Johns Hopkins 2020

[51percentcorn]

Steel Hop makes a great point and if Foley had kept things under control then he would be gone anyway as his eligibility would be used up - so aside from feeling bad for the individual - the team moves on. And if Foley was such a difference maker God help us as he was a leader of the defense that surrendered a Petro worst 13 GAA. I for one - using the eye test - thought Foley was immeasurably better and more impactful his junior year when Hopkins GAA was under 10 despite a meh Save Percentage from the goalie position.
Michael Gomez - Ranked as the #47 freshman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2019.
- Ranked as the #12 freshman defenseman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2019.
Brandon Shure - Ranked as the #75 freshman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2018.
- Ranked as the #19 freshman defenseman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2018.
Lucas Capobianco Hogan - Ranked as the #57 freshman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2018.
- Ranked as the #15 freshman defenseman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2018.
Blake Rodgers - #22 freshman in Inside Lacrosse
Jack Ruddy - #82 freshman in Inside Lacrosse
3 other longpole recruits arriving in a week or so including highly regarded Hunter Jaronski

Now - I am really not in the camp that Ty Xanders and IL are the be all to end all on lacrosse recruiting/potential but maybe 1 of the above kids ought to be able to play

And again - I think the benefit is that you are not replacing all 3 next year - you will have 1 maybe 2 close defenders that had to play important, substantial minutes instead of picking aluminum filaments out of their collective touci all season.

[HopFan16]

And if Foley was such a difference maker God help us as he was a leader of the defense that surrendered a Petro worst 13 GAA.

I wouldn't necessarily call him the "leader" of the defense necessarily, which to me implies he bears responsibility for the overall play of the unit. The leader of the defense is Petro, and it's the goalie's job, not Foley's, to keep track of assignments and make sure everyone is organized on the field. Foley's job was to cover the other team's best guy and for the most part he did a good job. It's kind of tough to make sure Matt Hubler is in the right place or Jared Reinson is hedging at the right time when you've got to match feet with Michael Sowers or try to stop Michael Kraus from bulldozing his way to the net. As good as he was, not sure Foley's powers were quite magical enough to make the shorties stronger and faster, or fix the goalie's glaring offstick side issue. I think "God help us" might be right.

[jhu06]

I made the comments at beginning, middle and end of last year that while some of the graduating seniors were good or great players, you're judged on what the team does and last year was another dud of a season and I have no problem with some of you referencing that in your posts on foleys departure. I stand by them 110%. I also feel for Foley that he put in strong work and that Spencer clip will be replayed for years. Unfortunately happens to great players sometimes like an eckersley with kirk gibson.

I admire HF16's optimism that "his departure dampens my enthusiasm"but this program's ceiling has been pretty consistent over the last decade of pounding auto bid conference schools, 500 against the acc, above average against instate/b1g rivals, and then throttled by ff capable schools in may. I'm not sure what changes around him going into this year with this program were going to provide more excitement for a different ending and now we just get to kickstart the rebuild of the close d a year early. Replacing all 3 close d the same offseason was not going to be ideal.

[HopFan16]

I made the comments at beginning, middle and end of last year that while some of the graduating seniors were good or great players, you're judged on what the team does and last year was another dud of a season and I have no problem with some of you referencing that in your posts on foleys departure. I stand by them 110%. I also feel for Foley that he put in strong work and that Spencer clip will be replayed for years. Unfortunately happens to great players sometimes like an eckersley with kirk gibson.

I admire HF16's optimism that "his departure dampens my enthusiasm"but this program's ceiling has been pretty consistent over the last decade of pounding auto bid conference schools, 500 against the acc, above average against instate/b1g rivals, and then throttled by ff capable schools in may. I'm not sure what changes around him going into this year with this program were going to provide more excitement for a different ending and now we just get to kickstart the rebuild of the close d a year early. Replacing all 3 close d the same offseason was not going to be ideal.

I said it dampens the team's prospects—I deliberately chose not to use a word like "enthusiasm" because even before the Foley news I'm not really sure that's how I'd classify my feelings about the team in 2020. But I absolutely stand by saying the outlook is worse today than it was a week ago when we didn't know anything about his status. Things can get worse. We all went to Hopkins so I know I don't have to explain to you the basic logic of "losing your best defender is not good." Reminds me a bit of Petey B. over in the Loyola thread trying to convince himself that losing Pat Spencer is somehow going to be a net positive for the Greyhounds. The team was indeed mediocre last year...but guess what? Without Foley, the Jays probably finish below .500 and fail to make the playoffs. So while 2019 wasn't ideal by any stretch, and sure the ceiling has been pretty consistent in recent years, the floor can still get lower.

[51percentcorn]

I wouldn't necessarily call him the "leader" of the defense necessarily,

As with any game where a group of people has to play defense - one player cannot be responsible for everything (and I never meant to even imply that) but as the returning 1st team All America on a defense with a brand new goalie - Foley had to be the unquestioned "leader" of the 2019 defense. I would hazard a guess the entirety of the defense looked to him for signals and attitude. As you pointed out - he was given the responsibility of the opponent's #1 attackmen every game - 1 v 1 he did a decent job in '19 - not as good as '18 but pretty well - his stats against Bernhart stand out - his stats against others in '19 were not as good. I feel sorry for the young man if he wanted to come back but again, theoretically he should have been gone anyway, in late August you won't be able to swing a dead cat in the Cordish Center and not hit a Hopkins defenseman, and it helps for 2021.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

I’m not sure this was an NC$$ thing. He might not have been able to get into a graduate program.

I’m not sure. The first thought is NC$$, but that might not be the cause.

[HopFan16]

in late August you won't be able to swing a dead cat in the Cordish Center and not hit a Hopkins defenseman, and it helps for 2021.

Maybe this is how they should choose a successor—swing a dead cat, see who it hits.

I do think a positive byproduct of this is we will get to identify a replacement earlier, which will allow for some continuity next year when the rest of the close D graduates. It'll be good to get a freshman/sophomore some experience in the defense. But I'd still rather have Foley.

[flalax22]

I’m not sure this was an NC$$ thing. He might not have been able to get into a graduate program.

I’m not sure. The first thought is NC$$, but that might not be the cause.

Hard to see how he would graduate on time and be looking at Grad School options. Did he not miss a significant amount of time away from school?

[OCanada]

Steel. I can tell you about Peru in 1988 and some details about recently. Be happy to tell you what I can. I will PM tomorrow to begin

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

Peru? No one goes there anymore. Too crowded.

[DMac]

51percentcorn wrote
in late August you won't be able to swing a dead cat in the Cordish Center and not hit a Hopkins defenseman.

Uh oh, lack of athleticism and quickness?

[Homer]

in late August you won't be able to swing a dead cat in the Cordish Center and not hit a Hopkins defenseman, and it helps for 2021.

Maybe this is how they should choose a successor—swing a dead cat, see who it hits.

Man, you guys are really hanging those fastballs for Wombat right over the plate...

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

in late August you won't be able to swing a dead cat in the Cordish Center and not hit a Hopkins defenseman, and it helps for 2021.

Maybe this is how they should choose a successor—swing a dead cat, see who it hits.

Man, you guys are really hanging those fastballs for Wombat right over the plate...

Believe me, I shat and stacked a few cubes when I saw that.

[OCanada]

Steel part one was sent email.

[OCanada]

Saw this on Twitter

Banker: So, you’d like a loan, to start an all marsupial fighting championship?

Me: Yes. I call it Mortal Wombat.

Banker:

Me:

Banker: I’m in.

[jhu06]

https://www.collegecrosse.com/2019/8/20 ... pstein-lax

college crosse-who does a much better job than IL or lm-I don't think the sun even publishes anymore-with the lookahead. of note-cattoni entered the portal but he has not changed his current school so I'm guessing he's back.

[HopFan16]

cattoni entered the portal but he has not changed his current school so I'm guessing he's back.

I heard the opposite. Don't think he's coming back. I would expect an announcement soon.

Lot of talk about the defense lately, and for good reason, but not much about the midfield. Obviously Cattoni's loss is not as impactful as Foley's but he was still a guy who looked like he might be some kind of contributor, even with the two large caveats that his early goals were generally of the garbage variety and that you never know how someone will come back from a knee injury (see: Supinski, Drew).

That said, I have it on good authority that Concannon is coming back for a 5th year. To my eye he's looked incrementally better each year removed from the ACL in 2016. From 3 to 10 to 18 goals, I think it's fair to pencil him in for 20+ this season assuming good health. Someone floated the idea of moving him back to his natural attack, and while I wouldn't completely rule that out, I think it's far more likely he stays at midfield where they can run him through the box and get him on a shortie. If there's a candidate to move to attack from midfield, Forry Smith is my pick.

The 6'3'', lightning fast elephant in the room is one Evan Zinn, whose development I think is going to be pretty crucial to any hope of success for this team in 2020. The Jays simply need an alpha dodging midfield threat to take some pressure off Epstein behind the cage and Williams on the wing. If Zinn is given more opportunity on offense (and yes, shoots better than he did as a freshman), it could go a long, long way. DeSimone figures to round out the 1st unit. I assume the second unit will be comprised of some unpredictable mishmash of Keogh, Baskin, Stagnitta, Lilly, Degnon, and perhaps a freshman: Brunner, Schreiber, or a converted attackman (Angelus, Murphy, Krampf).

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

I was going to say quit changing the subject, but I see you all are discussing CATtoni.

[Drcthru]

Review of Hopkins 2019.

https://www.collegecrosse.com/2019/8/20 ... pstein-lax

[cuseman4133]

Speaking of Cattoni, it sounds like he's going to Hofstra. An interesting move, maybe Petro and Tierney discussed him a little? https://twitter.com/Chris_Jast/status/1 ... 2541031426