with his change of direction, turning the corner and finishing at a high clip. He was also a constant in the riding game.      Having seen Rafferty play in the past with his Prime Time squad, there was no denying his talent, however, I felt as if he was a little too up and down. It's clear that his game has matured, as he turned in a really impressive few days and consistently turned heads with his playmaking ability. Smart with the ball, the highly skilled lefty is super quick and was a tough cover for the opposing defensemen, always getting to his spots and back to the middle of the field.

Any First Class Lacrosse event is always refreshing to attend because playing games is never the focus. Instead, much of the time is put into player development and teaching. Even after the first few rounds of games on Tuesday, players returned the next day and did drills before breaking back up into teams and finishing with a few games.

Having spent both days at Chase Fieldhouse, here's a look at a few of the most impressive offensive players in attendance.