Follow the NLF on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. We are previewing 2022 AA and 2023 AA teams playing in this weekend’s NLF National Championships.
Ed. note: NLFRankings.com editor-in-chief Ryan Kilian suddenly passed away this week. He was a major driving force behind NLFRankings.com’s emergence this spring and summer and will be dearly missed. He leaves behind a wife and two young children. If you can, please consider donating to help the family.
Top 2022 Commits
NLF No. 29 Konrad Miklaszewski, LSM, Montclair (N.J.) / Yale
NLF No. 31 Luke Engelke, faceoff midfield, Pingry (N.J.) / Duke
NLF No. 42 Ryan McLaughlin, LSM, Mountain Lakes (N.J.) / Penn
NLF No. 56 Tripp Didden, defense, Deerfield (Mass.) / Johns Hopkins
Christian Bockelmann, attack/midfield, Rumson-Fair Haven (N.J.) / Yale
Top 2022 Uncommitted Players
Ethan Ackerman, D/LSM/SSDM, Seton Hall Prep (N.J.)
An extremely athletic defenseman and LSM by trade, Ackerman added to his repertoire this spring by playing short-stick defensive midfield for the Pirates, one of New Jersey’s top programs year in and year out. His versatility and coverage ability make him an intriguing prospect for a school looking to fill its class with a jack of all trades.
Chase Alber, midfield, Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.)
Alber erupted as a junior, ripping home 52 goals and adding 16 assists for a sturdy 68-point campaign for a good SPF team. His hard, heavy shot played a big role in bagging those 52 goals and helped him earn first-team all-state honors, but he also plays hard at both ends of the field to solidify his all-around skill.
James Haley, attack, Westfield (N.J.)
Haley is a supremely talented, ambidextrous attackman with the ability to score and set up teammates. He’s got very good vision and isn’t above trying passes from all angles. He posted a 27-goal, 13-assist for one of New Jersey’s traditional public powerhouses this spring.
Top 2023 Players
NLF No. 36 Sean Creter, faceoff midfield, Hunterdon Central (N.J.)
Creter is going to be one of the first faceoff guys off the board because of his ability to do everything so well. He was dominant at the X this spring for Hunterdon Central, leading them to a Group 4 championship with his faceoff wizardry. He also added a whopping 23 goals and four assists, a testament to his ability to push the pace off of wins and play the field like a first-line midfielder. A low-to-the-ground, powerful and explosive guy at the faceoff X, Creter handles the ball extremely well and is often impervious to pressure off the wins.
NLF No. 60 Jake Melchionni, LSM, Delbarton (N.J.)
Do you like wild takeaway checks? Do you appreciate a pole who can play either lefty or righty and make ground balls look effortless with either hand? Enjoy high-energy guys who are omnipresent around the ball?
Boy, do we have the guy for you. Melchionni earned major minutes for the Green Wave as a sophomore, and it’s not hard to see why. He doesn’t have a huge frame, but he’s fearless and loves to mix it up. He is always a threat to take the ball away. Locking everyone off and letting Melchionni cook 1v1 is a very sound strategy when you need the ball.
Shawn Lyght, defense, Seton Hall Prep (N.J.)
Lyght has all the makings of the being the next big-time close defenseman from Leading Edge, and they’ve put out a ton of them. A tall, very rangy athlete who’s just starting to scratch the surface of his potential, Lyght is also a good basketball player who can run with anyone on the lacrosse field.
