USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Players of the Week

The USA Lacrosse Players of the Week recognize the most outstanding individual performances in high school boys’ lacrosse in each of the four active regions — Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West — outlined in our high school coverage. The South Region has completed play and is not considered this week. Games are considered from the previous Monday through Sunday.

NORTHEAST

Adam Udell, Staples (Conn.)

It was the stuff of legends.

Adam Udell scored the final four goals of the FCIAC championship game, including the overtime winner, to lead Staples (Conn.) to a thrilling 7-6 win over Darien (Conn.).

The junior X attackman scored five total goals, placing himself in Wreckers lore in the fourth quarter. With his team trailing 6-3, the Michigan commit scored three unassisted goals in four minutes, tying the game with 2:30 left in regulation.

After Ciscon Celotto won the opening faceoff of overtime, Staples coach Will Koshansky called timeout to draw up a play and eight seconds into the extra session, Udell delivered again as Staples (Conn.) celebrated the first FCIAC title in program history.

“Adam was phenomenal in the playoffs as the quarterback of our offense,” Koshansky said. “He legitimately carried our team to a championship win, scoring four unanswered goals in a row in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was dynamic with the ball in his stick and put the ball in the net when it mattered the most.”

Also notable: Drew Angelo, Honeoye Falls-Lima (N.Y.); Jimmy Caputo, Farmingdale (N.Y.); Jake LeBlanc, Glastonbury (Conn.); Gavin McCarthy, Fairfield Prep (Conn.); Michael Melkonian, South Side (N.Y.); Drew Weissman, Yorktown (N.Y.)

— Dylan Butler

MID-ATLANTIC

Davis Bates, Severna Park (Md.)

Bates, a sophomore faceoff specialist, went 12 for 17 from the X to help the Falcons first build, then regain, then sustain their lead in an 8-6 win over Towson for Severna Park’s eighth straight 3A state title. Bates won six straight faceoffs in a four-goal run by Severna Park that helped re-establish a lead after Towson had rallied for a 4-3 edge.

Severna Park held a 5-4 lead at halftime when Bates won the opening faceoff of the second half and the Falcons built a two-goal lead. When Towson cut the advantage to 7-6, Bates again won a key faceoff and the Falcons re-established the two-goal lead that held to the end.

Also notable: Parish Albright, Upper Dublin (Pa.); Will Bashore, West Windsor-Plainsboro North (N.J.); Stevie Davis, La Salle (Pa.); Ty Gougler, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Matt Hamill, Westtown (Pa.); TJ Harne, Urbana (Md.);Chris Iannarino, Glenelg High (Md.); Tim Iannarino, Glenelg High (Md.); Chris King, Fallston (Md.); Jack Martinez, Morris Knolls (N.J.); Jose Martinez, River Dell (N.J.); Paul Van Bastelaar, La Salle (Pa.); Nick Zaneto, St. Joseph’s Metuchen (N.J.)

— Justin Feil

MIDWEST

Tommy Janowicz, Upper Arlington (Ohio)

Points alone don’t explain why Janowicz was named the Columbus Dispatch’s boys lacrosse regular-season Player of the Year via an online poll. Sure, the Ohio State commit now holds the program’s all-time points mark, breaking his father’s record set back in 1996 in the midst of a five-goal explosion against Pickerington North (Ohio) in a Region 3 quarterfinal. 

But Janowicz’s impact runs so much deeper. In addition to leading the Golden Bears in points, he has also filled in at midfield and defense as the team has battled its share of injuries.

Also notable: Ryder Lewis, Dublin Coffman (Ohio); Austin Mallory, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Luke McNamara, Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.); Luke Mulder, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Dylan Popehn, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Minn.)

— Jonah Rosenblum

WEST

Baden Brown, Valor Christian (Colo.)

Brown, a Tufts commit, netted a game-high seven goals in Valor Christian’s state title game victory over Arapahoe (Colo.). The junior middie was named CHSAA Player of the Year and earned an All-State First-Team nod.

Also notable: Luke Alread, Valor Christian (Colo.); Christian Buck, Jesuit Portland (Ore.); Noah Kwon, Jesuit Portland (Ore.); Brody Nelson, Arapahoe (Colo.)

— Theresa Palmquist