New England West 2024

[3rdPersonPlural]

Out with the old, in with the new!

2023 was a triumphant year for NEWest. The league comprised 6 of the top 25 teams in the nation per IL, and Brunswick and Taft ended up in the top 7 of the Nation. Per my eyeball calculus (informed by the more informed members of this board), ‘wick, Taft, and Salisbury are all top echelon (can beat anybody on any given day) and Loomis, Choate, and Deerfield are all ranked in the exclusive top 1%.

Questions for the off season:

I’ve watched live streams of Deerfield for as long as they’ve been broadcast, and each team looks as good as the last. Always a few lauded PG’s, several seniors with fancy lacrosse futures, and a bunch of underclassmen who have already been scooped up by top programs. These teams are all coached by Chip Davies, who has produced remarkably consistent teams over the years. Hard working, team focused, great keeper and an intimidating Defense. Deerfield has been a top 10 national team for the dozen years that I’ve been watching, and this year they’re barely in the top 25 despite being just like prior teams.

Question: Are teams getting that much better? Did Chip have a down squad this year? Has the game moved past Chip? Maybe the Deerfield resistance to playing major out-of-league games (ISL don’t count and Lawrenceville is all they tried this year) is diluting the talent pool?

Taft (my beloved Rhinos) has gone from an excellent team but a midpack also-ran in the NEWest to ‘consistently better than everyone but ‘wick, ‘bury, and Deerfield’ for a few years. This year they beat ‘wick and Deerfield (and Canada’s finest – Hill Academy) and only lost to Salisbury. Yes that game was at Salisbury and those can be scary. Salisbury has the best home-field-advantage in the league! Oh, and they also lost a game against a strong and motivated Saint Sebs squad before the full Rhino squad showed up. First game of the season out of league (should have been a scrimmage). Humbug!

Choate and Loomis went from doormats to top 25 teams in a year or so. They still play in the NEWest so their records don’t look like other top 25 teams’ records, but only a boarding schools with material reputations can build a squad that is top 25 in the nation over the summer.

TP and Hotchkiss and Berkshire are splendid teams and can hold their own, and Avon Old Farms always seems to field a team laced with ACC and B1G talent that plays like a summer showcase squad that’s practiced for a couple of hours before the game.

So the offseason questions are:

Who’s gonna get better? Hotchkiss and Choate have already put together the personnel to compete with the top 4 and now just need the culture. Loomis is right there. So is TP. If Berkshire gets serious they can keep up.

Who’s gonna get worse? Taft is losing Nic Bell who built this dynasty. ‘wick is still basically a day school with estates all around to house laxers from out of town, but the big endowment boarding schools are also gonna take a swing at those kids. All of the mid-pack teams are gonna look at what it takes to move up versus what they lose by slipping back, and make a decision based on some ancient educational policy.

What’s up with Lawrenceville? They’re as well endowed and blue blooded as any NEWest school, and now they have Jon Posner. Posner made Culver Academy from Indiana a national power, for gosh sakes. Now he has access to Lawrenceville’s endowment and facilities and alum and college connects. L’ville went from so-so in Jersey to arguably the best team in the nation in a year. Now the only teams who can give him a game are in the NEWest, MIAA-A, and Long Island Catholics. He’s comin’ for us! Gird up the loins or go home, I guess?

Other questions:

Kent. Good lord, NEWest II or III if it exists. Please. Can we banish NMH and give Westy a golden parachute? They’re all excellent schools – my dad and eldest brother both went to Kent, but they’re not competitive and haven’t been in ages and don’t seem interested in getting better, let alone good enough to play the teams they need to play twice a week.

[Laxxal22]

Couple of PGs I've heard are going to West 1 schools next year.

Pearse MacDonald - mid - (Govs/Penn) Taft: A very talented midfielder with the ability to get downhill and score. Was one of the three ISL players to receive AA honors this spring. That may have been based a little more on his junior season which was more impressive but he should be an impact player and frankly a PG year doesn't seem necessary at all.

Tommy Schwartz - def - (Nobles/Uncommitted) Deerfield: A talented two-sport athlete who earned All-ISL in football and lacrosse. Only picked up a longstick his junior spring which could be a factor in why he's taking another year. Should be a solid addition. Nobles has had a bit of a pipeline to Deerfield the past few years.

Connor Cronin - mid - (Marblehead High/Uncommitted) AOF: I believe his primary focus is football but he plans to play lacrosse as well. He's a beast athletically and put up huge numbers this spring, albeit against not the greatest level of competition. Could be a standout ssdm at this level and fits the mold of big and scary midfielders that Avon often has on the roster.

[Laxboy78]

Robbie Granara the star attackman from Reading is also doing a pg year at Avon before going to Umass.

[justanotherperson]

Great analysis 3PP. Agree with all of it. I will just add:

- there seemed to be a little more parity this year with some of the top teams (3) beating up on each other and some others trying to sneak into the conversation (Loomis and Choate). I could be wrong but the latter 2 teams could be building through incoming transfers and PG's

- curious to see how Nic Bell departure affects the Rhinos. My guess is there will be little drop off

- who will come out of the middle group (Hotchkiss, TP, AOF)? New coach at AOF and they are losing a lot of talent. Hotchkiss took a step back last year and also has a new coach.

- Kent, NMH, Westy. Westy has fallen far - will lacrosse even be a focus of the school. NMH schedule usually easier with some of those north central MA, VT and NH lakes region teams. I cant imagine them leaving for D2-West as some are Founders teams but if this run like the Premier League, who would get promoted? Millbrook? Wilbraham?

[justanotherperson]

Maybe it should be a separate thread but looking at how some of the schools are competing because of transfers / reclasses or PG's, I am curious about some of the teams and who they are bringing in. AOF has traditionally not brought in a lot of PG's but it looks like they will be next year. Curiously, the first 4 are Laxachusetts players which are known for having older player on the team. I apologize if I shouldnt be posting player videos here. Never sure about the rules. My pet peeve about watching highlight videos - circle the player, not everyone know who you are

Anybody else know about PG's coming in?

Taft - Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs) - committed to Penn. I agree, I wonder why the PG year. I know some colleges like some of their commitments to take a PG year usually due to roster manipulation or extra seasoning for the recruit. Looks like he can make it through traffic and good with right and left. BIg body. Nice pickup. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Deerfield - Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles) - uncommitted. Big body too. Can run in transition. Interesting about the long pole being picked up later - will that translate into Founder defense? https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

AOF - Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead) - uncommitted - Agree as he looks to be an SSDM. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF - Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian) - uncommitted - Active. Good feet. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF - Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School) - uncommitted - good transition player and plays close D as well. Can he make the jump from D2 NE-West lower quality of play? https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

[justanotherperson]

Maybe it should be a separate thread but looking at how some of the schools are competing because of transfers / reclasses or PG's, I am curious about some of the teams and who they are bringing in. AOF has traditionally not brought in a lot of PG's but it looks like they will be next year. Curiously, the first 4 are Laxachusetts players which are known for having older player on the team. I apologize if I shouldnt be posting player videos here. Never sure about the rules. My pet peeve about watching highlight videos - circle the player, not everyone know who you are

Anybody else know about PG's coming in?

Taft - Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs) - committed to Penn. I agree, I wonder why the PG year. I know some colleges like some of their commitments to take a PG year usually due to roster manipulation or extra seasoning for the recruit. Looks like he can make it through traffic and good with right and left. BIg body. Nice pickup. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Deerfield - Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles) - uncommitted. Big body too. Can run in transition. Interesting about the long pole being picked up later - will that translate into Founder defense? https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

AOF - Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead) - uncommitted - Agree as he looks to be an SSDM. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF - Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian) - uncommitted - Active. Good feet. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF - Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School) - uncommitted - good transition player and plays close D as well. Can he make the jump from D2 NE-West lower quality of play? https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

Apolgies. Forgot to add:

AOF - Robbie Granara / Attack (Reading) - UMass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5fINB__0M

[Superlite]

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno (Princeton, Moses Brown), Ralph Vogel (Milton Academy) and maybe Ben Wood (Georgetown, Belmont Hill)..All 3dNE Red 2024 players

[Laxxal22]

What’s up with Lawrenceville? They’re as well endowed and blue blooded as any NEWest school, and now they have Jon Posner. Posner made Culver Academy from Indiana a national power, for gosh sakes. Now he has access to Lawrenceville’s endowment and facilities and alum and college connects. L’ville went from so-so in Jersey to arguably the best team in the nation in a year. Now the only teams who can give him a game are in the NEWest, MIAA-A, and Long Island Catholics. He’s comin’ for us! Gird up the loins or go home, I guess?

All of those things plus the program is the pet project/toy of a billionaire. I'm speculating but imagine if Posner really wants a kid (or four) per class, then Joe T will cut some checks. Scariest aspect is, from what I've seen and read, the classes of 24 and 25 look stronger than the one that just graduated. Good luck to all of those brave enough to schedule L'ville going forward.

[justanotherperson]

Trying to do a "unverified" PG list like the "Transfer Portal" thread on the D1 D3 forums. Looks like it is a battle of the Laxachusetts and 3D New England Red club teams.

Taft: Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs --> Penn). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno / Attack (Moses Brown --> Princeton). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

Deerfield: Ralph Vogel / Middie (Milton Academy --> uncommitted). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Ben Wood (maybe) / Defense-LSM (Belmont Hill --> GTown. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/benjamin_wood1

AOF: Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead --> uncommitted ). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF: Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian-->uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF: Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School--> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

[maurice]

Taft PG's for 2024:

Pearse MacDonald - Midfielder to UPENN. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Oscar Woloson - Midfielder to HARVARD. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Chris Reinhardt - Midfielder to NOTRE DAME. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Luke Jamin - Defenseman to UVA. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

[ALaudico7]

Not a PG but Bryce Privateer is going to Choate and reclassifying from 2025 to 2026. Had 108 points last year in Buffalo. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... rivateer16

[justanotherperson]

Thank you Maurice and ALaudico7. So in the spirit of continuing the "Transfer Portal - High School Edition" list

Non-PG

Choate: Bryce Privateer / attack-Middie - reclass from 2025-2026 (3D Upstate / Frontier, Buffalo --> Choate)

PG list

Taft: Luke Jamin / Defense (Rumson Fair Haven, NJ --> UVa). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs --> Penn). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Taft: Chris Reinhardt / Middie (Ridgefield, CT --> Notre Dame (Lafayette commit originally?). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Oscar Woloson / MIddie (Gilman School, MD --> Harvard). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno / Attack (Moses Brown --> Princeton). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

Deerfield: Ralph Vogel / Middie (Milton Academy --> uncommitted). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Ben Wood (maybe) / Defense-LSM (Belmont Hill --> GTown. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/benjamin_wood1

AOF: Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead MA --> uncommitted ). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF: Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian-->uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF: Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School, CT --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

[Superlite]

AOF: Robbie Granara (UMASS/Reading, MA) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPCVsps-QW8

[justanotherperson]

AOF: Robbie Granara (UMASS/Reading, MA) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPCVsps-QW8

Oyy! Totally my bad as I seem to have forge\otten him several times

Non-PG

Choate: Bryce Privateer / attack-Middie - reclass from 2025-2026 (3D Upstate / Frontier, Buffalo --> Choate)

PG list

Taft: Luke Jamin / Defense (Rumson Fair Haven, NJ --> UVa). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs --> Penn). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Taft: Chris Reinhardt / Middie (Ridgefield, CT --> Notre Dame (Lafayette commit originally?). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Oscar Woloson / MIddie (Gilman School, MD --> Harvard). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno / Attack (Moses Brown --> Princeton). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

Deerfield: Ralph Vogel / Middie (Milton Academy --> uncommitted). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Ben Wood (maybe) / Defense-LSM (Belmont Hill --> GTown. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/benjamin_wood1

AOF: Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead MA --> uncommitted ). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF - Robbie Granara / Attack (Reading, MA --> UMass) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5fINB__0M

AOF: Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian-->uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF: Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School, CT --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

[tmast33]

All the PG talk is focused on 4 schools. Don't any other schools in the league accept PGs?

[justanotherperson]

This is really a fan-sourced topic so I would love anyone else to chime in because all of this is basically what has been posted on this forum but there are definitely other schools that take PG's. Who has the intel?

[Laxxal22]

Auggie Smartwood - Lsm/Def from Lawrence Academy is doing a PG year at NMH - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSRhlRLS7e0

[onemore18!]

Tyler Clayton (Umass commit) from AB is PGing I believe at Salisbury

[ctlaxfan99]

AOF: Robbie Granara (UMASS/Reading, MA) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPCVsps-QW8

Oyy! Totally my bad as I seem to have forge\otten him several times

Non-PG

Choate: Bryce Privateer / attack-Middie - reclass from 2025-2026 (3D Upstate / Frontier, Buffalo --> Choate)

PG list

Taft: Luke Jamin / Defense (Rumson Fair Haven, NJ --> UVa). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs --> Penn). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Taft: Chris Reinhardt / Middie (Ridgefield, CT --> Notre Dame (Lafayette commit originally?). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Oscar Woloson / MIddie (Gilman School, MD --> Harvard). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno / Attack (Moses Brown --> Princeton). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

Deerfield: Ralph Vogel / Middie (Milton Academy --> uncommitted). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Ben Wood (maybe) / Defense-LSM (Belmont Hill --> GTown. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/benjamin_wood1

AOF: Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead MA --> uncommitted ). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF - Robbie Granara / Attack (Reading, MA --> UMass) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5fINB__0M

AOF: Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian-->uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF: Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School, CT --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin

Two Incoming PG's for Loomis:

Jasper Curtis / LSM-Defense Waynflete School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPTqM32pg8E


Joe Duggan / Middie Calvert Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeWhSu-69VQ



Loomis bringing back a solid core next year including Milki Conway-Reppert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JrrGP_1CF8) who lead the team in points as a freshman and Harvard bound rising senior Nathan Cobery. Senior class has a few more D1 commits and solid players, only question will be the goalie situation. If they can figure out the goalie position, they could be pushing for a top 25 spot in 2024, wouldn't be shocked to see them pull off an upset over one of the "Big 3" (Salisbury, Taft, Brunswick).

[justanotherperson]

PG and transfer "portal" for High School NE West. Thank you for adding Loomis, Salisbury and NMH to the conversation

I would agree that Loomis, along with Choate, is definitely in that next "tier" and has a chance to beat the big 3. It is interesting to see this arms race amongst prep school that is similar to the college transfer portal where PGs and transfers are being brought in. Who would be the Rutgers of high school ball...

Keep the names coming!

Non-PG

Choate: Bryce Privateer / attack-Middie - reclass from 2025-2026 (3D Upstate / Frontier, Buffalo --> Choate)

PG list

Taft: Luke Jamin / Defense (Rumson Fair Haven, NJ --> UVa). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Pearse MacDonald / Middie (Govs --> Penn). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... _macdonald

Taft: Chris Reinhardt / Middie (Ridgefield, CT --> Notre Dame (Lafayette commit originally?). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Taft: Oscar Woloson / MIddie (Gilman School, MD --> Harvard). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... commitment

Salisbury: Tyler Clayton / Middie (Acton-Boxbouough, MA-->Salisbury) https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/tyler_clayton

NMH: Auggie Smartwood / LSM-Def (Lawrence Academy-->uncommitted). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSRhlRLS7e0

Loomis: Jasper Curtis / LSM-Defense (Waynflete School --> uncommitted). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPTqM32pg8E

Loomis: Joe Duggan / Middie (Calvert Hall-->uncommitted). https://www.joedugganlacrosse.com. (apparently has his own website...)

Deerfield: Peter Buonanno / Attack (Moses Brown --> Princeton). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Thomas Schwartz / Defense (Nobles --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlet ... s_schwartz

Deerfield: Ralph Vogel / Middie (Milton Academy --> uncommitted). https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... highlights

Deerfield: Ben Wood (maybe) / Defense-LSM (Belmont Hill --> GTown. https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/benjamin_wood1

AOF: Connor Cronin / Middie (Marblehead MA --> uncommitted ). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/connor_cronin2

AOF - Robbie Granara / Attack (Reading, MA --> UMass) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5fINB__0M

AOF: Griffin Ready / Goalie (Xaverian-->uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/griffin_ready

AOF: Kaelin Wu / LSM-Defense (Hopkins School, CT --> uncommitted). https://imlca.sportsrecruits.com/athlete/wu_kaelin