Pennsylvania's Next Gen of FOGO Stars

Over the last several years the state of Pennsylvania has produced a host of elite face off specialists that have gone on to make significant contributions at the next level.   Names like Evan Prince (Lafayette), Matthew Fritz (St. Joe's), Collin Hannigan (UNC), Andrew McMeekin (Princeton), Ben McCarthy (Duke) and Stevie Davis (Penn) immediately come to mind.   Recently the next generation of talented FOGOs from Pennsylvania have dominated the competition and it is time to shine the spotlight on these players.   Below is a review of five young buck face off prospects (2027 or 2028) who college coaches need to scout immediately.    Stashed away in York, Pennsylvania is this dynamic FOGO. There is no doubt Busser owns the athleticism, speed, and mechanics to contribute at the college level. He excels at winning the clamp and then creating transition opportunities for his team. When he pushes the ball in transition, Busser is a legitimate scoring threat. Still, what really pops about this face off specialist is his non-stop motor and tenacity. Busser simply refuses to concede possession to his opponent. So, when there is not a clean win on the draw, Busser will muck-it-up until he secures possession. His active stick, powerful build, balance, and polished footwork enable Busser to emerge from those scrums with the ball. As a bonus to his skills and physical assets, Busser is a workhorse who gets stronger as the game / day rolls along.     The first thing that you notice about Cooke is his ability to absorb body as well as stick checks after he has won possession of the rock. Cooke is an absolute warrior who will run through triple teams and even the most ferocious slashes without coughing up the ball. His anticipation skills and swift reactions allow Cooke to clamp, pop and go on a large majority of his face offs. As he charges into the offensive zone Cooke is a threat to shoot or distribute at full speed. Cooke's high IQ leads to him select the best of those options on each possession. When things become chaotic at the face off dot, Cooke can hold off the opponent with his physicality until he can pounce on the GB. Cooke also has proven that he can play the ball with his feet or “hockey” it into open space and then scoop up the loose ball.     Dodson is a versatile FOGO with polished mechanics and a quick burst. Those assets make it possible for Dodson to beat his opponent to the clamp on a high percentage of face offs. Dodson can also play a physical brand of FOGO where he rotates and then moves his opponent off the dot before picking up the ball. This crafty prospect also does a fantastic job of keeping opponents off-balance with the way he alternates between offensive and defensive exits. College coaches will love that Dodson can drop to ground and grind out a win by overpowering his opponent. Once Dodson has the ball in his stick, he can rapidly push the rock into the offensive zone by using his speed and elusive moves. He can then finish in close using his left or right hand.     Gowie is a tall and wiry athlete who is flying under the radar in Pennsylvania. Still, there is no doubting Gowie's talents and tremendous upside. His quick hands and textbook technique allow him to consistently win the clamp cleanly. Gowie's ability to exit the face off scrum with his stick safely secured in only one hand is impressive. His long arms are a major reason Gowie can execute that move. Once he has possession, Gowie uses his elongated strides to charge into the offensive end where he will smartly move the rock to a teammate. Gowie has a fantastic feel for when to pass the ball and never holds onto it too long. On defensive exits, Gowie does and impressive job of using his body to box out his opponent while he scoops up the ball.     This summer Taraborelli dominated the competition at marquee events like NHSLS and Maverik Showtime. Taraborelli's success during June and July was due in large part to his ridiculously quick hands and feet. His lightening fast hands produced clean wins at a jaw dropping rate. On the rare occasion where the ball ended up on the turf, Taraborelli snatched up the GB. With possessions secured, Taraborelli got downhill in a flash and then dashed into the offensive end. He frequently raced through the entire opposing defense before depositing the ball in the back of the net. In traffic, Taraborelli does a remarkable job of protecting his stick with his body or maneuvering it to avoid checks and lifts. Taraborelli is just scratching the surface of his potential.

Over the last several years the state of Pennsylvania has produced a host of elite face off specialists that have gone on to make significant contributions at the next level.