A Second Wave of PA FOGOs to Watch

Face-offs are a key part of lacrosse, occurring at the start of each period & after each goal. Players start face-offs standing or crouching with a neutral grip & alternating hand positioning. Players cannot carry the ball in the back of their stick & they must move the ball in a continuous motion. If a player withholds the ball in their stick, the opposing team is awarded possession.   The NCAA lacrosse face-off rules have changed over time, including eliminating the motorcycle grip & changing the referee's official procedure for draw play. In 1979, the NCAA Rules Committee voted to end face-offs after goals to shorten the game. The new rule would have given the ball to the team that scored, not near their goal, but at midfield. This change was controversial & led to other rule changes causing evolutions within the game. These adaptations included mass substitution, offensive-defensive specialists, & the stall. It took years to fix the unintended consequences of the change.   In 2020, the NCAA Lacrosse Rules Committee voted to make significant alterations to the face-off process. They banned the "moto-grip", where players held the stick with both palms down & took away the ability for face-off players to line up with one knee down. One Knee Nation was once the omnipresent mechanical technique used at the peak of the game. Players now start face-offs with only their feet, gloves, & sticks touching the ground. This amendment was intended to reduce long stalemates & increase the number of loose balls. In 2024, the NCAA approved a change to how officials officiate the faceoffs. After the command "down", the officials will stand over the players & adjust their positions. The official will then say "set", back out, & whistle to start the face-off. This transformation was intended to reduce the "swizzle", which is when an official whistles immediately after calling "set". Under the new rule, if a face-off player commits a violation, that player will not be eligible to participate in the next face-off. Lastly, the 30-second penalty for teams that commit three violations in the half was eradicated.   The Philly Faceoff League was created by two coaches who share a love for the specialty position! PFL has been training face-off players competitively since 2013 & preparing these drawmen of all ages to excel at the next level — whatever that may be for the individual athlete. PFL starts training players from third grade throughout the college level working continuously to get better. PFL is proud that these efforts each season have solidified the Philadelphia area as a premiere hotbed for faceoff specialists. More importantly, we are proud of the growth that each of the players has made, whether that is winning their first live faceoff in a game situation, becoming a varsity starter, committing to play at the NCAA level, or anything in between. The Philly Faceoff League is built on supporting players with specific instruction & instilling a fierce, competitive mindset within them.   Management @ Lacrosse Unlimited Horsham has generally been seen as the Lacrosse Authority for PA State & beyond! Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) coaches have enjoyed the benefit & seen tremendous growth in play over the last 5-15 years. The brand is recognized Nationally & Internationally renowned for decades of excellence! "Shop with Niko" is the best in the business with personalized stick building & special stringing. ALWAYS CUSTOM since 1990!    Sean Hassis earned 2nd Team All Presidents Athletic Conference in 2024. He went 357/472 (76%) on the draw & added 235 groundballs as a junior. Sean is a playmaker with the ball in his stick as he accounted for (30 points) 16 goals & 14 assists last season! He has had highlight play in the summer with Philadelphia Regional representation as well as high evaluations through his club! Hassis has fluid hips & rotates over the ball with whizzer-efficiency. He controls the pace of the game & assists with pushing the tempo for the Rams. Sean can sling it from deep as a set shooter from the point. He is a good athlete who can mix it up on the field catching & throwing with both hands. Hassis has the potential to heat up down the stretch & make a run in the State Playoffs. It would not surprise me if he led an upset against a sleeping giant or two on the journey. A consensus 3-star prospect. Verbally committed to Jacksonville.     [player_tooltip player_id='45355' first='Henry' last='Bertelsen'] is a natural talent with lightning-fast reflexes at the X. He plunges the ball into primacy play for Springside Chestnut Hill. Henry can factor in crucial draw controls en route with a "make it - take it" style of play as a Dominant Devil! He has a bigger body & underrated stick skills. Bertelsen can flick it to a wing & get some offensive motion going in a hurry. He has a nice bounce shot on the run & will continue to mix up his shot location as he barrels down the middle. Henry has been battle-tested against the best of them the last handful of years or more. Expect that to continue for the next handful of more. Bertelsen will have the potential to impact games at Homewood with a rich pipeline from the City's Greater Area. Verbally committed to Johns Hopkins.     [player_tooltip player_id='18397' first='Christian' last='Peterman'] earned 1st Team All Catholic in 2023. He doubled down as a part of LaSalle's terrific tandem the past two seasons. Christian has competed to be recognized as a Regional All-Star while demonstrating qualities in his play that would help any team on the road to victory! He will be college-ready on the clamp as someone who has spent two or more years sparring with elite competition. Peterman shows consistency with his scoop & control in the game. He will counter & move the ball back to the goalie if necessary. A consensus 3-star prospect with breakout potential. Verbally committed to Babson.     Logan Montrella is a right-handed midfielder who also specializes in taking face-offs for the Raptors. He has practically a lifetime of experience in the sport & has made the Varsity cut as a freshman (2022). Logan helped Radnor achieve three of their last four State Championships (AAA) in a historic run of epic proportions. He is reliable & focused on the draw making it difficult for the opposition to maintain possession. Montrella is a mainstay who won 48% of the draws in the regular season, & then found a boost in performance with 56% in the playoffs (2024). He scored 5 goals & 5 assists with a balanced act of offense as a junior. This proven champion has an opportunity to shine at the NCAA level & furthermore in an International format. Verbally committed to the Catholic University of America.     [player_tooltip player_id='28888' first='Nick' last='Guzy'] went 66% at the face-off X with 104 Ground Balls in 2024. He stepped up big for the Lions & took command of the draws as a sophomore. Nick continues to develop & get stronger in his mechanical movements while bringing a distinct readiness to the position. He sets up for success while using a trained instinct to be on the whistle. Guzy goes forward with ease but also works well with his wings. He will line up with the pole on his draw side or opposite depending on the scout, game plan, & adjustments. Nick is a versatile FOGO who can use his strong frame to get over the ball & box out for possession. He is not afraid to get down the middle given the space to push the break & he knows when to hit the point player on attack. Guzy has a year's worth of Varsity game experience going against elite competition & Post Graduate players who are lined up to play in the NCAA. Verbally committed to St. Johns.     [player_tooltip player_id='113647' first='Tommy' last='Lavin'] earned 1st Team All-Chesmont in 2024. He was a complete stud for the Patriots as a sophomore & has gotten notably better in the last 6 months! Tommy is a player who has grassroots as Chester County's all-area, & is making strides as an established FOGO who can represent the Philadelphia Region as a selected specialist. He is someone who competes against D1 (ACC, B1G, & Ivy League) commits & wins! Lavin is especially good at pinching & popping the ball to himself. He is relentless in his efforts to win the ball & make a play. Tommy is fast with the ball in his stick & he can run down to score. He will go back to set up a clear with his defense & goalie. Lavin is ahead of the curve with making the face-off a 3v3 outcome if he cannot win cleanly. Look for him to make a bigger splash on the recruiting circuit & continue to play with head, heart, & hustle!     [player_tooltip player_id='20996' first='Bradley' last='Hill'] earned First Team All-Suburban One League (National) in 2024. He went 200/277 (72%) on the draw & scooped up 136 groundballs as a junior. Bradley was awarded 2nd Team All-Suburban One League (National) in 2023. He was honored with the Falcon's Playmaker award as a sophomore. Hill was the team's total leader when you calculate a combination of goals, assists, & groundballs. He totaled 200 wins at the dot while registering 112 groundballs. Bradley is persistent in a scrum & physical enough to win the 50/50 loose ball. He can get you a goal or an assist through transition play right off the whistle! Hill has fast hands & quick wrists that he uses to put himself in control of the clamp. Verbally committed to Robert Morris.     Peyton Bannak earned 2nd Team All-Suburban One League (National) as a junior in 2024. He is a grinder who works for groundballs, clears, & possessions. Peyton had a strong sophomore season with Honorable Mention All-League recognition in 2023. He is tactical at the X with an open mind to game adjustments based on the situation. Bannak is a bull in a china shop that can swim through doubles & help deliver the offense a timely possession. He is athletic in the 3v3 between the lines & is developing his left hand with passing. Peyton does a nice job not giving up a break & getting his unit into thirds while pushing the ball into the offensive end. He has a ferocious counter where he can jam while driving his hips over the ball. Bannak can continue to Grizzly Bear play locally at the next level! Verbally committed to Ursinus.     Tommy Rush is the primary draw taker the Cougars rely on. He will have to ball out for the team for any chance at winning a PIAA State Championship! Tommy rips the ball out to his wing in a continuous motion. He can practically pass it out of a clamp & put the ball into play in a variety of different ways. Rush can go forward as well as scramble with the ball & deliver quality passes. He is a fearless dodger inside of the box & will draw penalties. Tommy has good stick work with both hands & can run a traditional, flat, or lefty break. He runs as a wild mustang on the field looking to fire off his natural lefty laser. Rush scored 4 goals last year & looks to continue to build a name for himself up & down I-95. Verbally committed to Stevenson.     [player_tooltip player_id='82290' first='Matthew' last='Connolly'] is a returning Varsity player from the 2024 Prep National Champions. He is a key specialist for the Friars who are considered preseason #1 in the country in some media outlets & a consensus top 10 team in America. Matthew is a multi-sport athlete with an All-American Wrestling pedigree that he brings to the face-off. He has been recognized as a Regional All-Star underclass player who has the potential to earn more burn & take command in the Varsity ranks. Connolly shows a simple stance & complete balance through his technique. He shows strength when battling for the ball as someone who can get under the opposition's arms & drive them off the ball for a positioning advantage. Matthew is a tireless ball carrier who can switch hands interchangeably. He has superior stick protection & will attack the goal in either direction. Connolly is a guy teammates trust to get the groundball if he doesn't win the draw. A consensus 3-star prospect. Verbally committed to UPenn.     Ryan Dellinger is becoming a perennial power on the draw who scored 97% in usage with 277 face-offs taken over 13 games (2024). He had notable success in match-ups vs committed players off to various Division 1 institutions. Ryan started with Council Rock North where he played Varsity since his freshman year. He went 65% on the draw for the Indians in 2022. Dellinger dabbled seven games with Perkiomen School after fracturing his foot five games into the season as a sophomore. He went 70/136 (51.5%) & scooped up 32 groundballs for the Panthers in 2023. Ryan is someone who deserves a legit look if we are throwing the best face-off guys in the state on a list. He rotates effectively using the plunger technique to exit out safely. Dellinger can run down & score or draw players out to pass for an assisting opportunity. He is unfazed & fearless earning his stripes at the X. Signed to play at Sacred Heart.     [player_tooltip player_id='82311' first='Gavin' last='Morrissey'] is going to provide the Fords with depth on the draw while giving them a great shot at winning timely possessions. Haverford School is a top program in the country, known for keeping a handful of players ready for competition on the dot! Gavin is fast on the field & has shown quality play for a top club team competing at grade level. He is proactive on defense, sliding to take body & neutralizing dodgers. Morrissey collects groundballs, causes turnovers, hits in the middle of the field, & runs between the lines effectively. He's gotten a strong feel for the game on the summer circuit & is proving to be a problem with his poise to push to the goal or assist his teammates. Verbally committed to Villanova.     Blake Riley was the Varsity starting FOGO last year for the Churchmen in 2024. He went 137/225 (60.8%), scooped up 100 groundballs, adding 2 goals & 2 assists as a junior. Blake had notable games last year against more than a handful of the best teams in the State - private & public. He has been earning Varsity minutes since 2023. Riley had a successful sophomore season maximizing speed & performance lining up on the field. He recorded wins as an underdog while going up against some of the stiffest competition in a league riddled with Division 1 scholarship recipients. Blake shoots the ball out quickly & is steady on the goose to a wing. He can counter & has a reverse clamp in his bag of tricks. Riley stays low off the whistle & uses his footwork to help keep his balance over the ball. He could be the winning jockey-joe off the draw, navigating & strategically positioning the white mules to victory. Verbally committed to Colby.      Eddie Rudloff looks to add depth to a deep & talented roster that will most likely rely on more than one man to take the face-off this season. He has represented the Philadelphia Region positively at All-Star summer events & has been noticed as a standout on the club circuit. Eddie is a tough FOGO who is great at getting the groundball if they do not win the draw contest. He can mix it up in the middle as he has the stickwork to play through the subbing game, offensively, defensively, or in the ride/clear. Rudloff runs through contact like a rhino & functionally lowers his shoulder. He has the quick twitch muscles to be successful on the whistle & is prepared to play forward first. Eddie has the potential to earn valuable minutes over the next two seasons. Look for Rudloff to continue his development & push himself in a program that is proven to produce at the next level. Verbally committed to Drexel.

Face-offs are a key part of lacrosse, occurring at the start of each period & after each goal. Players start face-offs standing or crouching with a neutral grip & alternating hand positioning. Players cannot carry the ball in the back of their stick & they must move the ball in a continuous motion. If a player withholds the ball in their stick, the opposing team is awarded possession.