News Journal Top 30 Players, 2020

[E-Torro]

The News Journal has released their top 30 players as voted on by "the top coaches". It is behind a paywall. I have summarized below.
1. Nicholas Redd, defensive specialist, sr., Wilmington Friends
2. Connor Garrison, attack, sr., Appoquinimink
3. Gabe Best, attack, jr., Cape Henlopen
4. Tim Lucky, faceoff, jr., Sanford
5. Cam Marion, defense, sr., Salesianum
6. Matt Riley, faceoff, jr., Salesianum
7. Nate Ruoss, defense, sr., Tatnall
8. Colin Kennedy, defense, sr., Salesianum
9. Brady McGovern, attack, sr., Salesianum
10. Chris Wong, attack, jr., Salesianum
11. Sean Wooleyhand, midfield, sr., Caesar Rodney
12. Jackson Phillips, defense, sr., Caesar Rodney
13. Brett Wilkinson, midfield, sr., Tatnall
14. Jimmy Cava, attack, sr., Caesar Rodney
15. Jamison Young, midfield, sr., Caravel
16. Max Ruggerio, attack, sr., Delaware Military Academy
17. Hank D’Ambrogi, midfield, so., Cape Henlopen
18. Hunter Wolhar, midfield, sr., Appoquinimink
19. Mike McGarry, midfield, sr., Salesianum
20. Josh Gilbert, defensive specialist, sr., Delaware Military Academy
21. Baxter Travers, goalie, jr., Cape Henlopen
22. Devon Lucky, attack, so., Sanford
23. Xander Bauguess, defense, jr., Sanford
24. Conor Udovich, defense, so., Archmere
25. Colby Bushweller, attack, so., Salesianum
26. Andre Currie, midfield, sr., Cape Henlopen
27. Mason Griffith, defense, jr., Caesar Rodney
28. Vaughn DiBattista, goalie, sr., Archmere
29. Lukas Cook, defense, sr., Delaware Military Academy
30. Matteo Gariffo, faceoff, sr., Salesianum

 

[delawarenole]

Sallies Cape will be a great match up next year for the title.

 

[UpStateLaxStar]

Alright numerous issues that I have come across here. My biggest issue is I read over this list and didn’t see a single Milford player, not one. How are you going to say the runner ups in the conference losing to the state champs to have anyone up here??? Hajek is definitely top 20 let alone top 30. 2, Baxter Travers, goalie for cape is an animal. Kid should be top 10 easily and if you don’t think so you’ve never seen a game. He was a big reason for their state championship last year so there’s no reason for him not to be top 10, he’s elite. It is also a tragedy not putting Landon Best, junior long pile for cape up there. Kid is a shut down defender and can play on anyone and although not the biggest defender, holds his own and can play against kids twice his size. Has a good stick and a great coordination, big mistake not having him up there.

 

[DESports22]

This list is an embarrassment to the states top guys. Anyone outside of Cape Cr or Sals doesn’t belong in the top 15 except for Garrison and Redd. In my opinion the Dambrogi kid is way too high, Currie, Bushweller, and Mcgarry are all way better middies. Also Travers being at 21 is laughable, kid is top 10 easy. DMA and Sanford k have two of the most overrated programs in the state and their players shouldn’t benefit on this list from a s**t schedule. I would like to hear others opinions.

 

[dellylax]

1. Nick Redd (LSM, Friends)
2. Matt Riley (FOGO, Sals)
3. Gabe Best (A, Cape)
4. Cam Marion (D, Sals)
5. Baxter Travers (G, Cape)

The fact that Travers isn’t even top 20 is ridiculous. Based off raw skill, this should be the top 5. I feel as though the rankings have been skewed due to some players commitments and overall exposure. Almost as if the person that created the list hadn’t watched the current/past lacrosse seasons.

 

[84rider]

Going into the season, I thought Cape or CR had very good shots at winning it all this year. Looking at that list, you have 8 Sallies players and 7 CR & Cape combined. We downstate teams and players are used to a little upstate bias when it comes to these lists.

 

[UpStateLaxStar]

My top 10

Nick Redd
Matt Riley
Gabe Best
Baxter Travers
Tim Lucky
Cam Marion
Connor Garrison
Colin Kennedy
Chris Wong
Jackson Phillips

that list isn’t a list that please all the teams and pleases all the teams coaches, it is an honest list that showcases who is truly the best players.

 

[84rider]

If Wooleyhand CR isn’t on your list then it’s not a ready good list imo no offense

 

[Gawkonthisauk]

If Wooleyhand CR isn’t on your list then it’s not a ready good list imo no offense

I’d like to appreciate your input but this is hands down the worst take on the forum

 

[84rider]

The undisputed REAL Delaware Top 10

1. Milford
2. Sals
3. Archmere
4. SAAS
5. Smyrna
6. Sussex Tech
7. Friends
8. Tower
9. CR
10. Apppo

It's a major tossup in the henlopen conference, as milford and saas will likely battle it out for the better seed. Major signings for Grant Thomas in WAC, and potentially Arcadia signee Hajek. Anyways, looking forward to this season.

Actually, this was the worst take in this forum, just saying of course

 

[UpStateLaxStar]

Actually, this was the worst take in this forum, just saying of course

Want to say this was a joke. The CR team this year would have the best it’s been in years, but still not good enough to compete for a state championship. They would have been a third or fourth maybe even fifth place team in the state. Just because they are better this year doesn’t mean they are actually good, just better than normal. And Wooleyhand is not a top 10 player in the state. He’s as we would say in Wilmington “CR good.” If he was on a better team say Cape or Sals he’s an average player so it’s based off skill overall not skill compared to their teammates. Decent player just definitely not top 10 in state.

 

[84rider]

As you say in Wilmington lmao as compared to what. Sorry to inform you but Wilmington is not and has never been considered a lax mecca. believe me downstate no one cares about Wilmington opinions. Wooly was the leading scorer for CR as a junior imo his senior year would of been even better. Without the Broom St boys Wilmington isn’t that special in lax. Cape,CR and Milford are home grown programs on the rise.

 

[delawarenole]

As you say in Wilmington lmao as compared to what. Sorry to inform you but Wilmington is not and has never been considered a lax mecca. believe me downstate no one cares about Wilmington opinions. Wooly was the leading scorer for CR as a junior imo his senior year would of been even better. Without the Broom St boys Wilmington isn’t that special in lax. Cape,CR and Milford are home grown programs on the rise.

And Broom St boys are largely south PA boys. Only a handful of contributors from instate.

Think the final 4 this year would have been Sals, Cape, CR and Tatnall or Sanford

 

[Tarzan79]

Milford lost to DMA last year 12-4. Hajek had 0 points, was he not playing? DMA beat Appo last year, lost to a Dover team in regular season and beat them by 14 in playoffs, IMO that's a good Delaware lacrosse program. Last four seasons DMA record was 48-12 in regular season and have won in the playoffs. Overrated --> False

 

[Tarzan79]

Wooleyhand top 10 or not, who cares he is the #1 mid listed. Attack always seem better because the so called lacrosse fans only worry about the glorified goal scorers. Nice to see defenseman and FO guys high on the list and get the credit they deserve. Wooleyhand had 3pts in the 6-5 OT playoff win last year vs the Wilmington Hornets led by Ruoss and Wilkinson. I'd say all three kids are good regardless where the live.

 

[UpStateLaxStar]

Milford lost to DMA last year 12-4. Hajek had 0 points, was he not playing? DMA beat Appo last year, lost to a Dover team in regular season and beat them by 14 in playoffs, IMO that's a good Delaware lacrosse program. Last four seasons DMA record was 48-12 in regular season and have won in the playoffs. Overrated --> False

I recall last year in the post season DMA was hyped and given a chance to beat cape because of how good they did against below average teams and cape wiped the floor with them. Granted it was a good cape team last year but DMA was truly given a chance to beat cape by people like you who hype them up then they get crushed. Can’t see DMA ever making a state championship run because I can’t see them ever beating cape or sallies and most likely can’t beat CR either.

 

[Tarzan79]

I recall last year in the post season DMA was hyped and given a chance to beat cape because of how good they did against below average teams and cape wiped the floor with them. Granted it was a good cape team last year but DMA was truly given a chance to beat cape by people like you who hype them up then they get crushed. Can’t see DMA ever making a state championship run because I can’t see them ever beating cape or sallies and most likely can’t beat CR either.

I don't ever recalling hyping DMA up, I just posted facts about last year. Yes facts not feelings. Besides CR, everyone in the state gets crushed by Cape and Sals so DMA is on the same level as the all other programs in the state including the ones located in Wilmington. Sorry to upset your upstate feelings, but no school in Wilmington besides Sals is going to make a run at the title anytime soon.

 

[delawarenole]

Only concern I have is for the younger players only representatives have an older brother or dad coach.

Colin Campbell is best player on Sanford.

D’Ambrogi is good bit haven’t seen anything that says top 25

udovich and Bushweller I agree with

Some other thoughts:

Kennedy > Marion. Marion is a beast but is but is better in a zone while Kennedy is a better 1:1 cover guy IMO
Riley > Lucky, both are good bit think Riley would win 70% on him
no campbell?
No Hickey?
Jamison Young should be higher
Wooleyhand should be higher

 

[Tarzan79]

#1 question I have is who are the "top coaches" that made this list? Did the paper call a local coach and he then contacted the coaches he likes to make this list. Was it HS coaches or club coaches or both?

 

[Tarzan79]

Want to say this was a joke. The CR team this year would have the best it’s been in years, but still not good enough to compete for a state championship. They would have been a third or fourth maybe even fifth place team in the state. Just because they are better this year doesn’t mean they are actually good, just better than normal. And Wooleyhand is not a top 10 player in the state. He’s as we would say in Wilmington “CR good.” If he was on a better team say Cape or Sals he’s an average player so it’s based off skill overall not skill compared to their teammates. Decent player just definitely not top 10 in state.

I don't believe the CR team this year would not have beaten the 2018 CR team, but I do believe they would have been a top 4 team this year.

 

[delawarenole]

Agreed think the final four would have been Sallies, Cape, CR and either Tower Hill / Sanford / Tatnall / Appo

 

[Edp445]

Milford lost to DMA last year 12-4. Hajek had 0 points, was he not playing? DMA beat Appo last year, lost to a Dover team in regular season and beat them by 14 in playoffs, IMO that's a good Delaware lacrosse program. Last four seasons DMA record was 48-12 in regular season and have won in the playoffs. Overrated --> False

DMA is hands down one of the most overrated programs in the state. DMA is consistently ranked high in playoff seeding, taking spots from teams much more deserving. "I'm sure DMA earns the high seeding" I hear some say. No, they don't. DMA whoops garbage northern teams, leaving their starters in the entire time. Then when playoffs roll around they're always bounced the first round. The program is low tier. The players lack a fundamental understanding of lacrosse, and they're all spazzes. What happens when DMA plays a regular lacrosse team? They get waxed. DMA lost 6-16 to a subpar Archmere team; 3-6 to an extremely weak Tower Hill team; and 7-11??? to Middletown. On the other hand DMA did look really good in the 14-0 shellacking of Conrad! Maybe DMA turns it up a notch in the playoffs? No, they don't. I was at both the Milford and Cape games. Milford played terribly against DMA, I heard Hajeck was playing with the flu. Cape absolutely embarrassed DMA. At one point DMA was up two men, running their manup offense, #17 ( Aidan Leida) proceeded to take a shot from about 20 yards out. The shot barely made it to the goal, Cape's goalie quickly scooped up the shot and Cape cleared the ball. DMA squandered a rare chance to score against a quality opponent and the game was a wash. DMA is a low tier team and should never be in any conversation discussing quality lacrosse teams in Delaware.

 

[Tarzan79]

DMA is hands down one of the most overrated programs in the state. DMA is consistently ranked high in playoff seeding, taking spots from teams much more deserving. "I'm sure DMA earns the high seeding" I hear some say. No, they don't. DMA whoops garbage northern teams, leaving their starters in the entire time. Then when playoffs roll around they're always bounced the first round. The program is low tier. The players lack a fundamental understanding of lacrosse, and they're all spazzes. What happens when DMA plays a regular lacrosse team? They get waxed. DMA lost 6-16 to a subpar Archmere team; 3-6 to an extremely weak Tower Hill team; and 7-11??? to Middletown. On the other hand DMA did look really good in the 14-0 shellacking of Conrad! Maybe DMA turns it up a notch in the playoffs? No, they don't. I was at both the Milford and Cape games. Milford played terribly against DMA, I heard Hajeck was playing with the flu. Cape absolutely embarrassed DMA. At one point DMA was up two men, running their manup offense, #17 ( Aidan Leida) proceeded to take a shot from about 20 yards out. The shot barely made it to the goal, Cape's goalie quickly scooped up the shot and Cape cleared the ball. DMA squandered a rare chance to score against a quality opponent and the game was a wash. DMA is a low tier team and should never be in any conversation discussing quality lacrosse teams in Delaware.

"bounced the first round" - false last 3 years, lost to Cape (C), Friends (in OT), Sals (C) in 2nd Rd.previous three years
*2016 13-2 #3 seed I think and lost to Delmar in first round* (your point observed four years ago)
With 40+ lacrosse teams in DE, being in the lower half is "low tier". Making it to the "elite eight" the past three years proves they are not low tier.
Teams that made it to final four last four years...
Sals - 4
Cape & CR - 3
Archmere & Friends - 2
Appo & T. Hill - 1
DMA is directly under these teams along with a list of others (Milford, Smyrna, Tatnal, Sanford...), who are looking to make the playoffs and possibly win a playoff game, known as "mid tier" teams.
Some people say "Milford played terrible", some people say "DMA beat Milford 12-4". Guess that's the difference watching Fox News and CNN.