GAME ON: Rhode Island - See Who is Getting Recruited
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Rhode Island is emerging as a source for lacrosse talent. Headlining the list is Midfielder Alex Perrault of Warwick, who has verbally committed to national powerhouse Johns Hopkins, a program that historically is the best men’s lacrosse program in the country.
The Blue Jays have captured an absurd 44 national championships in their history, and won the title as recently as 2007.
Perrault is a junior at Bishop Hendricken High School and still has another year before he signs a national letter of intent, but he’s been singled out by coaches as an elite Division I talent.
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Portsmouth Abbey Sends 10 to play in college
Portsmouth Abbey has long been a powerhouse lacrosse program, and this year is no different, as the school will send ten players to play college lacrosse, including three to Division I programs.
Ryan Whitney and Brian O’Connor will each head to West Point to play for Army, while Drake Kreinz is heading to Penn State.
Portsmouth Abbey head coach Al Brown described Whitney as a “ big, strong, athletic midfielder,” and said that O’Connor won about 82 percent of his face-offs this season as the team’s top face-off guy.
Brown said that Kreinz, a midfielder, is “the best athlete I have ever coached in lacrosse.” Kreinz scored 39 goals and added 24 assists this season.
Senior attacker Matthew Brigham scored 153 career goals and has will play for Division II Bentley University in the fall. Junior Dylan Pexton will head to the University of Tampa, also a D-2 school.
Junior Austin Kreinz has committed to the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, and junior Mitch Kellar will play for the University of Michigan.
Alec Meigs-Rives will head to Division III Springfield College, and seniors Trevor Kenahan and Liam O’Connor are off to Beloit College in Wisconsin.
North Kingstown
Saunderstown’s Bill Kruse will also be playing at the next level, having signed on with Division II Bentley University. Kruse is a crafty senior midfielder at North Kingstown High, and his head coach Steve Alviti said that he was highly sought after because of his size and speed.
“He’s very talented, fast, and quick,” said Alviti. “He can shoot both left-handed and right handed. He’s got great stick handling ability. He’s an offensive middie, and that’s what teams look for. He can really put the ball in the net.”
Alviti also mentioned that Providence College has shown some interest in North Kingstown face-off specialist Ryan Comolli. “He’s a tremendous face-off guy,” he said. “One of the best in the state. There are schools that, that’s what they look for. You can get at least six or seven extra possessions from a good face-off guy, and that can make the difference in a game.”
Two LaSalle Players
Fellow LaSalle grads - Ryan Poirer and Cody O’Donnell were noteworthy for their accomplishments and each have signed on to play college lacrosse next year after spending this season at Brewster Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts.
O’Donnell was a two-time Adidas and U.S. All-American and one of the best defensemen in the state as a senior in 2011. He will be playing for Division I Bryant University in Smithfield, which captured the 2012 Northeast Conference championship and is led by former Duke head coach Mike Pressler.
Poirer will be heading to Division III Merrimack College, having signed a national letter of intent with the school. The midfielder was a two-time Adidas All-American and a U.S. All-American in 2011. He was the leading scorer in Rhode Island last year and finished his high school career with 75 goals, 70 assists and 145 groundballs.
“Ryan and Cody are probably the two best players ever to play at LaSalle,” said Steve O’Donnell, the school’s head coach and Cody’s father.
“Cody is unique because he is a defensemen who can score. He had 20 goals and 24 assists last season, which is off the charts for a defensemen,” O’Donnell said.
Merrimack head coach Mike Morgan said that he saw Ryan play for “ about 30 seconds” and knew immediately that he could play at the next level. “He’s a big-time player. He’s got a quick first step, he can run by you, and he can score, facilitate…he’s got a real nose for the net. He fits our style perfectly, ” Morgan said.