Homegrown Classic: Manheim Township Tops Marcellus in OT

In Part I of our coverage of the Homegrown Classic, we take a look at Saturday's opening matchup at West Chester Rustin between Manheim Township (PA) and Marcellus (NY) — arguably the best game of the day. The event was described in the program as “a one-day regular season high school lacrosse showcase highlighting some of the top public school programs and the communities that helped build them.” It lived up to that description, with the matchup producing one of the most thrilling finishes of the weekend.   After Marcellus took a one-goal lead with under three minutes remaining, Manheim Township's staff requested a stick check that resulted in a lengthy extra-man opportunity. The Blue Streaks came up empty on their first possession before Marcellus nearly extended its lead, as attackman [player_tooltip player_id='39827' first='Chris' last='Doshna'] ripped a one-handed shot on the run that goalie [player_tooltip player_id='175865' first='Grady' last='Topf'] stuffed in a pivotal moment. On Township's next man-up set, [player_tooltip player_id='175863' first='Joseph' last='Algeo'] picked off an errant pass to the goalie and buried it with just over a minute left to tie the game. In overtime, [player_tooltip player_id='142308' first='Chase' last='Fletcher'] sealed it for Manheim Township with the game-winning goal.   Here were five standouts from the matchup:    Fletcher delivered when it mattered most, scoring the overtime game-winner to lift Manheim Township over Marcellus (N.Y.) at the Homegrown Classic. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWb5DSCjkUW/" id="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWb5DSCjkUW/">On the game-winning play</a>, Fletcher caught the ball near the top of the box, drove down the alley with his left hand, and drew a pressured double. He baited the sliding defender out on him, swam over the defender to get to the middle, and buried it low-and-away before the slider could get there. Fletcher also came through with a clutch goal late in the fourth quarter to give Township a one-goal lead. After catching a pass off a ball swing, he sold his defender on a potential dodge before recognizing he had enough space to let it fly. With perfect timing, he ripped a shot off his defender's hip that froze the goalie.   Fletcher is a pure scorer in Manheim Township's offense. Even when he dodges, he finds ways to get his feet set and fire missiles past goalies. He doesn't just shoot them wherever. His varied release points — often underhand — keep goalies guessing and make him a constant threat to score from multiple angles. Fletcher, a three-sport athlete, should be an interesting recruit to keep tabs on come the summer.     Senior midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='175863' first='Joseph' last='Algeo'] played a huge part in Manheim Township's win over Marcellus (N.Y.), putting up three goals and making his presence felt in key moments. Township often utilizes Algeo in invert sets, where he is dangerous as both a picker and dodger from behind the cage. His first two goals came from him dodging in the invert set and going up the hashes. The opener developed out of a two-man game, where a well-timed pick freed Algeo's hands against a sagging short-stick matchup. Selling a pass with a quick posture change, he lowered his head, turned the corner, and placed a low-and-away finish to notch Township's first goal of the day. His second tally came from another invert look without a pick—Algeo approached with a few choppy steps, exploded toward the goal line, and buried a quick, deceptive shot that caught the goalie off guard.   Algeo's third goal was his biggest. With just over a minute left, and Township trailing late, he tied the game on an extra-man opportunity. Operating as a feeder behind the cage, Algeo tried to thread a pass to Brock Meglic, but when the ball popped loose, he stayed alert. He intercepted a lazy pass from a defender to the goalie and finished a left-handed dunk to force overtime—a clutch sequence that highlighted his awareness. With this level of production and versatility, Algeo is quickly earning respect as a matchup problem. It wouldn't be surprising to see teams start throwing a pole his way in future games because he has been so productive dodging shorties behind the net.     Topf delivered a strong showing in the cage for Manheim Township against Marcellus (N.Y.) at the Homegrown Classic, finishing with around nine saves and proving he's a goalie to buy stock in. He's listed at 6'3”, so he takes up significant space, yet moves with impressive fluidity for his size. Topf stopped shots all over the net, but he stood out particularly on low shots—an area where bigger goalies often struggle. He stayed fundamental by consistently matching shooters' sticks and hands, and he showed confidence initiating clears with quick, accurate outlets.   Technically, Topf plays with minimal pre-shot movement and efficient footwork, staying square and patient through releases. His final save of the day might've been his best: with about two minutes left in regulation, Marcellus midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='141939' first='Henry' last='Lawrence'] came down in transition, triple-teamed, and managed a one-handed shot over a defender. Despite the unpredictable release, Topf tracked it cleanly and came up with a crucial stop—a momentum-saving play that kept Township within striking distance before their comeback.     [player_tooltip player_id='39827' first='Chris' last='Doshna']'s performance on Saturday against Manheim Township showed exactly why he's headed to Maryland and why he's regarded as one of the top players in the country. The senior attackman isn't the fastest player on the field, but he doesn't need to be. Doshna plays with power and creativity, embracing contact while using his natural scoring instincts to produce in a variety of ways. He's known for his strong left hand, but in this game, he showed he can confidently finish with his right as well. With four goals on the day, Doshna once again proved he delivers when the competition is at its highest.   His first goal came from being in the right place at the right time. After a teammate got stripped, Doshna extended his stick, grabbed the loose ball out of the air, took a few hard cradles, and finished far side. His second came when he faded into space off a swing, caught in rhythm, and ripped a three-quarter release to the top near corner. His third was a right-handed quick release in transition that tied the game with under six minutes to play. For his fourth, Doshna gave a hard left-to-left jab against a short stick and hammered a shot past the slide, hitting the far upper corner to give Marcellus a late lead. Doshna's ability to impact a game without relying on speed—through strength, skill, timing, and IQ—illustrates why he's built for the college level. Maryland is getting a complete player who will compete for minutes down low or out of the box in the fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='141939' first='Henry' last='Lawrence'] will fit in perfectly with the hard-nosed culture at Colgate. The junior midfielder brings a competitive two-way skill set that contributes to Marcellus' overall success. On offense, Lawrence is a dynamic dodger who loves to burn his matchup down the alley. He can stick shots on the run, with both hands, and in tight windows. Defensively, his athleticism is obvious in his footwork and hard, controlled cross-checks. He's also a transition asset—a one-man clear when Marcellus needs someone to run through doubles.   Lawrence put up two goals in the matchup against Manheim Township, both nearly mirror images of each other. Both times, he dodged down the righty alley, created separation against his pole, and released the shot before the slide could get there—placing it high in a spot that did not look to be open. His defensive highlight came late in the fourth quarter and perfectly represented his game on that side of the ball. When a Manheim midfielder slipped during a dodge, Lawrence delivered a clean check to jar the ball loose, scooped the groundball on the first time, and immediately pushed transition. He shrugged off multiple checks—navigating through at least four defenders—before getting the ball upfield, eventually leading to a [player_tooltip player_id='39827' first='Chris' last='Doshna'] goal. Lawrence's ability to make plays in every phase—offense, defense, and transition—shows the kind of complete midfielder he's becoming. Colgate is getting a competitor whose game translates to both sides of the ball.

In Part I of our coverage of the Homegrown Classic, we take a look at Saturday's opening matchup at West Chester Rustin between Manheim Township (PA) and Marcellus (NY) — arguably the best game of the day. The event was described in the program as “a one-day regular season high school lacrosse showcase highlighting some of the top public school programs and the communities that helped build them.” It lived up to that description, with the matchup producing one of the most thrilling finishes of the weekend.