By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/23/15
Conor Calderone said there is no time to get down when competing in a King of the X face-off tournament.
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Conor Calderone (Smithtown West, Laxachusetts)( is honored as King of the X champion by Showcase Lacrosse Director Brett Manney
“You’ve got to take one face-off at a time and have a quick memory if you lose,” said the 2019 FOGO from Smithtown West (NY) and Laxachusetts who has committed to Maryland. “I have the confidence. You can’t get too high or too low.”
That positive attitude paid off Saturday for Calderone when he ousted Long Island rival and friend Tyler Sandoval for the King of the X title at United Sports in the NXT Showcase Nike Philly Freshman Showcase.
“I cam in wanting to win,” said Calderone. “We’re good friends. He’s good; he’s quick and has a powerful clamp. I tried to be a little quicker and pull it out and go win the 50-50s.”
Calderone enjoyed being in the spotlight since the event was showcased in front of the entire crowd and a large group of college coaches.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Calderone. “I think I have to learn to play under pressure. Everyone is watching, but it’s just a game; you go and have fun.”
Others who shined from Saturday’s Fab 40 All-Star Game and Morning Session:
Morning Session MVP Lance Tillman, ATT, Valor Christian (CO), FCA
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Morning Session MVP Lance Tillman, ATT, Valor Christian (CO), FCA
How was the competition and how did you adjust your game?
Tillman: “The competition was crazy. I didn’t erxpect this (MVP), this was one of the best showcases I haveever played in. I just tried to hustle, get the GBs and work off ball.”
What did you learn from the event that will help you moving forward?
Tillman: “Probably that GBs is the most important thing.”
How did you deal with the pressure of the presence of so many college coaches?
Tillman: “You try to block it out. It’s in your conscience so you’ve got to try your hardest.”
What type of college are you looking for?
Tillman: “I am mostly looking at the school. Lacrosse matters, but I want to get an education.”
What helped you gain the MVP award?
Tillman: “I meshed pretty well with the other attackmen in my team. We knew what we had to do and we did it.”
Runner-Up to Morning Session MVP Alex Slusher, ATT, Oregon Episcopal (OR), 3D (3 goals in Fab 40 game)
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Runner-Up to Morning Session MVP Alex Slusher, ATT, Oregon Episcopal (OR), 3D
How was the competition and how did you adjust your game?
Slusher: “This is the best competition I have gone against in my life. Being from Oregon I don’t get great competition like this, especially in the Fab 40 game. I love playing lacrosse, especially when you get this type of competition.”
What went well for you today?
Slusher: “I definitely think my athleticism helped me. You have to get good shots because these goalies obviously are very good as well.”
What did you learn from the event that will help you moving forward?
Slusher: “I have to put more time on the wall. I have to get my stick skills up; I have athleticism, but here everyone has great stick skills and I don’t want to lag behind.”
What type of college are you looking for?
Slusher: “I am looking for great academics and a great lacrosse school as well as a school with a good social aspect. But the school is the important thing. You play lacrosse for four years, but you are a graduate of a college for 60 years.”
Scott Bower, DEF, Episcopal Texas, Mustangs/3D, committed to UVA
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Scott Bower, DEF, Episcopal Texas, Mustangs, committed to UVA
How was the competition and how did you adjust your game?
Bower: “It was really good competition, the best I’ve played against probably. I had to play a more slow paced defense and not go for the heavy checks; be patient and play good, fundamentally sound defense. They (the attackmen) were really good; some were big, physical guys and others were quick. They had it all.”
What did you learn from the event that will help you moving forward?
Bower: “Just how to play against certain types of kids; you have the big physical kids, and they are different than the small quicker kids. You have to know your opponent and how to play against them.”
What made you decide to come to the Philly Showcase?
Bower (who is 6-2 and also plays football): “With football it’s hard to get to showcases during the football seaosn season. My football season ended two weeks ago: I went to the Philly Showcase last year and played as an 8th grader in the Sunday Tournament. I saw the talent and wanted to come back this year.”
MVP Second Runner-Up Peter Davies, ATT, Dover Sherborn (MA), Laxachusetts
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MVP Second Runner-Up Peter Davies, ATT, Dover Sherborn (MA), Laxachusetts
How was the competition and how did you adjust your game?
Davies: “The competition was so high. Everybody was moving the ball so fast. It was a great (Fab 40) game. It was played at a high level; probably all these kids will play college somewhere. Everybody was tired. We played played three games and in the fourth everybody stepped up and played their hardest.”
What did you learn from the event that will help you moving forward?
Davies: “I need to hit the gym all the time and get bigger and stronger and also work on my stick skills, running and fitness.”
What made you decide to come to the Philly Showcase?
Davies: “My brother is going to play at Richmond and I have always looked up to him all my life. I played lax with him in the backyard and I wanted to get better and be the best I can.”
Hunter Jaronski, DEF, Academy of the New Church (PA), Duke’s LC
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Hunter Jaronski, DEF, Academy of the New Church (PA), Duke’s LC
How was the competition and how did you adjust your game?
Jaronski: “It was great competition out here. It was an unbelievable opportunity. You had to stay on their hands and keep moving with them. It was really hard, but it was fun.”
What went well for your today?
Jaronski: “I think my communication was strong; calling out slides and who’s hot. I was really working and making sure everybody knew what they were doing. We got a couple stops, we tried to stop the great offensive players, which was tough to do.”
What did you learn from the event that will help you moving forward?
Jaronski: “I learned to play in big opportunities against great people. You have to always be moving your feet. You get better by playing guys that are the best from across the country.”
What type of college are you looking for?
Jaronski: “I want a college with both great academics and lacrosse so I can enjoy my four years; and I want to be close to home.”
What were your goals coming in?
Jaronski: “You always want to play to your best ability and you just want to have fun. If you think too much, you get yourself in situations. You need to play fast and just react.”