Players to Watch in Texas, 2008 Version

[Ben Clark]

Same idea as last year. List players to watch at the National Tournament. It's a good way to raise awareness of players who might not always be at the top of the scoring sheet, but help their teams in other ways.

I'll let someone more familiar with BC's team expand on this list, but these are the guys I'm looking forward to watching at the tournament:

Chris Ward - Defense, #6 BC
TR Hofmann - Goalie, #13 BC
Austin Gardner-Smith - Attack, #41 BC

I'm also looking forward to seeing Jake Launert, UMD's Goalie (#11), and Brandon Baethke, Lindenwood's LSM (#35). Both are exceptional players who have had great success in past tournaments.

Let's hear some more names to watch out for in Texas.

[AuggieLaxCoach]

I'll speak on some UMLL players that I am looking to have big games at the tourney.

D1 - The aforemention Launert in cage and I am personally looking for Pete Nelson to break out in Texas. Senior year, in my opinion, has not been his best and he broke his ank last year in Texas... So, I think he will come out swingin and step it up on the big stage.

D2 - SJU: I look for #5 Strauss and #22 Onjoco to have big tourneys.
- UST: 11 seniors on this squad who all can be significant contributors and many are underachieving at this time... I think Joe Julius, D. Hildebrand (dpole) & Pat Costello (at FOGO) are 3 hot players to look out for.

All these teams have a ton of great players capable of showing up big time, but those are just a few.

[Karl Lynch]

I'll let someone more familiar with BC's team expand on this list, but these are the guys I'm looking forward to watching at the tournament:

Chris Ward - Defense, #6 BC
TR Hofmann - Goalie, #13 BC
Austin Gardner-Smith - Attack, #41 BC

Current BC middie and former Dallas Jesuit midfielder Gunnar Rawlings will likely have a bunch of fans at the game.

[Bill from Boston]

Same idea as last year. List players to watch at the National Tournament. It's a good way to raise awareness of players who might not always be at the top of the scoring sheet, but help their teams in other ways.

I'll let someone more familiar with BC's team expand on this list, but these are the guys I'm looking forward to watching at the tournament:

Chris Ward - Defense, #6 BC
TR Hofmann - Goalie, #13 BC
Austin Gardner-Smith - Attack, #41 BC

I'm also looking forward to seeing Jake Launert, UMD's Goalie (#11), and Brandon Baethke, Lindenwood's LSM (#35). Both are exceptional players who have had great success in past tournaments.

Let's hear some more names to watch out for in Texas.

Along with those names from BC I would also put these guys on national watch:

Pat O'Brien - Defense #11 BC A rock next to Chris Ward
Matt Johnsen - Midfield #7
Tom Luckey - Midfield #12
Ryan O'Neil - Attack #15

These four guys all had strong PCLL tournaments and should continue to be a force at nationals.

[LaxTV_Admin]

I'll speak on some UMLL players that I am looking to have big games at the tourney.

D1 - The aforemention Launert in cage and I am personally looking for Pete Nelson to break out in Texas. Senior year, in my opinion, has not been his best and he broke his ank last year in Texas... So, I think he will come out swingin and step it up on the big stage.

Gotta toss in 3 other players

#4 Casey Mithun
#8 Ryan Groom
#9 Dan Pitzl

And of course, since I am a UMLL homer, good luck to UMD. Hope you bring home the title.

note Edited to add Ptizl, oversight on my part.

[More Cowbell]

I'll let someone more familiar with BC's team expand on this list, but these are the guys I'm looking forward to watching at the tournament:

Chris Ward - Defense, #6 BC
TR Hofmann - Goalie, #13 BC
Austin Gardner-Smith - Attack, #41 BC

Current BC middie and former Dallas Jesuit midfielder Gunnar Rawlings will likely have a bunch of fans at the game.

#11 Pat O'Brien and #5 John Nicholson are also Dallas Jesuit Alumni

[JJLAX]

Wow. With all these players on the national watch list, BC should be the overwhelming favorite to bring home the championship. Best of luck to those who stand in their way.

[gobblerlax05]

Andrew Jaffke, MATT STILTON, Thomas Schauder, NAD OH YEAH TIM THE AMAZIN tYRELLL!

[Ben Clark]

Wow. With all these players on the national watch list, BC should be the overwhelming favorite to bring home the championship. Best of luck to those who stand in their way.

At least the PCLL guys are participating. Why don't you add a few names to the list? Or are you too cool for school?

This is a good way to get some guys recognized. The tournament staff will pay attention to this thread, and the more guys that are listed, the better the tournament coverage will be. And in the words of the immortal Dan Morris - this all leads to better recognition of players for All-Tournament.

Keep them coming guys, don't be put off by posts like this.

[Danny Hogan]

Florida - LSM Danny Whyte

#24 A/M - Ryan Aiken

[Karl Lynch]

Michigan - #28 Graham Townsend, #16 Trevor Yealy
Champan - #3 Michael Farinelli, #99 Connor Martin, #23 Marcus Wooden, #16 Chris Smalls
Duluth - #11 Jake Launert
BYU - Hier, Manning, Austin, #32 Eliot Grow, #8 Kikomoto
Simon Fraser - #7 Ben Towner, #18 Chris Tessarolo
ASU - Brothers Westfall, #1 Anthony Laflam, #44 Eric Nelson
CSU - #3 Cooper Kehoe
Sonoma - #6 Cito Williams, #10 Warren Pringle
UGA - #5 Matt Smith
UCSB - #4 Brendan Sindell, #33 Chris Schaible
FSU - #3 Corey Noonan, #4 Matt Jankowski
A&M - #12 Jason Jolley, #47 William James
Lindenwood - #23 Jonathan Diplock, #13 Michael Coursault

[Highheat]

Couple more UCSB guys: G Muncho Almerido, A Ryan Brent and M Jack Miller.... there are definitely a bunch of other (young) guys with the talent and ability to step up and make an impact, it will be interesting to see if they show up on the big stage...

Also for Chapman don't forget about M Mike Clayton and M Derek Mills... both seem to fly under the radar a little bit although i believe Mills was a first team all-WCLL player.

BYU I would include Naegle, and LSM Smith....


Lots of good talent at the tournament - wish i could be there!

[Dan Wishengrad]

Simon Fraser - #7 Ben Towner, #18 Chris Tessarolo

Sure, Towner is the leading scorer and Tessy is a fine Frosh attackman. But you really need to watch two other Clansmen:

#16 Curtis Manning -- PNCLL '08 Conference MVP. Has been a first-team Attackman and a first-team Middie his first two seasons. Now dominating at LSM, he's Mark Plonkey without the attitude. Plays man-down and man-up, too. A beast. Maybe the best at his position that the MCLA has ever seen, but he doesn't play in the WCLL or RMLC so not as well known. That should change next week.

#9 Russel Thomas -- Simply ridiculous out there, and getting better as the season wears on. PNCLL '08 Final Four MVP. Absolute cannon. May have a right hand, but not sure and who really cares? If the Clan needs a goal they can just get "Gunner" the ball and get out of his way. Not sure one guy can really guard him, better double-team him or, better yet, try to deny him the ball.

[cjwilhelmi]

I am going to agree with Dan about Manning. That kid is very talented. Don't know about the Plonkey reference but he can do anything he wants to on the field. Haven't seen him play in cage but it wouldn't surprise me.

[UkraineNotWeak]

he's Mark Plonkey without the attitude

Real classy. You call it attitude, I call it playing with emotion. You would have him on your team in a second.