As the 2016 season inches ever closer lets take a look at some of the top players in the state. This season will be unique as some programs will have NCAA signed seniors mentoring and playing along side freshmen with those same dreams. This is by no means an accident, the development we are lucky to be witnessing across the region is due to the unrelenting hard work by the athletes,coaches and parents. This season should be one of the deepest talent wise this region has seen in quite some time. While there is still the factory at MICDS we are starting to the talent spread across the city. In 2011 Andy Kay founded the Project Missouri Lacrosse Club with the goal to find and develop the top 5% of players in the state and compete on a national level. Now four years later we will get to witness this project come full circle. It has been great to watch the high energy practices filled with the top players from each program, and then in-season get to watch those athletes spread their knowledge and work ethic to their respective programs.
Back-to-Back state Champs Country Day will boast a roster that could easily be mistaken with a east coast program. The established senior class of 4 year starters is headlined by a trio of Division 1 signee's. Starting out with goalie Matty Trowbridge (Michigan) who will get his final season as the only man in net for the rams, having split time with Tommy O'Hara the past 3 seasons. When asked how he felt now that the reigns have been turned over, the Michigan bound senior had this to say "Having Tom has been a luxury these last three years. He has taught me a lot of tricks of the trade, This year I'm just going to put all of those to use, and try to help put our team in a position to win games." Jake Burmeister (Lehigh) has cemented himself as one of if not the top close defenseman in the state. The tall tree can cover ground and plays his angles better than most and is a legitimate lock down defenseman with underrated stick skills. If you don't know the name Graham Bundy Jr, you will. The freshman phenom has an unparalleled work ethic and a true love for the game you rarely see these days, he should find a spot in the midefield and/or attack rotations. Another freshman who has a tremendous upside is attackman Thomas Neidringhaus. "Moose" as he's known had a great summer season and if he can stay healthy should find his way into a strong attack rotation for the Rams. Seasoned sophomore Alexander Feldman will be looked upon to step up in a leadership role after a gritty freshman season that saw him set the freshman scoring record for Codasco with 33 points (12,11). Filling out the signee senior trio is face-off man Alexander Bean (Georgetown). Arguably the top face off man in the state Bean will have his work cut out for him in his final season. The state is deeper than ever at the face-off dot, Bean will have to do a better job of using his wings and taking draws "off" to stay healthy for the playoff push. Bean will also have to lead the way for sophomore Ben Hausler and freshman Nico Feldman who will push for the backup spot as well. Lastly and most certainly not least are two tough between the lines middies who make the ugly plays for the Rams. Junior Jack Sant is the best short stick defenseman in the state and will be looking to see his offensive game follow suit. The unsung hero of the Rams is senior Banks Pflager. While having the best name in MSLA D1(close second Bear Reisinger) the senior proved to be huge for the Rams on offense and will be looked on to lead an otherwise young offensive core and prepare them for the pressures of the season.
The face off dot will see its most competitive year in quite some time. With several teams boasting either a solid one man army or a strong two man system we should be in for a great year. SLUH Senior Patrick Broughton (Bowdoin) is coming off a fantastic season that saw him lock up first team All-State honors. Broughton will be expected to take sophomore Will Perryman under his wing and show him the ropes. Chaminade will boast a two headed monster of senior Jack Bellon and frosh Chris Handy. Bellon is one of the better leaders in the state and has earned the National ROTC scholarship and will be choosing his University soon. Bellon will mentor freshman phenom Chris Handy. Handy has dominated the national club scene and is currently ranked as the number three face off man in the country for the class of 2019 by The Faceoff Academy. Chris will have to earn his stripes and will take his lumps but having Bellon along for every step of the way will greatly help the Red Devils make a push deeper into the playoffs. Both CBC and De Smet will follow suit and most likely employ a two man system. The Cadets are led by junior John Cody who came in to his own towards the end of the season and had a strong playoff showing. Alongside Cody will be sophmore Hunter Varley who is the best face off man no one knows about in this state. De Smet after graduating stud Craig Koester will fill his spot with a pair of juniors. Michael McDonough is the only returning starter after backing up Koester last year but showed flashes of dominance in his limited reps. Junior Max Rogers has been quietly putting countless hours of hard work and should jump on to the scene for the Spartans this year after a untimely wrist injury derailed his varsity hopes last season.
The Woodchucks of Webster Groves are poised to make a run deep in the playoffs. After a 9-10 season the 'Chucks are itching to get back on the practice field. Led by senior attackmen John Binder and the Brothers Dunlap with senior LSM Tanner, junior Middie Dodge, and lastly goalie Caleb Bolin is locking it down on the back end. Binder is an elite playmaker with a knack for the highlight reel finish. Slide early to him and he will burn you with a backside feed to Dunlap. The strong named Dodge will have to do just that and have strong down hill dodges to go alongside the abilities of Binder at X. Senior Tanner Dunlap will have to anchor the defensive core for the 'Chucks. Caleb Bolin is one of the top goalies in the state and will be looked upon to take more leadership this season and become a general in the cage. Lastly Sophmore Ryan Oliver has a game similar to Joey Sankey. What he lacks in size he makes up for with a relentless drive to score. He is a very slick feeder and should do well finding Binder or Dunlap on the backside of plays.
This season is shaping up to be one for the ages. Hopefully we are all still above water come season.
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