NLF Class of 2025 National Championship: Breakdown and Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2025 championship matchup between Prime Time and Team 91 Long Island had stars all over the field. It featured a total of 31 Division 1 commits including Brady Scioletti (Duke), [player_tooltip player_id='14529' first='Cam' last='Kelley'] (Notre Dame), [player_tooltip player_id='14540' first='Gary' last='Merrill'] (UNC), and [player_tooltip player_id='14538' first='Parker' last='McDonald'] (UNC), among others. <br><br>Coming into the championship, Prime Time had cruised to a victory in their semifinal game against West Coast Starz. On the other side, Team 91 LI had a tight game most of the way against Team 91 Maryland before pulling away and winning by three goals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Team 91 struck first with a goal coming three minutes into the game and was able to control the ball early in the game. Coming off a turnover by Team 91, Oliver Pritchard (Amherst) connected with Navy commit Alexander Ponchock on a 4-on-3 fastbreak for Prime Time's first goal. Then on the very next possession, after a pinch-and-pop faceoff win by Notre Dame-bound senior and five-star recruit [player_tooltip player_id='14521' first='Aidan' last='Diaz-Matos'] (Notre Dame), Scioletti fought off the double team of [player_tooltip player_id='14538' first='Parker' last='McDonald'] (UNC) and Matthew Pettis (UAlbany) to find [player_tooltip player_id='48385' first='Kaden' last='Parsons'] (Michigan) for a step down ripper from straight away to beat Patrick Biese (Virginia) low for his first of two goals on the afternoon. [player_tooltip player_id='14529' first='Cam' last='Kelley'] would also get on the board late in the first quarter to make it 3-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heading into the second quarter, Parsons (Michigan) picked up his second goal about four minutes in after some strong defensive work from both sides. Then, Raio (UNC) would answer for Team 91 on an alley dodge which resulted in a low-angle shot, but he was about to get the stick far enough upfield to sneak it past [player_tooltip player_id='48384' first='Ty' last='Ramachandran'] (Georgetown) to make it 4-2 Prime Time heading into the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To this point, Diaz-Matos was dominating the faceoff X and either winning it cleanly or popping it out to his wing players. Also, eventual game MVP Ramachandran was locking it down for Prime Time with some outstanding saves in the first half with help from his defensive unit consisting of [player_tooltip player_id='124947' first='Jack' last='Schwartz'] (Loyola), Thomas Sheumack (Air Force), and Christopher Iuliano (Notre Dame), along with good short-stick defensive midfielder work from Marquette recruit Caden Smith. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Team 91 started the third quarter with possession and with a man advantage after Pritchard (Amhurst) was called for a slash at the end of the half. Team 91 had a big opportunity to get back into this game, but Ramachandran came up with three huge saves on three great opportunities for Team 91, but couldn't cash in. It took nearly half of the third quarter for the scoring to open up and it started with a goal on the doorstep for Penn recruit Kimo Kouletsis. Scioletti would later exploit his short-stick matchup with a dodge from X for a goal and then late in the quarter, he would draw a double team which would eventually lead to Parsons finding Ponchock on the backside for a low-to-high finish to stretch the lead to three goals at the end of three quarters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 4th quarter started with another faceoff win for Diaz-Matos, who would take it right down broadway for his first goal and what turned out to be the last goal of the game. The rest of the quarter consisted of a defensive clinic from both sides as Biese and Ramachandran traded saves, with Ramachandran coming up with three huge saves in one possession in an impressive sequence. On the other end, Biese made a couple of nice saves in a separate sequence, stonewalling [player_tooltip player_id='14529' first='Cam' last='Kelley'] and then 4-star recruit [player_tooltip player_id='14555' first='Miguel' last='Iglesias'] in the same possession. Once the three-minute mark had passed, Prime Time was content with sitting on the ball and would eventually win it 7-3 to close out the NLF National Championship title win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["14548"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbbc2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Scioletti was the catalyst of the offense for Prime Time. The 4-star recruit drew a lot of attention due to his size and skill and he didn't try to force shots when they weren't there. He's a smart player and when he's getting doubled, he creates space and swings it around to find an open teammate. Unlike in high school, Scioletti plays midfield for Prime Time, which allows him opportunities to challenge short-stick matchups, which is nearly impossible for the defense to stop. He's either going to beat his matchup with speed and strength cleanly, or he'll draw a double team, which opens up the offense for the rest of the team. Scioletti finished with one goal and one assist in the championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["48384"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbc6f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The championship MVP had a great game and commanded the defense from his crease. With Team 91 Shock being one of the best teams in the 2025 AA division, I was not expecting them to be held to three goals, but Ramachandran came to play, to say the least. He allowed two goals in the first half and then only one goal the entire second half. In the 4th quarter, he was lights out, seeing everything and tracking the ball well against shooters that usually don't have a problem scoring. When Team 91 had a man advantage and Raio loaded up from the outside with a rocket shot, Ramachandran came up with a splitting kick save that ended up going back to midfield. He is super athletic and shows great technique in between the pipes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["14529"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbcb8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Notre Dame-bound lefty attackman is a dynamic force, and in an offensive system that features 4 and 5-star recruits everywhere, he fits right in with his selfless style of play. When you watch him play, one of the first things that will stand out is his shooting. Most of the time, his shot looks effortless as he whizzes it past goaltenders. When dodging from the wing, he likes hitching upfield and with his speed, he can sweep across the field and get his hands free for a shot or pass. He's a big body at 6'2 and has the strength to fight off stick and body checks. He scored two goals in the semifinal game against West Coast Starz and then added one early in the championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["48385"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbd3c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The future Michigan man impressed in the championship game, contributing in a number of ways and totaling two goals and one assist. He has good size as a midfielder and is comfortable dodging from the top or inverting his defender to X if he likes his shortstick matchup. Parsons has a good outside shot with a lot of power behind it and has the strength to be able to absorb contact without letting it affect his performance. He plays with his head up, looking for cutters or skip lanes and doesn't look to force shots or passes when the opportunity isn't there. Along with his stellar performance in the championship game, he also added a goal in the semifinal game against West Coast Starz.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["48391"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbdc0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ponchock had a nice playoff run for Primetime, totaling two or more points in both the semifinal and championship game and I loved how involved he was in the offense. He has the ability to dodge a long pole from his righty attack spot and has the footwork and speed, along with great stick skills to either get passed his matchup, draw a slide and dish it or take the step down. As far as his shooting, the Florida product has a quick and hard release on his shot, giving the goalies only a split second to attempt to track it and he mixes up his shot placement to keep opponents on their toes. He finished with two goals in the championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["14538"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbe04"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McDonald is one of the highest-rated recruits out of the 2025 class and watching him in person, you can see why. He seems to glide when running and has great groundball skills when playing the wing. The future Tar Heel has good footwork and doesn't allow himself to get out of position with unnecessary slap or homerun checks. One of the things I noted was his hustle to the end lines or going after a ground ball and it seems like his motor never stops. He's not the biggest player, but what he may lack in height, he more than makes up for with pure speed, athleticism, and a relentless pursuit of the ball. While McDonald came out on the losing end, I was able to catch a couple of his games and there's no doubt opposing players do not have fun dodging against him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["48393"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-669582adbbe87"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kouletsis is smaller than most, but has super quick feet and a burst of speed that is eye-opening. He scored twice in Team 91's game against Laxachusetts and did his damage from the crease area with his quick release and the ability to find soft spots in the defense. He's a smart player with good stick sticks and has shown that he's a productive player from that crease spot either in a set offense or on man-up opportunities. He likes dodging against shortsticks and can do so from either X, the wing, or up top, with the ability to score with either hand. Kouletsis was able to score the final goal for Team 91 coming off a cut on the inside, quickly faking out and finishing past Ramachandran. It will be exciting to see what the future holds for Kouletsis. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->