Spring Training Team Preview – Week II
Over the next few weeks, NXT will host 13 boys and girls high school lacrosse teams for their spring break. The teams and athletes will practice and stay in the Conshohocken, PA area while having access to top-end facilities such as the Proving Grounds and Steelyard Sports.
Their days will be filled with practice, scrimmages, team bonding, and activities. The Conshohocken area will give the Spring Training teams a chance to scrimmage some of Philly’s top competition ahead of their seasons. Marquee matchups including Penn Charter, Springside Chestnut Hill, The Westtown School, ANC, Holy Ghost Prep, and more highlight the slate of Spring Training games happening this March against the visiting schools.
The Spring Training teams will also have access to everything Conshohocken and the surrounding area have to offer. Schools will have a chance to tour local college campuses, attend 76ers and college lacrosse games, play paintball, and even get exposed to Philadelphia’s finest cuisine – the Philly Cheesesteak.
Week two brings five more teams to Conshohocken. The Westminster School (CT) boys team, Kimball Union (NH) boys team, Loomis Chaffee (CT) boys team and our first two girls team of the spring, Loomis Chaffee (CT) and the Pingree School (MA).
Westminster School Preview (B)
The Westminster School (CT) arrives Saturday. The Martlets bring a talented senior-heavy roster and will be ready to kick off their season against ANC and Penn Charter.
Westminster is taking full advantage of the access to Steelyard Sports and the Phila Box coaching staff as they will hold three box practices during their time in Conshohocken.
A week in Conshohocken should prepare the gauntlet that is the New England Founders League.
Spring Training Schedule Highlights
3/12 – First practice
3/12 – First box practice
3/14 – Scrimmage vs ANC
3/15 – Scrimmage vs Penn Charter
3/15 – Dave & Busters
3/16 – Final day of practice
Players to Watch
Jeremy Hopsicker (A) Notre Dame
Ethan Ruller (G) Cornell
Cooper Kistler (LSM) Princeton
Kade Smith (LSM) Navy
James Breen (D) Air Force
Seve Cordero (A) Marist
Kimball Union Academy Preview (B)
The Kimball Union Academy arrives Monday 3/14. They are coming off one of their best seasons in recent history but have a need for new players to step up in 2022 as they graduated 13 seniors last year that all ended up on college rosters.
KUA plays in the New England Lakes Region Lacrosse League with talented teams such as Brewster and Holderness – both teams who they beat in 2021.
When the Wildcats depart on Friday they will be just one week out from their first week of the regular season that includes matchups with two ISL teams – Tabor and Rivers.
Spring Training Schedule Highlights
3/14 – First practice
3/15 – Dave & Busters
3/16 – Scrimmage vs Penn Charter
3/17 – Box practice
3/17 – Paintball
3/18 – Scrimmage vs Westown
2022 Season Outlook
“We are coming off of our best season in recent memory in 2021. 13 players graduated and moved on to college lacrosse. This group doesn’t have a ton of prep school experience, but does have the potential to be pretty good. Very strong in net and on D, will have to find new scorers and a replacement for FOM Andrew McCarthy ’22 (Bates) who is out this season due to injury.
I am expecting some bumps in the road early, but we are hoping this group gels together quickly and is ready to be a challenger in the Lakes Region Lacrosse League. Added an extremely strong assistant coach, Tucker Prudden, who was the Head Coach at Pomfret who will run the offense and allow me to coach my more natural end of the field. ”
Players to Watch
Kyle Murray-Smith (M)
James Van Metre (G)
Bailey Beakes (D) RIT
Declan Turner (D) Endicott
Colby Berrard (A)
Spring Training Outlook
“Board schools do a good job of getting kids out of their comfort zones, doing different activities, and hanging out with different kids. I’m excited to get our team together and focus solely on lacrosse and our culture. It’s so rare for our kids to have the chance to dial in and focus on just one thing.”
Loomis Chaffee School Preview (G)
Loomis Chaffee School has won five straight Founders League titles dating back to pre-covid. The Pelicans are a perennial power not only in the Northeast but in the country. They have a storied history that includes nine Founders League championships and has been ranked as high as 8th in the nation.
They will bring a loaded roster full of Division I talent to Conshohocken on Monday 3/14.
Spring Training Schedule Highlights
3/14 – First practice
3/14 – Scrimmage vs #24 Penn Charter
3/15 – Dave & Busters
3/16 – Rock Climbing
3/17 – Scrimmage vs Pingree School
2022 Season Outlook
“We have a fresh and eager outlook for 2022. I have yet to coach the team through a complete season and I look forward to seeing how we develop individually and as a program. We tested the waters with a few games last year and quickly realized that we needed to step up our game to continue the Loomis tradition of being successful in our league. We have some veterans on the team that will anchor us defensively, as well as some newer faces that will bring intensity.”
Players to Watch
MK Briglio (D)
Maggie Bankowski (M) UPenn
Kaitlin Flynn (A) Youngstown State
Sophie Powless (G)
Liv Perriello (M)
Spring Training Outlook
“We are looking forward to spending time together as a team to develop chemistry on and off the field. Spring Training will give us the opportunity to have sticks in our hands and on the field to play as much lacrosse as we can.”
Pingree School Preview (G)
The Eastern Independent League power arrives in Conshohocken on Monday. The Highlanders have dominated the EIL for years and will take this week to prep for what looks to be another successful year in the league.
The Pingree School is a day school but that doesn’t stop the Highlanders from competing neck and neck with some of the top boarding schools in New England.
Spring Training Schedule Highlights
3/14 – First practice
3/15 – Scrimmage vs #24 Penn Charter
3/15 – Escape Room
3/17 – Scrimmage vs Loomis Chaffee
2022 Season Outlook
“We are REALLY looking forward to the 2022 season this year as we have so many talented players coming up, and so many talented returning players! We have 18 scheduled games, 5 scrimmages, and our annual EIL tournament to look forward to this year, all (hopefully) free of COVID restrictions. This team is expected to have a lot of success with phenomenal captain leadership, and some great new coaches added to the lineup! We play a fun and aggressive defense, and have several weapons on attack that we plan to utilize this season and we’re excited to get our training started! ”
Players to Watch
Elena McClosky (G)
Isabel Smail (A)
Avery Robillard (M) Emmanuel
Cami Traveis (M)
Schuyler Lloyd (M)
Meghan Collins (A)
Mia Shuman (A)
Mack Taylor (A)
Spring Training Outlook
“Spending time together as a team is always the best part of spring training! Having time to review the X’s and O’s gives us a huge advantage heading into the spring, but the best part is solidifying our team culture and the girls getting to know one another, creating a better connection on and off the field.”
Loomis Chaffee School Preview (B)
The Loomis Chaffee boys will arrive two days after the girls on Tuesday 3/15. They bring with them a talented group looking to prep for what is sure to be a gauntlet of a season in the New England Founders League.
The Pelicans will scrimmage Holy Ghost Prep and ANC during their time in Conshohocken.
Spring Training Schedule Highlights
3/15 – First practice
3/15 – Dave & Busters
3/16 – Rock Climbing
3/17 – Scrimmage vs Holy Ghost Prep
3/18 – Scrimmage vs ANC
3/19 – Paintball
3/19 – Princeton vs UPenn
2022 Season Outlook
“Loomis will play one of the most competitive schedules in the country in 2022. As a first-year head coach, we are taking one day at a time and trying to improve each time we step on the field.”
Players to Watch
Hunter Drouin (A) Colgate
Andrew Ross (M) Navy
Evan Miner (G) Quinnipiac
Tommy Andruzzi (D) Quinnipiac
Joost de Koning (LSM) Harvard
Spring Training Outlook
“This is a chance to compete at a high level for five days and focus on only our team and the things that we need to improve upon. A chance to get to know each other well in an environment that is conducive to getting better on and off the field is exactly what we are hoping for in this year’s NXT Spring Training.”
Follow along all week on social media @nxtlacrosse
—
Next Up
March 19-24 – Everest Academy (Canada)
March 19-22 – Frederick Gunn School (CT)
March 19-22 – St. Georges School B/G (RI)
March 21-24 – Greenwich Academy (CT)
March 23-24 – Stone Ridge (MD)