Elite Lacrosse Invitational Standouts
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For the second straight year, the Elite Lacrosse Invitational opened up the November fall ball recruiting slate with a bang.
Some of the best 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 teams came to Stony Brook to test themselves against many of the Northeast's elite clubs, and next-level players dotted rosters of the teams in attendance.
With that in mind, here's a look at some of the top 2021s and 2022s in attendance, listed alphabetically.
2021
Jack Alletto, defense, Carle Place (N.Y.) / Rebels
A long and rangy defenseman, Alletto was glued to attackmen's hands on the perimeter, never allowing them to get comfortable away from the cage. He's extremely physical at the point of contact and showed the ability to snag some crafty ground balls.
James Araneo, midfield, Ward Melville (N.Y.) / Long Island Empire Volt
Araneo is Empire's offensive go-to guy, but he can also play some excellent defense and lead transition the other way. Once he gets his hands free, he can absolutely hammer the ball on the run with either hand, and he consistently plays with toughness and grit. He's at his best dodging down the alley from up top.
Aidan Koff, goalie. John Jay (N.Y.) / Prime Time
A starter for a very good John Jay team as a sophomore, where he stuffed 62 percent of shots sent his way, Koff did an outstanding job of coming up with some saves that he had no business making in tight. A big goalie who takes up a lot of room in the net, Koff has a very calming presence in the cage, and it's also evident in how he carries himself. He works in smooth, controlled movements, and his quick hands allow him to make big saves and get the ball out to start transition.
Mike Frechette, defense, Berkshire (Mass.) / Eclipse - Michigan (Highlights)
It wasn't a good day to be an attackman in Frechette's vicinity, because he made it a point to be physical from the onset, laying out a couple of unsuspecting attackmen with vicious but clean hits. The future Wolverine doesn't lack for aggressiveness and he loves to get out and press on opponents. He also has the next-level stick skills that you love to see.
Joseph Giambald, midfield, East Meadow (N.Y.) / Team 91 Ambush
Giambald is a high-energy player who will never short change you in the effort department. He looked the part of a midfield initiator as he favored downhill dodges from way up top, where he could pick up speed and either beat his man for a couple of goals or dish it off to teammates. It's hard not to like the way he plays, particularly on tough ground balls and in the middle of the field.
Will Lynch, faceoff midfield, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Schreiber - Notre Dame (Highlights)
If Lynch never takes a single faceoff at Notre Dame, he'll still find a way onto the field. He's that good as an all-around midfielder and as an exceptional athlete. He can run for days, and once the ball's in his stick after a faceoff win, he's a threat to score every time. You have to slide to him, otherwise he'll consistently burn you. Lynch has very quick hands and explodes out of his stance, and he is great at catching his pops on the first try to immediately turn into a scoring chance. There's a reason why the Irish wanted him so badly, and he'll be a great fit in South Bend.
Charlie Moses, LSM, Westminster (Conn.) / Express North
Moses brings a complete game to the LSM spot with his ability to cover top-flight midfielders and also being able to turn around and go coast-to-coast with the ball in his stick. He's a high-level athlete who plays a mean, aggressive brand of lacrosse, and he also shows the type of consistency that coaches love to see.
Colin Mulshine, defense, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time - Princeton
One of the most heralded defensemen in the country and a recent commit to the Tigers, Mulshine came to the ELI fresh off of a double-digit tackle day for Brunswick's football team and didn't skip a beat. He's got the size, range and temperament of an elite defenseman, and he fared very well in a dynamic matchup with Eclipse standout Leo Johnson (Avon Old Farms, Conn. / Yale). Mulshine, who also plays basketball to go along with football and lacrosse, has the upside to blossom into an elite college defenseman.
Jimmy O'Connell, attack, Carey (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Schreiber - Boston University
You name it, O'Connell did it for Express. He consistently found ways to make plays, whether it was scoring or setting up goals or riding hard. He had a couple of caused turnovers on the ride, and he also works hard off the ball to get open. O'Connell is really smart about picking the holes in coverage to run to, and he knows how to score shoot from multiple release points.
"I think he can produce a lot of points at the next level," one college coach at the event said.
Jeffery Ricciardelli, attack, Taft (Conn.) / Eclipse - Penn
Ricciardelli is one of the most highly-touted attackmen in the 2021 class and he backed up that reputation with a strong showing at the ELI. The lefty broke Taft's single-season goals record, previously held by Virginia All-American Michael Kraus, as a sophomore, and his ability to score from anywhere makes him deadly. It looks like he's added to his repertoire, and he had a particularly impressive goal where he dodged from X, swept across a pick and hammered the ball home. If you're a defenseman, you shouldn't ever feel comfortable when Ricciardelli has the ball in his stick.
Ryan Sellew, attack, Hotchkiss (Conn.) / Express North
Sellew's stock continues to ascend, particularly after an excellent day for Express North. He torched a vaunted Eclipse team for three goals, and he had multiple goals on the day where he just ran through three players and buried shots. He excels as a time-and-room shooter and does a great job of getting separation, and the 6-2, 195-pounder is a scoring threat as both a shooter and a dodger. He'll be a two-year captain for both Hotchkiss football and lacrosse.
TJ Sheehan, attack, South Side (N.Y.) / ICON
Coming off of a 35-goal, 48-point sophomore campaign for the Cyclones, Sheehan drew praise from college coaches for his toughness and shiftiness. He turns the corner very hard with excellent technique, and he combines his fearlessness with good vision and the ability to consistently get his hands free. He had one particularly impressive play where he scored while taking a huge hit and bounced right back up.
Andrew Tittman, goalie, Northport (N.Y.) / Team 91 Ambush
He's not the biggest goalie, but all Tittman does is gobble up shots with ease. He's an outstanding communicator who drops dimes on outlet passes, and he does a superb job of getting to shots that he shouldn't be able to stop. His quick reflexes and speedy hands, as well as his ability to snare everything from outside, make him a very dependable, consistent option in the net, and he was particularly stout against Long Island Express Leghart.
Alex Zepf, goalie, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Schreiber - Cornell (Highlights)
Zepf might be able to fill out a highlight reel strictly from Sunday's play. The Big Red's future goalie was on fire early and often, making a handful of ridiculous saves and not letting easy ones by. The lefty looks so calm in the cage that he never looks rattled or out of control, and his smooth, fluid movements allow him to gobble up shots with ease. Zepf put together a couple of really impressive saves early, including a gem of a save with his left arm on a 1v1 on the crease.
Honorable Mention
Everett Banks, attack, Fox Lane (N.Y.) / Express North
Blake Borges, midfield, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time
Andy Demopoulos, goalie, Darien (Conn.) / Eclipse - Johns Hopkins
Sam Erickson, defense, Darien (Conn.) / Prime Time
Andrew Kenny, faceoff midfield, Half Hollow Hills West (N.Y.) / Team 91 Ambush
Tyler Lahey, attack, Trinity-Pawling (N.Y.) / Express North
Jalen Seymour, midfield, St. Anthony's (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Schreiber - Notre Dame
Sam Silverman, goalie, Scarsdale (N.Y.) / Express North
Derek Takacs, attack/midfield, Mount Sinai (N.Y.) / Long Island Empire Volt
2022
Charles Balsamo, attack/midfield, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Channy
It's really fun to watch Balsamo play. He's got the potential to be the next elite offensive player out of Chaminade, and his positional versatility is a huge boost. He ran a ton of midfield on Sunday, and the electric lefty gave defenders fits with his first step and ability to initiate. He can also seamlessly head to attack and run the show from there, too. An alpha type of attackman who thrives with the ball in his stick, Balsamo both scored and set up teammates with regularity.
Charlie Johnson, defense, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time
Considered one of the top prospects regardless of position in the '22 class, Johnson is the latest in a long line of elite defensemen from Prime Time. He's the total package with his size and physicality, high motor and communication skills. He can get up and out in transition in a hurry after locking down his man, he's keenly aware of every opponent's strenghts and weaknesses and he loves to go up against the other team's top attackman.
Colin Langton, defense, St. Anthony's (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Channy
The son of Towson All-American Tim Langton, a 6-5 midfielder, the younger Langton is coming into his own and the proverbial light bulb is coming on. He excels as a cover guy with a very active stick, and he's terrific at scooping up ground balls and leading transition. Langton does a nice job of staying between his man and the cage without going nuts on the checks, and he turned in an exemplary effort against a stacked Eclipse team.
Charlie Howard, attack, Staples (Conn.) / Prime Time
Howard played in his first event for Prime Time on Sunday, and he wasted no time ingratiating himself to his new teammates. In a battle of two of the country's top '22 teams between Prime Time and Connecticut rival Eclipse, he burned Eclipse for five goals, including a gem of a backhand after beating his man at X. Howard is extremely confident with the ball in his stick and there isn't a shot that he won't try. His explosiveness out of his first step enabled him to initiate the offense, and while he showed more as a finisher, he can throw out some nice passes, too.
Thomas Ricciardelli, goalie, Taft (Conn.) / Eclipse
Long heralded as one of the best goalies in the class, Ricciardelli looked the part for Eclipse, routinely coming away with big-time saves. He showed the ability to adjust well when shooters tried to beat him with the same move - he had a great stuff on the crease on Howard after the latter beat him on a similar move earlier - and he has the poise and communication skills of an older goalie. Having his brother Jeff shoot on him for years has to have helped him blossom, because if you can stop that guy, you'll do well against kids a year younger.
Honorable Mention
Ryan Colsey, attack, Ridgefield (Conn.) / Eclipse
Josiah DeGrasse, midfield, Ridgefield (Conn.) / Prime Time
Luke Giarraputo, attack, Cold Spring Harbor / Long Island Express Channy
Kai Prohasza, defense, Ridgefield (Conn.) / Prime Time
