Chrome Lacrosse Club
Chrome crawled out of its early doldrums through the draft. Stars JT Giles-Harris, Logan Wisnauskas, Justin Anderson and Brendan Nichtern all came through the draft and helped the club make the playoffs for the first time last season.
Head coach Tim Soudan continued his strong legacy of drafting this season. Arguably the best player in the entire draft — Penn midfielder Sam Handley — fell into Soudan’s lap with the No. 4 pick. Handley is the superstar midfield initiator Chrome needs to take the next step offensively. He’ll immediately step in alongside Anderson in the midfield and help lead this offense.
Jacksonville long-stick midfielder Troy Hettinger was maybe a minor reach in the second round, but he’s a tough, versatile player who should fit seamlessly into Soudan’s culture. His ability to play with a pole or a short-stick gives Chrome needed flexibility and depth in defensive midfield.
Soudan went back to the offensive side of the ball with his last two picks. Ohio State attackman Jack Myers is a savvy pickup in the third round. Myers is one of the most productive Buckeyes ever and is a good depth option with Nichtern’s limited availability.
Fourth-rounder Cross Ferrara — the only non-Division I player drafted — is a promising late-round flier who could develop into an excellent goal scorer. He’s the all-time leading goal scorer in Salisbury history and one of the most productive attackmen in Division III history.
It’s hard not to like Chrome’s draft, and the new pieces on offense should complement a team looking to build upon a Championship Series win in February.
Best Pick: Sam Handley (Midfield), Penn (1st Round)
Overall Grade: A+
