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Brian Spallina always knew that he had something to work with in the Team 91 2027 Machine cage. It’s hard to have the success that the team has had for so long without top-notch goaltending, and Jett Stake was always a driving force in the net.
It wasn’t until sixth grade or so, though, that the Massapequa (N.Y.) native went from a pretty good goalie to one of the top stoppers in the class. There’s not much of a secret sauce to it, either. Rather, it’s a common denominator that tends to follow the best players around.
Just outwork everyone.
“The switch flipped for him in sixth grade when he started to be crazy committed to training and getting better,” said Spallina, the Team 91 founder and pro lacrosse’s all-time leader in championships. “He just made a business decision to get better. Jett loves the game and always goes to extra training. He started having more success and he’s just been rolling ever since.”
It led him to being a huge priority in the class of 2027 for Lawrenceville (N.J.), which drew Stake to the school with the allure of playing the Big Red’s gauntlet of a national schedule. As a freshman, he bided his time behind four-year starter and Cornell freshman Timmy Piacentini. When Piacentini headed to Ithaca, Stake saw his opportunity and never relinquished it. He’s started every game for Lawrenceville this spring and come up with some downright amazing performances. In doing so, he’s continued to burnish his reputation as one of the very best goalies in the class.
Five Star No. 3
Stake is the third player to earn five-star honors in the NLF’s first class of 2027 rankings. He joins defensemen/LSMs Jagger Zemachson (Seton Hall Prep, N.J. / Leading Edge) and Leif Anderson (Brunswick, Conn. / Eclipse). The full top 60 rankings will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
“He’s probably exceeded every expectation that I’ve ever had for him,” Lawrenceville coach Jon Posner said. “You always hope that they’re going to be this good. Did I expect that from a sophomore, particularly a non-repeat? Probably not. What makes him so good is his attitude and mindset. He’s one of the most confident kids that I’ve ever coached. His compete level is through the roof and as good as anyone I’ve ever coached, regardless of position.
That competitiveness and intensity have stood out for years to Spallina, too.
“Jett is so passionate and competitive, and when the game gets hot, he gets hotter,” Spallina said. “He’s a great leader and so committed. Whenever he comes home, him and the Machine guys will go to the fields and he’ll take shots for hours.”
Big Red Baller
Once he earned the Big Red starting job, Stake wasted no time in putting the world on notice He stopped 88 percent of shots against Brunswick (Conn.), 85 percent against Boys’ Latin (Md.), 70 percent against Salisbury (Conn.) and 61 percent against Calvert Hall (Md.), among others. The game against the Cardinals was the season opener, and even though Lawrenceville fell, Stake showed why the hype was real.
“He started the first game against Calvert Hall and he showed that he was the real deal,” Posner said. “We thought he was good, but we didn’t know if he’d be elite this early in his career. From game 1 to today, we feel really good in the net. He has helped us win and and given us an opportunity to win every game based on his play.”
Scouting Report
There will be three five-star goalies in the first rankings, and all of them bring something different to the table. At 5-9, 170 pounds, Stake is definitely the smallest, and some schools might be wary of that. They shouldn’t be. He’s positionally-sound and does a great job of staying square to shooters. Stake is also very athletic with quick feet and more than willing to venture out of the cage in the clearing game. You’ll also rarely see him give up a bad goal. He’s consistently excellent.
Stake’s compete level is off the charts. He’s got a magnetic personality and players seem to gravitate toward him. Stake is super communicative with his defensive teammates and just as vocal when it comes to letting shooters know what he thinks of them. For him to come in as a sophomore, particularly an of-age one, and put up the performances that he has is downright ludicrous. He will be a hot commodity on Sept. 1.
