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Brendan Millon‘s always carried a big target on his back.
It’s inevitable that when you’re the son of two lacrosse Hall of Famers, the younger brother of the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class and a part of a Team 91 Maryland that has been virtually unbeatable in its time together, people are going to pay a little extra attention to you.
Millon missed most of his freshman campaign at McDonogh (Md.) with a foot injury, and he came back to play in the regular-season finale and the MIAA playoffs. All he did was rack up 18 points in those four games, including the game-winning goal at the buzzer in the semifinals against Boys’ Latin, as the Eagles took home the MIAA title after entering the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. Playing alongside his dynamic ball-carrying older brother and Virginia signee, McCabe, and four-star junior Notre Dame commitment Luke Miller, Millon thrived as primarily an off-ball threat for McDonogh.
This year, McCabe has yet to make his senior debut due to an injury. He’s expected back at some point in April. It’s never ideal to play without the top-rated player in the country, but it’s given his younger brother an opportunity to showcase his diverse skill set.
And yes, it’s come with a big target, too, just like Millon’s been used to.
“I can certainly tell that he’s playing a lot more the ball in his stick by the welts on his arms,” McDonogh coach Andy Hilgartner said with a chuckle.
Five-Star No. 8
Millon’s early sophomore campaign numbers indicate that he might be the most well-rounded offensive player in the class of 2025. He’s scored 15 times, but even more impressively, has also dished out 17 assists for the 7-0 Eagles after today’s MIAA-opening win Archbishop Spalding. There are plenty of off-ball attackmen who won’t ring up 17 helpers in a career, let alone the first seven games of their sophomore year. Millon’s versatility and off-the-charts lacrosse IQ make him an elite attackman in the class of 2025.
As a result, he’s the eighth player to earn five-star honors in the class. Millon joins a group comprised of lefty attackman Cam Kelley (Taft, Conn. / Prime Time), goalie Josh Marcus (Staples, Conn. / Eclipse), LSM Will Pedicano (Delbarton, N.J. / Leading Edge), LSM / defenseman Parker McDonald (St. Anthony’s, N.Y. / Team 91 LI), attackman Khalif Hocker (St. Xavier, Ohio / Resolute), attackman Michael Ortlieb (Malvern Prep, Pa. / Big 4 HHH) and attackman Connor Kuttin (Chaminade, N.Y. / Long Island Express).
“He’s done a really good job for us,” Hilgartner said. “He’s initiated and dodged against really good defensemen, and he can beat them or draw defenders and find open guys. His toughness has been really apparent this year. His IQ and off-ball play are pretty phenomenal. This year, he’s certainly proved that the dodging aspect is there. He’s riding hard, which is key for any good attackman. He’s playing up top in our man-up in a lot of our sets, and his feeding and dodging have really stood out, especially since McCabe’s been out.”
A Knack for Clutch Plays
Austin Stewart serves as McDonogh’s offensive coordinator, but he’s also worked extensively with Millon at Team 91 Maryland. As a result, there might not be anyone who knows Millon better as a player, and Stewart sees a gamechanger at the high school level and beyond.
“I don’t know what it is, but when you need something good to happen, the ball seems to find him,” Stewart said. “He just seems to have this clutch gene to him. His IQ is as high as anyone I’ve coached. He has unbelievable hands. He’s been really versatile this spring without McCabe. Brendan is sneakily a really good passer. He catches everything and can finish righty or lefty. He’s really smooth.”
“When you have a hardworking kid who’s very talented but is also open to coaching and feedback from his coaches and teammates, that’s where you get special things happening,” Stewart added.
Scouting Notes
There’s a pretty solid comparison within the MIAA for Millon, but it’s not the guy who wears No. 9 for the Eagles. The brothers are very different stylistically, with McCabe having elite speed, agility and change-of-direction ability and Brendan being more advanced IQ-wise at the same age.
Millon profiles more closely to Boys’ Latin and Crabs attackman Spencer Ford, the No. 3 prospect in the class of 2024. The 5-11, 175-pounder isn’t quite as big as the 6-3 Ford, and Millon is more two-handed than the crafty righty. However, there are a ton of similarities between the two coaches’ sons. They’re both terrific off-ball but also very good passers. They can both fill a number of roles and have insanely high IQs and understanding of the game. Oh, and they’re both crazy productive despite constantly hearing from naysayers that they can’t blow by defenders with their foot speed.
Millon’s been the offensive catalyst for a Team 91 Maryland team that’s only lost two games in the past five years. His hands are fantastic, particularly in his ability to make plays in heavy traffic. He’s only played 10 varsity games and yet has already shown that he’s a chameleon, capable of adapting to different roles at the drop of a hat. That’s hard for anyone to do, let alone a sophomore.
It’ll be interesting to see how his recruitment plays out. His brother’s headed to Virginia, of course, and there will be a natural appeal to join him. However, everyone’s going to come calling for Millon, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him not leave the state.
