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You might think that Jake Southren’s college decision had everything to do with one made by his brother, 2014 Randolph High School (NJ) standout JP Southren.
JP Southren is now a freshman at Stevens Tech, which just so happens to be the college choice Jake made last week, a decision reported when it was made by Joe Lombardi on LaxLessons.com’s Lacrosse Insider premium coverage section.
You might think that, but you’d be wrong.
“It definitely played a role in my decision, but I happened to really love the school and felt after speaking with (Stevens Tech Head) Coach (Gene) Peluso that he was the type of coach I wanted to play for and help Stevens Tech win. Having my brother there was icing on the cake in my decision.”
With his commitment, JP becomes the first junior lacrosse commit in Randolph HS history.
The 6-foot, 175-pound lefty is a strong dodger who is dangerous in transition.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Jake on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
The campus felt like home, they have an extremely high level of academics, the coaching staff was very clear in how they felt about me as a player, it was close to home and best of all I can play along side my brother to compete for a national championship.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
I was considering Lafayette, Saint Joseph’s, Middlebury and Providence.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
My strengths are creating offense from behind the cage, dodging with my head up, and getting my hands free from the left-handed position.
My style of play is finding the open guy in a set offense and finishing in transition.
What areas of your game do you need to work on?
I need to work on making my off hand more of a factor. Additionally, I need to continue getting bigger, stronger and faster.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I was introduced in kindergarten when my dad (Lee Southren) would drag me along to JP’s second-grade rec practices and games.
I also have played basketball.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?
I play on New Jersey Riot 2016 and I played in Jake Reed, Blackcard Showcase, Philly Showcase, 3D D1, National 175 and Super Sophs.
Any final thoughts?
I would like to thank my parents for all the support and guidance they have given me throughout life and the recruiting process. In addition, I would like to thank all of my youth and high school coaches for teaching me the skills and the IQ I have today. These coaches are: Coach Grover, Coach Young, Coach Nazzaro, Coach Naslonski and my club coach Rob Novak.
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Send an email to info@laxlessons.com, contact Joe Lombardi directly at joe@laxlessons.com or send a Tweet to @Joe_Lombardi or @LaxLessons.
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Posted In: New Jersey lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown
