Making a meteoric rise from outside the Top 100, I’ve been a big Gilmore fan for a while now, dating back to when he was coming up as a Boston U. commit before flipping to Richmond in the weeks leading up to his junior season. We wrote him up after his two-goal, one-assist outing in PVI’s season-opening win over IMG Academy, which showed signs of big things to come. Gilmore certainly delivered for the eventual WCAC champs, posting a whopping stat line of 56 goals and 30 assists out of the midfield, along with countless groundballs and caused turnovers. A phenomenal athlete, fiery competitor, and two-way playmaker, he dodges like he’s shot out of a cannon and was one of the more unguardable players in the Mid-Atlantic, serving as a party-starter up top for a high-octane Panther offense. He’s got a wide array of ways to make his man miss and is a powerful jump shooter and gunslinger on the run, in addition to being a gifted and creative passer out of his dodges. To reiterate what we wrote after the Panthers’ conference championship and compare him to some fellow Spiders, there are shades of both Charlie Packard and Joe Sheridan in his game, but with an extra dose of caffeine.

Elite players impact the game even when the opposing team’s game plan is focused on taking the ball out of their hands and limiting their ability to create plays — something SJC did extremely well. But on Monday night, Gilmore still found ways to make a huge impact despite finishing with a modest stat line that didn’t include a goal, a rarity for the soon-to-be Spider. He forced multiple turnovers, including a vicious two-handed tomahawk chop to strip his opponent, and added another takeaway immediately after lining up for a face-off. Gilmore tossed an assist on EMO in the first quarter, and then added another on a pretty tic-tac-toe transition play. Despite his offensive output being limited, the attention being put towards stopping Gilmore continually opened things up for his teammates. He’s a special athlete and lacrosse player whose skills will be needed, given how much Richmond loses from its outgoing class. This isn’t a one-for-one comparison, but there’s a little Charlie Packard in his game when it comes to his compete level and two-way prowess, though he’s more likely to make a Joe Sheridan-esque impact on the offensive end. Either way, I’m really excited to see how the Spiders deploy him at the next level.

Gilmore has become one of my favorite players in the DMV — there’s just not much that he can’t do on a lacrosse field, and his fingerprints were all over Tuesday’s win. He contributed two goals and an assist, picked up huge GBs, shook players out of their cleats with his first step, and even won crucial face-offs to himself in the fourth quarter. It took just over a minute for the future Spider to make his presence felt, splitting two defenders before putting the ball in the back of the net. He had an assist in the second quarter after securing possession and creating transition, then added an empty-netter with the clock ticking down. Regardless of the situations he’s thrust into, Gilmore is constantly factoring in and making winning plays, showing his high compete level, athleticism, and end-to-end skill set. Gilmore always draws the eyes of the opposition, which allows him to open things up for his teammates. I’d be shocked not to see him thrive as a freshman at Richmond next year, and he’s a name we’ll be hearing about for a while.

A hard-nosed, throwback middie who makes his presence felt on both ends of the field, Gilmore recently flipped his commitment from BU to Richmond, keeping him in-state for his college career. Named Second Team All-WCAC last spring, he played multiple roles for PVI — and excelled in all of them — thanks to his relentless motor and two-way playmaking ability. He’s a huge asset on the wings of face-offs and in contested groundball battles, using his grit and speed to outwork opponents and cover ground in a flash. Defensively, he’s a menace, initiating constant contact while moving his feet and making life difficult for dodgers. But his game isn’t limited to defense: he can take his man to the rack and create offense beyond just transition opportunities. Gilmore plays with an edge and energy that should make him an ideal fit for Dan Chemotti’s program.