National Championship AA Preview: Denver Elite

Follow the NLF on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This is the Denver Elite 2020 and 2021 preview for the 2019 NLF Club National Championships. We’ll be profiling some of the top players from every 2020 AA and 2021 AA teams who will be in attendance. 

2020
Top Commits 

Tim Beach, goalie, Erie (Colo.) / Delaware
Maxwell Hewitt, midfield, Kent Denver (Colo.) / Army
Tyler Hussey, midfield, Grandview (Colo.) / Denver
James LaCerte, midfield, Cheyenne Mountain (Colo.) / Denver
Jack Tuttle, midfield, Castle View (Colo.) / Denver 

Top Uncommitted Players 

Ty Brache, defense, Monarch (Colo.) – Brache is the guy that you task with erasing an attackman without much fanfare. He has an advanced understanding of off-ball defense and he knows where to be, as is evidenced by his uncanny ability to knock down passes. He’s not flashy, but he’s as solid as it gets.

Wyatt Johnson, midfield, Denver East (Colo.) – Highlights. A big, strong midfielder with intelligence in spades, Johnson also packs a legitimate shot on the run, which is where he’s at his most dangerous offensively.

Luke Rios, faceoff midfield, Cherry Creek (Colo.) – Rios pairs lightning-quick hands with scrappiness for days, and he’s had a standout summer against many of the country’s top faceoff men. He’s worked extensively with former Denver All-American and pro star Trevor Baptiste, so his understanding of the position continues to get better and better, and Denver Elite director Trevor Tierney compared him to program alum Brett Boos, who won more than 60 percent of his faceoffs as a Denver freshman this year.

2021
Top Uncommitted Players

Mitch Gutgsell, goalie, Valor Christian (Colo.) – Highlights. Gutgsell has turned a ton of heads this summer, including a great showing at June’s NLF Elite 120. The latest in a lengthy line of impressive Denver Elite goalies, he has incredibly quick hands, is fundamentally sound and reacts really well to the ball.

Jack Ringhofer, attack, Regis Jesuit (Colo.) – Highlights. An excellent quarterback of the offense, Ringhofer combines terrific dodging ability with the ability to draw a slide and find the open man. He’s not just a setup guy, either, because he’ll bury his opportunities if you leave him open.

Logan Smith, midfield, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) – You wouldn’t expect a big, strong midfielder like Smith to run so well, but he’s a one-man wrecking crew in the clearing game. Call for a punt return and get out of the way, and once he gets down the alley, Smith can uncork hard, heavy shots.