Prep Notes: Taft stays undefeated; top prep prospects, commits
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Two years ago, Taft School (Conn.) featured a few high-end college prospects and delivered a perfect season until getting up in a shootout in the NEPSAC Class A final. Here we are, past the midseason point of the 2023 campaign,…
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Continue ReadingTwo years ago, Taft School (Conn.) featured a few high-end college prospects and delivered a perfect season until getting up in a shootout in the NEPSAC Class A final.
Here we are, past the midseason point of the 2023 campaign, and Taft is again undefeated. But the similarities pretty much end there.
“You know, I really haven’t thought about it because this is a very different team,” said veteran Taft coach Ozzie Parente.
That 2021 squad featured the likes of midfielder K.K. Baffour, currently starring at Notre Dame following an ACC All-Freshman Team honor in 2022, and defender Sebastian Manon, who has been a starter at Dartmouth since arriving on campus.
This year’s squad is built around a slew of NCAA Division III-bound players who have found confidence in themselves and each other en route to a 7-0-4 start this season. And, unlike the high-scoring squad of 2021, this team has been winning with defense.
Center backs Marcos Santana Marcos Santana D Taft School | 2026 CT and Henry Bacon Henry Bacon D Taft School | 2024 CT and outside back Graham Buchanan Graham Buchanan D Taft School | 2024 CT anchor Taft’s back line. The team has allowed nine goals in 11 matches, but three of those goals came in a 3-3 draw with fellow NEPSAC A title-challenger Worcester Academy last week. Santana, Bacon and Buchanan are all expected to make verbal commitments to top New England Division III programs in the next few weeks. Santana, who is from the Dominican Republic, and Bacon are both excellent in 1v1 defending and always seem to be in the right position to win challenges. Bacon also gets forward and can become part of the offense. Buchanan, who also is expected to commit to a top NCAA Division III program, has been the team’s unsung hero, Parente said.
Patrick Gallagher and Max Rivera Max Rivera F Taft School | 2024 CT have been the emotional leaders, both play in the midfield and both are likely headed to Division III programs. Rivera has been dangerous on the right wing. Class of 2025 prospect Joaquin Manon Joaquin Manon M Taft School | 2025 CT , Sebastian’s younger brother, has a great work rate and wins balls in the midfield, but doesn’t collect a lot of stats.
The key to the offense this year is Enoch Duodu Enoch Duodu F Taft School | 2024 CT , a Class of 2024 prospect from Ghana. He’s a dynamic forward capable of scoring and setting up goals. Preston Alessio Preston Alessio M Taft School | 2025 CT , a Class of 2025 prospect, is starting to garner a lot of attention both from opposing coaches and college scouts. He’s more of a central midfielder.
The reaction following matches this year has reflected annual expectations that the 2021 program helped establish.
“To be honest, most of the ties this year have felt like losses,” Parente said. “They desire more. And when they win, there’s not much celebration, it’s more like ‘the job is done and get on to the next one.'”
The exception, however, might have been the 3-3 draw with Worcester Academy. Taft went up 1-0, against the run of play, and carried that lead into the half. Worcester tied the match at 1. Taft went up 2-1 and Worcester again drew even at 2. With four minutes remaining, Worcester took a 3-2 lead and appeared to have the result in the bag. However, in the closing minute, Bacon drove a long ball to Duodu on the wing who played a ball to junior Ebenezer Lamptey, who finished with his thigh to salvage the 3-3 draw.
Both coaches called it a “wild” game. Parente added that it was a fair result.
It might not be the last time these programs see each other are both are projected to reach the NEPSAC A semifinals this year.
But before Taft, ranked No. 2 in this week’s Prep Top 10, can think about a deep playoff run, it must survive a difficult closing stretch, which starts Saturday against Williston Northampton.
ELSEWHERE IN PREP/RESIDENCY SOCCER
All eight Prep Premier League teams will be in Hudson, Ohio, this weekend for the next round of PPL action.
Each team will play twice — one match on Saturday and another on Sunday. These contests will complete the league season for Phelps Schools (Pa.) and Immaculate Heart Central (N.Y.). IHC will need two wins in order to stay in playoff contention. Phelps needs at least one win to stay in the playoff running. After this weekend, however, there should be real clarity in the standings.
The key match will be Kiski School (Pa.) facing Woodstock Academy (Conn.) on Sunday at 11 a.m. Kiski and Woodstock are the only remaining undefeated teams and the winner has the inside track to the PPL playoff No. 1 seed.
2023 Prep Premier League
Standings for the Prep Premier League, featuring many of the top residential/prep programs.GP | W | L | T | GF | GF | PTS | |
Kiski School | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 14 |
Woodstock Academy | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
Northwood School | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 12 |
Phelps School | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 9 |
Hoosac School | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
Immaculate Heart Central | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 3 |
High Mowing School | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
Western Reserve Academy | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
PREP TOP 10
No. 1 Woodstock Academy (Conn.), No. 2 Taft School (Conn.), 3. Combine Academy (N.C.), No. 4 Kiski School (Pa.), No. 5 Northwood School (N.Y.), No. 6 Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.); 7. Worcester Academy (Mass.); 8. Milton Academy (Mass.); 9. Berkshire School (Mass.); 10. Phelps School (Pa.).
Others under consideration: High Mowing School (N.H.), Phillips Andover (Mass.), Loomis Chaffee (Conn.); Hoosac School (N.Y.).
RECRUITING
PPL & NEPSAC Commitments
The following are the verbal commitments from the Prep Premier League and NEPSAC programs.Name | School | Year | Position | Commitment |
NCAA Division I | ||||
Christian Haikal | Worcester Academy (Mass.) | 2024 | M | Providence |
Garrett Holman | Phillips Andover (Mass.) | 2024 | CB | Syracuse |
Milton Jones | Berkshire School (Mass.) | 2024 | M | North Carolina |
Gavin Krauss | Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) | 2024 | M | Colgate |
Dean Linden | Worcester Academy (Mass.) | 2024 | GK | UMass |
Cabot McLaren | Kimball Union Academy (N.H.) | 2024 | F | New Hampshire |
Sachiel Ming | Northwood School (N.Y.) | 2024 | W/CAM | Syracuse |
Tinashe Muhlauri | Avon Old Farms (Conn.) | 2024 | M | Merrimack |
Oppong Raphael Owusu | Kimball Union Academy (N.H.) | 2024 | D/M | Dartmouth |
Mitchell Baker | Northwood School (N.Y.) | 2025 | F | Georgetown |
NCAA Division III | ||||
Addison Bergin | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | 2024 | CB | Tufts |
Griffin Bone | Rivers School (Mass.) | 2024 | CB | Tufts |
Leon Broady | Northwood School (N.Y.) | 2024 | GK | Middlebury |
Benjamin Brown | Hotchkiss School (Conn.) | 2024 | D | Williams College |
Jon D'Amour | Worcester Academy (Mass.) | 2024 | M | Haverford |
Arthur Dos Santos | Rivers School (Mass.) | 2024 | F | Bowdoin |
Ignacio Hahn | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | 2024 | F | Hamilton |
Keagan Harder | Rivers School (Mass.) | 2024 | M | Middlebury |
Charles Johnson | Rivers School (Mass.) | 2024 | CB | Middlebury |
Tyler Jones | BB&N (Mass.) | 2024 | D | Haverford |
Ollie McNamara | BB&N (Mass.) | 2024 | GK | Haverford |
Teddy Nemec | St. George's (Mass.) | 2024 | F | Babson |
Alec Pentikis | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | 2024 | F/W | Colby College |
Jonathan Perez | Hopkins School (Conn.) | 2024 | GK | Bowdoin |
Adam Prince | Rivers School (Mass.) | 2024 | M | Bowdoin |
Charlie Riegel | Suffield Academy (Conn.) | 2024 | CDM/LB | Connecticut College |
Dieder Wagner | Phillips Exeter (N.H.) | 2024 | CB/RB | Trinity College |
Top 2024 Uncommitted Prep Players
PrepSoccer will track who we believe are the top uncommitted seniors playing in the Prep School (NEPSAC) or Residential Academy (Prep Premier League/independents). Once a player commits, he will be removed from this list, opening a spot for a new player to be added.Name | School | Position | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Kelvin Da Costa | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | M | A native of Mozambique, Da Costa create opportunities and is good under pressure |
Noa Perez | Combine Academy (N.C.) | M | Recent arrival in the U.S. from Olympique Marsielle, dominated midfield play at NXT LVL Showcase |
Zach Britton | Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) | LB | On a loaded prep school lineup, Britton might have the most upside for the next level |
Sean Wareru | High Mowing School (N.H.) | M | The native of Kenya distributes well and controls the midfield |
Jordan Shullenberger | Northwood School (N.Y.) | M/F | A box-to-box midfielder who was a goal-scoring machine while at Harwood (Vt.), a local public school |
David Lee | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | M | The Korea native creates scoring chances and presses well |
Daniel Banks | Worcester Academy (Mass.) | M | Plays at a high level for all 90 minutes. Capable of creating and finishing |
Nicholas Dwamena | Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) | M | Another top prospect from Ghana, Dwamena will be worth watching this fall |
Enoch Duodo | Taft School (Conn.) | F/W | A very dynamic forward who is capable of finishing |
Babacar Diallo | Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) | D | A center back who wins everything in the air, but can play outside back and get forward |
Serio Neto | Northwood School (N.Y.) | DM | A newcomer from Brazil, Neto recently made his Northwood debut and will be worth watching |
Sam Knauf | Northwood School (N.Y.) | F | Knauf has a pair of D1 teammates in the attack, but Knauf is the one finishing plays early in the season |
Thomas Angelone | BB&N (Mass.) | F | He has had a great career at BB&N and has made the event standout list all three years at NXT LVL |
Chase Jackson | Millbrook School (N.Y.) | W | Although he scored a goal at NXT LVL he seems better suited to create chances, which he often did |
Daniel Kankam | Immaculate Heart Central (N.Y.) | F/CAM | A very direct player who makes good runs |
Daniel Toirac | Western Reserve Academy (Ohio) | F | He is returning from injury and starting to play quality minutes |
Anthony Ruscito | Milton Academy (Mass.) | F/D | His versatility will come in handy in gtting him to the next level, be it it a local DI or high D3 program |
Adrian Alvarez | Kiski School (Pa.) | M | His finishing ability has lifted Kiski School to a Top 5 Prep School national ranking |
Hendrix Mota | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | F | Attacking player, who can play as AM, wing or F, has emerged as a scoring threat late in the season. He is a native of Canada |
Max Maneke | Woodstock Academy (Conn.) | RB | A native of France is starting to get some Division I looks |