2025 Preseason Top 20 Lookahead | Page 11 | Syracusefan.com

2025 Preseason Top 20 Lookahead

Zack80 said:
It seems like a crock of crap to have Princeton ranked 4th and not have UMd ranked.
UMd beat Princeton 13-7, and 16-8 last year.
Certainly, Zappitello was outstanding, but he didn't cover 6 players. Princeton loses their AA goalie Gianforcaro and LSM Pace Billings.
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I think IL is ranking LSMs separate from the "defense". I agree that Princeton shouldn't be listed as a top 5 defense in the country.

It doesn't look like Maryland will be ranked in any of the positional groupings. Has a team ever been a consensus top 6 team and not had a positional group considered "Top 5" in the country? No way to know that obviously, but like the Top 50 players IL put out, it's pretty strange. Perhaps they are number 6 in every category.

I do think SU should be getting more love here, hard to find a better tandem of close defenders than Dwan and Figuerias, and I think whoever fills the third spot will be pretty decent. And if they want to give Notre Dame credit for their goalie being inexperienced but having a five star ranking, than SU should get the same benefit of the doubt.
 
Princeton is wild. When they go up against a good offense the result is the same every time. Except for Yale for some reason.
 
Zack80 said:
It seems like a crock of crap to have Princeton ranked 4th and not have UMd ranked.
UMd beat Princeton 13-7, and 16-8 last year.
Certainly, Zappitello was outstanding, but he didn't cover 6 players. Princeton loses their AA goalie Gianforcaro and LSM Pace Billings.
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Why do you get so worked up over the IL rankings? They are routinely wildly wrong.
 
ClvrUsrnm said:
Why do you get so worked up over the IL rankings? They are routinely wildly wrong.
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I'm not that worked up.
They would appear at the moment to be the top media outlet for lacrosse, and I do believe their flaws should be pointed out.
 
Powellfan said:
I think IL is ranking LSMs separate from the "defense". I agree that Princeton shouldn't be listed as a top 5 defense in the country.

It doesn't look like Maryland will be ranked in any of the positional groupings. Has a team ever been a consensus top 6 team and not had a positional group considered "Top 5" in the country? No way to know that obviously, but like the Top 50 players IL put out, it's pretty strange. Perhaps they are number 6 in every category.

I do think SU should be getting more love here, hard to find a better tandem of close defenders than Dwan and Figuerias, and I think whoever fills the third spot will be pretty decent. And if they want to give Notre Dame credit for their goalie being inexperienced but having a five star ranking, than SU should get the same benefit of the doubt.
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They do have Greg Campisi, who was an LSM at Harvard, on their list for ND, and also list a guy, Nate Schwitzenberg, who only played 9 games for ND last year. With a new goalie too, there is no way ND should be #2 or even on the list at this point.
 
Zack80 said:
I'm not that worked up.
They would appear at the moment to be the top media outlet for lacrosse, and I do believe their flaws should be pointed out.
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They have way too many flaws to even be taken seriously
 

5. Syracuse​

FO John Mullen, FO/SSDM Jake Spallina, SSDM Carter Rice, SSDM Ryder Ochoa, LSM Michael Grace, LSM Nick Caccamo
The grit and tenacity of the Orange rope unit must again be a strength if they’re to make it back to their first Final Four since 2013. Carter Rice has that in abundance, as does the versatile Jake Spallina. The biggest addition will be RIT grad transfer and Team Canada player Michael Grace, though he was hampered toward the end of his Tigers career with a big knee brace. With a crowded close unit, could a pole like Caccamo shift up top to help replace Saam Olexo? Mullen emerged as a perfect complement to Mason Kohn as a freshman and will have an even larger role as a sophomore.

4. Johns Hopkins 3. UVA 2. Duke 1. Notre Dame

 
Powellfan said:

5. Syracuse​

FO John Mullen, FO/SSDM Jake Spallina, SSDM Carter Rice, SSDM Ryder Ochoa, LSM Michael Grace, LSM Nick Caccamo
The grit and tenacity of the Orange rope unit must again be a strength if they’re to make it back to their first Final Four since 2013. Carter Rice has that in abundance, as does the versatile Jake Spallina. The biggest addition will be RIT grad transfer and Team Canada player Michael Grace, though he was hampered toward the end of his Tigers career with a big knee brace. With a crowded close unit, could a pole like Caccamo shift up top to help replace Saam Olexo? Mullen emerged as a perfect complement to Mason Kohn as a freshman and will have an even larger role as a sophomore.

4. Johns Hopkins 3. UVA 2. Duke 1. Notre Dame

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I'll take it, but I want to know what IL was on with some of the picks this year. This area aside from Mullen and Rice is our biggest question mark, both SSDM depth and who will be playing LSM. SSDM was a weakness in general for us last season. They should also mention English as a two way guy, and that Nathan Levine exists.

It is also one of the biggest question marks for hop, who just lost their entire ssdm unit, have Kilrain officially playing close defense instead of LSM, and have an average FOGO in Callahan. Does adding Hackler make up for all of that? They have Hop's close defense/goalie, which should be elite, at 5 overall, while they have this question mark area where they can only name two ssdms at 4! What??

UVA ssdms were a weakness last season and they lost their best one in Yager. Again, do they think Wayer and Ghobriel make up for all for all of that? Really feels like they are throwing darts at a list of teams this year.
 
DoctahLexus said:
I'll take it, but I want to know what IL was on with some of the picks this year. This area aside from Mullen and Rice is our biggest question mark, both SSDM depth and who will be playing LSM. SSDM was a weakness in general for us last season. They should also mention English as a two way guy, and that Nathan Levine exists.

It is also one of the biggest question marks for hop, who just lost their entire ssdm unit, have Kilrain officially playing close defense instead of LSM, and have an average FOGO in Callahan. Does adding Hackler make up for all of that? They have Hop's close defense/goalie, which should be elite, at 5 overall, while they have this question mark area where they can only name two ssdms at 4! What??

UVA ssdms were a weakness last season and they lost their best one in Yager. Again, do they think Wayer and Ghobriel make up for all for all of that? Really feels like they are throwing darts at a list of teams this year.
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IL not really knowing where certain players will line up makes this exercise really difficult. They have Campisi listed as both a close defender and an LSM for Notre Dame. Which one is it? That seems a bit like cheating if you are going to rank ND top five in each category.

This grouping in particular seems really difficult. They list two freshman (Hauseman and Lagunowic) for UVA which seems strange given we don't know how any of these first year players will adapt. SSDM is a really hard position to learn as a frosh! In essence basically having Ghobrial and Wayer make this unit elite, but they had to fill out the rest of the group. Also Greenspan hasn't played much, so seems like a stretch to list him. Are they listing standout players, or just guys in the group? Why is everyone on the UVA roster basically listed, but like you said, Hopkins can't even fill out the group?

I am not sure who I would replace these teams with. UNC has Wambach, but I think they moved English to offense and weren't exactly lights out in the middle of the field last year. Not Princeton or Cornell. Maryland just lost their top FOGO ... Army with Colletti? Georegtown with Ball? I think a lot of top teams have question marks in the middle of the field this year, especially with all the top FOGOs that graduated.
 
Powellfan said:
IL not really knowing where certain players will line up makes this exercise really difficult. They have Campisi listed as both a close defender and an LSM for Notre Dame. Which one is it? That seems a bit like cheating if you are going to rank ND top five in each category.

This grouping in particular seems really difficult. They list two freshman (Hauseman and Lagunowic) for UVA which seems strange given we don't know how any of these first year players will adapt. SSDM is a really hard position to learn as a frosh! In essence basically having Ghobrial and Wayer make this unit elite, but they had to fill out the rest of the group. Also Greenspan hasn't played much, so seems like a stretch to list him. Are they listing standout players, or just guys in the group? Why is everyone on the UVA roster basically listed, but like you said, Hopkins can't even fill out the group?

I am not sure who I would replace these teams with. UNC has Wambach, but I think they moved English to offense and weren't exactly lights out in the middle of the field last year. Not Princeton or Cornell. Maryland just lost their top FOGO ... Army with Colletti? Georegtown with Ball? I think a lot of top teams have question marks in the middle of the field this year, especially with all the top FOGOs that graduated.
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I guess it does get a little tougher when you think about replacements. I would probably have Army or GTown in there with their strength at FOGO. Less familiar with the names and faces aside from their faceoff guys, but they both seemed to have big strong fast athletes there last year. Unless a heck of a lot of guys graduated for them I would have them above us Hop and UVA. Penn State has faceoff issues but were strong at SSDM and defense overall last season. They might sneak in on that alone as well. Some question marks for those teams but a heck of a lot for the ones that made the list as well.
 
Powellfan said:
I am not sure who I would replace these teams with. UNC has Wambach, but I think they moved English to offense and weren't exactly lights out in the middle of the field last year. Not Princeton or Cornell. Maryland just lost their top FOGO ... Army with Colletti? Georegtown with Ball? I think a lot of top teams have question marks in the middle of the field this year, especially with all the top FOGOs that graduated.
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Maryland did lose their top FOGO, so did #2 Duke. Back on the defense rankings Notre Dame lost their Tewaaraton finalist goalie, and Princeton lost its HM goalie.

But for Maryland it is always about who they lost with IL. Maryland does have a 5-star sophomore Sean Creter and senior Shea Keethler, who had a .615 FO pct in limited use, looking to take up the slack at face-offs.

Of course, Calahan only had a .510 FO pct for Hopkins, and is Hackler playing offense or ssdm?

Maryland is solid otherwise with McDonald and AJ Larkin returning at LSM, and Eric Kolar and George Stamos return as ssdms. Maryland also added 2-time D3 ssdm of the year Zack Goorno.
 
army should be top 5 easily. FO coletti, SSDM mazur, LSM fournier is as good of a trio as any in the country..

besides that they have the right teams...it's going to be a down year for rope units

hop brings in the top ranked pure SSDM in the freshman class in dicicco from lawrenceville...if he pans out and they identify one more guy to add to the two from yale they will be fine there...their d coordinator is a former ssdm and coaches the position well...

i would put virginia ahead of duke EASILY in this category.
 
nyclax said:
army should be top 5 easily. FO coletti, SSDM mazur, LSM fournier is as good of a trio as any in the country..

besides that they have the right teams...it's going to be a down year for rope units

hop brings in the top ranked pure SSDM in the freshman class in dicicco from lawrenceville...if he pans out and they identify one more guy to add to the two from yale they will be fine there...their d coordinator is a former ssdm and coaches the position well...

i would put virginia ahead of duke EASILY in this category.
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Can Hopkins really afford to play Hackler as a regular ssdm given their losses on the offense?

This seems a little like counting Campisi twice for Notre Dame.
 
word from the sideline is duke btchslapped maryland yesterday...

and pokorny for notre dame is going to be a big big problem for 4 years.
 
nyclax said:
word from the sideline is duke btchslapped maryland yesterday...

and pokorny for notre dame is going to be a big big problem for 4 years.
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But … but … but … IL ranked Maryland ahead of Duke. You, sir NYC, must surely be mistaken.
 
nyclax said:
word from the sideline is duke btchslapped maryland yesterday...

and pokorny for notre dame is going to be a big big problem for 4 years.
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Lot of hype this past fall for Pokorny, figured he was likely to put up some big numbers and that appears to be correct.

You don't want to read to much into scrimmage results as god knows SU has had a couple these last few years that were less than great but that Duke/Maryland is certainly intriguing. Tough to know who played and for how long but as a Maryland fan that has to be disconcerting to say the least.
 
Speaking of scrimmages, again take it with a grain of salt but Rutgers scrimmaged Jax this past weekend and apparently was up 11-1 before going to the bench. I don't know how many Jax starters were playing but that's a bad sign for them.
 
JeremyCuse said:
Speaking of scrimmages, again take it with a grain of salt but Rutgers scrimmaged Jax this past weekend and apparently was up 11-1 before going to the bench. I don't know how many Jax starters were playing but that's a bad sign for them.
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rutgers dominated their scrimmages last year and then went 1-5 in the big ten for the second straight year. that score prob doesnt say much about rutgers or jax. especially rutgers...preseason scrimmages are their super bowl
 
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