As mentioned in a similar piece coming away from the NLF Summer Championships a few weeks ago, Varone and Chaminade’s Ben Hristoforatos are widely considered 1A and 1B in terms of offensive midfielders in this class. Last weekend, the stud middie from South Jersey was outstanding once again. At one point, he had recorded a hat trick before I could even sit down at that field after coming over from another game, which properly illustrates his ability to boost his team by scoring in bunches. Varone is a dynamo who can create his own shot whenever he wants, and can do so with either hand, making one move and going hard to the rack. There are times he makes it look effortless, too, despite going full speed and in attack mode at all times. He’s wildly athletic and tough as nails, scooping up gritty groundballs in scrum scenarios then darting upfield. In addition, he has blossomed in recent months as a passer and throws the ball around with poise and confidence. On top of being up for one of the top-ranked players in the class, he’s certainly considered among the top five shooters, and his shot on the run is a thing of beauty, to say the least.

Varone is a jolt of energy for the CBA offense with his speed, skill and marksmanship to find openings and be effective. He finished with a hat trick in this matchup, all of which came in the second half. His first came on a hard alley dodge where he found space from a teammate’s pick and buried a low-to-low screamer. The Leading Edge product strung the top left corner on his next goal, sweeping across the top to get his hands free and unloading. Varone also did damage from behind the net where he took advantage of a short-stick matchup, beating him up the field and sneaking it past Kessler with almost no angle to the goal. He is a quick and crafty dodger and it will be exciting to watch him grow throughout his high school career.

The fact that Varone hasn’t been written up in recent months says more about the strength of his team than anything else, as he has looked every bit the part of a top middie in the class. An imposing shooter who consistently stretches defenses with his range, his power and accuracy stand out among his peers. With how well his team moves the ball and draws slides, Varone frequently finds himself open with his hands free—and he rarely misses when given that opportunity. He posted 23 goals and nine assists as a freshman, and it’s easy to imagine what’s in store for his sophomore season after gaining a significant amount of confidence this fall. I’m excited to follow his progress between now and the summer.