Hill School committed numerous turnovers in this game, and a slew of them were because of the tenacious efforts of Phillips. This athletic and speedy pole used his active stick as well as his physicality to put the ball on the ground frequently. Plus, the Bucknell commit broke up a few passes with his stick and deflected one or two shot attempts, too. Phillips also snatched up several GBs in traffic and then delivered smart clearing passes or legged the ball out of the defensive zone himself. Lastly, Phillips repeatedly proved he could execute timely slides and double teams.   

It’s surprising that Ben Phillips hasn’t drawn more attention from us at Prep Lacrosse after the fall and summer he put together. He’s a strong bruiser on the defensive end— physical and unbothered by contact. His strength and physicality allow him to smother quick dodgers before they build momentum, and few power dodgers can outmuscle him.

At the Terp Classic this fall, Phillips was a force near the goal line, consistently holding his ground and forcing ball carriers to abandon their dodge and move the ball in search of a softer matchup. Similar to a linebacker hitting the hole in football, he is not a player you want to see coming your way on a slide, as he will make dodgers regret their decisions. In the open field, he shows poise with the ball, handling it cleanly through pressure to secure clears without unnecessary risks.