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By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 11/3/15
RADNOR, Pa. – Loyola High of Los Angeles 2017 midfielder Emmet Reilly said he has no problem hopping on a plane and taking the 5-hour trip East to play high-level lacrosse for a day.
“When you live in LA, it’s hard to get the exposure,” said Reilly, who competes with the Long Island Sting. “It’s about a 5-hour flight anytime I want to get expopsure – and it’s always worth it.”
Emmet Reilly, 2017 MF, Loyola High, LA
Reilly was one of the many uncommitted players that competed Sunday at the annual Quaker Fall LaxFest at Radnor High. The event featured 2017, 2018 and 2019 teams from 21 elite Mid-Atlantic club programs and is annually one of the top club tourneys on the Fall.
Reilly and the Sting won two of their three games in the 2017 division. Many of the Sting players were playing together for the first time; and the team features players from around the nation.
“Coach (Ken) Miller always pushes us,” said Reilly, whose uncle is from Long Island and comes East to stay with him during parts of the summer. “I love the team atmosphere and it’s a high level of play.”
Reilly enjoys the tournaments and said they help him to raise his game.
“Each tournament I play, I get better as a player, and I take all the information and things I can learn,” he said. “We get all the best coaches. The exposure is nice, but it’s only good to be exposed if you play well.”
How do the Sting players mesh so quickly?
“For this team, none of us have played together, except for three kids,” Reilly said. “I think it (why they mesh) is our knowledge of the game. If you are running a 2-2-2 it snaps into play. If people make mistakes, no one is afraid to say, ‘Hey let’s fix that.’ After a half, we are already playing really well (together). It’s fun.”
What type of college is Reilly looking for?
“Academics is stressed; I go to a pretty rigorous high school,” he said. There are great schools on the East Coast. The weather is different, but I can get used to it and I love playing out here.”
What did Reilly learn from Sunday’s event?
“I think mainly when taking it from behind, you need to take it as deep as you can and really slow the pace of the game,” he said. “When attacking, you need to schedule the dodge around what the defender is doing. If you jab step this way and they lunge, take it the other way. Play off the defender.”
Others that stood out for the Sting:
Quentin Carlile, 2017 DEF, Cathedral High, IN
Quentin Carlile, 2017 defenseman, Cathedral High, IN; committed to Air Force
Why did you decide to play for the Sting?
Carlile: “I’ve heard from many friends about the Sting that have played at Cathedral High School (there are four other Indiana natives on the team). I think what helps all these player is striving toward a common goal. We want to play in college. We are working really hard getting some Gbs. There is still stuff to work out since we are all so new, but we are meshing well together.”
Why did you commit to Air Force?
Carlile: “I committed last summer in July before my sophomore year. I’ve always wanted to be in the military. My goals were to play college lacrosse and go into the military; why not the academy? It’s an honor.”
What did he learn from Sunday’s event?
Carlile: “Playing with new guys definitely helps you to communicate better. The game is definitely a lot faster than it is in Indiana. The sport is growing back home, but the speed and lax IQ is higher here because kids have been around the game for a long time.”
Alex Vardaro, 2018 midfielder, Hewlett High, NY; committed to admissions process at Princeton
Alex Vardaro, 2018 ATT/MF, Hewlett, NY
How does the Sting mesh so quickly with many new players?
Vardaro: “I really think it’s what coaches do to bring us together. It’s different. I used to play for FLG, and everyone was from Long Island and we all knew each other. This time it’s different. You have kids from Indianapolis and Los Angeles. It’s special to see how far lacrosse has reached, there and back.”
What did you learn about your game fromthe event?
Vardaro: “I learned I have to improve on sharing the ball and keeping my head up, especially when I am cutting.”
Why did you choose Princeton?
Vardaro: “The academics are insane. When I first came in, it was great. All the kids made me feel like I was at home. Everything about the coaching staff is amazing; they way they play and their toughness.”
What do you need to improve on before you get to college?
Vardaro: “Of course I need to get stronger. I also need to work on improving my game above who I play every time I play. I have to improve my stick skills.”
How does playing three sports (also soccer, basketball) help you on the lacrosse field?
Vardaro: “Every single aspect of every game usually counts for all sports – running, agility, decision making. That’s huge in basketball and soccer. You have to know when it make the pass or turn it over. It’s not (too) repetitive; you are mixing having fun and playing the sport.”
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