FITCHBURG, Mass. --- Players in the class of 2029 aren't yet eligible to commit to Division 1 lacrosse programs. Not until Sept. 9 of next year, anyway.
But that doesn't mean they aren't actively being scouted. A look at the sidelines at this past Sunday's 3D Fall Classic at Game On in Fitchburg, Mass., is proof.
This was the perfect event for college coaches and evaluators to get a good look at some of the top '29s in the region. Some of these players impressed at the high school level as freshmen, and others are looking to step into elevated roles as sophomores this coming spring.
3D New England's Red team, for instance, was bursting at the seams with talent. They were by far the top '29 team I've seen this fall. I didn't get the chance to see every team at the one-day event, though. But I picked out 14 standouts from the games I did watch.
Let's dive in:
Nathaniel Antebi
Position: FO
School: Nobles
Antebi (Newton, Mass.) was practically automatic at the faceoff dot. I didn't see him lose once all game, gaining possession with ease. He was also effective offensively, as he would take the ball into the offensive zone after wins to create offense. He was 54-for-73 (73.9 percent) at St. Sebastian's this past spring as one of the top faceoff specialists in the ISL.
Christian Benson
Position: M
School: St. John's Shrewsbury (Mass.)
Benson (West Boylston, Mass.) was an excellent dodger against Eclipse red. He scored a pair of goals off the dodge, where he'd break free from his spot in the left alley and cut to the middle for opportunities. He played with intensity and never stopped moving his feet.
Griffin Budreski
Position: M
School: Governor's Academy
Budreski (Winchester, Mass.) always kept his head up with the ball in his stick and was very dangerous offensively. He scored off the dodge while on the run early in the matchup and also found Jameson Shaw for a goal. Budreski was fast and shifty and always made the right play, even if it was the simple one.
Liam Cavanaugh
Position: A
School: St. John's Prep (Mass.)
Cavanaugh (North Andover, Mass.) ripped a laser into the mesh on a fast break early into HGR's battle with the Stallions and later started feeding Benjamin Whitney (North Andover, Mass.) out front for a pair of tallies. Cavanaugh had good vision and kept his eyes up for the best pass in unsettled situations.
Ben Finard
Position: LSM
School: Belmont Hill
Finard (Weston, Mass.) scored a goal in transition with a sizzling bounce shot, epitomizing his impact on both ends of the field Sunday. He's a big player at 6-foot-2 and is just a pure athlete.
READ MORE: 15 uncommitted standout ’28s from 3D Fall Classic
Finley Hassell
Position: D
School: Belmont Hill
Hassell (Charlestown, Mass.) used all of his 6-foot-3 frame on Sunday. He delivered powerful and intentional checks as an intimidating on-ball defender but also showed an ability to be really effective in transition due to his speed and awareness. I would keep an eye on Hassell throughout his prep career at Belmont Hill.
Gavin Lane
Position: M
School: Shawsheen Tech
Lane (Billerica, Mass.) was the best player on the field in Freight Train's matchup with Eclipse Red. I saw him score a pair of goals in the action I caught, the first on a dodge-and-score that he made look easy. He then found twine on a catch-and-shoot sequence after finding a soft spot in coverage. Lane was also a strong two-way player; in one instance, he started in the defensive zone with possession and took the ball upfield while brushing off a slew of checks along the way. Lane plays fast and tough.
Rocco Merriam
Position: G
School: Loomis Chaffee
Merriam (Longmeadow, Mass.) really impressed between the pipes against HGR. He was under fire at times, but he stayed poised and made some very tough stops. In one instance, he made a dazzling kick save on a fast break to deny the shooter at point-blank. Be it a desperation save or a key stop on man-up, Merriam made the saves that he wasn't necessarily supposed to or expected to make. Those are the signs of a good goalie.
Andrew Sedlarcik
Position: D
School: Staples (Conn.)
Sedlarcik (Westport, Conn.) was a steady defender for Eclipse against Freight Train. He had a few clean takeaways because of his strong stick and had good instincts to maintain a sufficient gap to the opposition without overcommitting. But when he did apply pressure, he did so with conviction.
Jameson Shaw
Position: A
School: St. John’s Prep (Mass.)
Shaw was all over the stat sheet in 3D's game against the Clams on Sunday. I watched the St. John's Prep attackman score a trio of goals around the crease. He had quick hands and really good instincts that put him in the soft spots in coverage.
Nolan Sheehan
Position: A
School: Belmont Hill
Sheehan (Arlington, Mass.) rang a shot off the goalpost and in, scoring through contact in what was a great effort from start to finish. He had a lot of good takes and used his size to gain leverage on defenders.
READ MORE: 11 standouts from 3D Fall Classic Showcase
Eli Waldeck
Position: A
School: Belmont Hill
Waldeck (Concord, Mass.) was dominant against the Clams. He picked a top corner while shooting on the run to find the back of the net and also proved himself as a great distributor. He found Jameson Shaw for a pair of goals and was constantly an offensive threat with possession. Waldeck amassed 41 points at Belmont Hill as a freshman and is poised for a huge sophomore season.
Benjamin Whitney
Position: A
School: North Andover (Mass.)
Whitney simply had a nose for the net on Sunday against the Stallions. I saw him score a handful of goals in the action I caught as a dynamic catch-and-shoot finisher along the crease. His best connection was with Liam Cavanaugh (North Andover, Mass.), as the pair of attackmen worked well together in the offensive zone.
Zach Wysocki
Position: M
School: Greenwich (Conn.)
Wysocki impressed as a two-way midfielder against Freight Train. He made a nice pass to Giacomo Montesanti for a goal and had some good takes of his own. He made a defender miss at midfield before carrying the ball into the offensive zone and finding an open teammate for a scoring chance.
