Hempstead PAL Lacrosse Enjoys Second Consecutive Championship

The Hempstead PAL Tigers finished a second consecutive lacrosse season undefeated with an 8-0 record and another championship. The 2023 season was the third straight winning season for this team of students from the fifth and sixth grades.

Hempstead’s perfect season featured victories over Oyster Bay, Planview, Manhasset, New Hyde Park, Hicksville, Bayville, Malverne and Hewlett. While the Tigers fielded a number of returning players from the previous championship year, many more boys were introduced to the game and played it competitively for the first time.

The program, led by Alan Hodish, continues to increase in popularity since its introduction to the community more than 10 years ago. Hodish is a former lacrosse and football coach at Hempstead High School. An attorney in Garden City and an East Meadow resident, he has coached youth lacrosse on Long Island for decades. Hodish is a member of the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation's Hall of Fame.

Significant additional support for the Hempstead PAL Tigers is provided by coaches John Black, James Ford, L.J. Hough and Tim Pratt, and Hempstead PAL Administrator Ruth Roberson .

Hempstead PAL Tigers 2023 Roster

Zachery Belony

Mikah Butler

Jayden Butler

Bentley Cannon

K’Shaun Edwards

Ayden Europe

Jasean Grafton

Renaldo Hernandez

Jawaan “JuJu” Johnson

Avery Ling

Anthony Morales

Hayden Morales

Juelias Morales

Christian Pratt

Jaire DaCosta Samuels

Noelle “Pop” Sarduy

Gabriel Seabrooks

Major Simms

Noah Mena Smith

Noah St. Hill

Tyrell Wilson

Nathan Epps

Martez Stevens

Justin Jones

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Special Recognitions

The championship season was celebrated with team, individual, coaches, and other awards at the auditorium at Hempstead’s Kennedy Park on June 23. Among the top awards are the James C. Metzger Award and The Michael J. Piegare Award.

Metzger is the founder and CEO of Whitmore—The Agency, an insurance brokerage in Garden City. He has supported the lacrosse program since its inception and is a former lacrosse standout player at Half Hollows East High School in Dix Hills and Hofstra University. Metzger’s support for Long Island lacrosse includes boys high school leadership, MVP, and outstanding player awards for teams in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

At Hempstead PAL, the award is presented to a player for "his strong work ethic and improvement made throughout the lacrosse season." This season marked the second time two awards were presented at Hempstead PAL. The 2023 award recipients of the James C. Metzger Award are K’Shaun Edwards and Jasean Grafton. The award was presented by James Pannell, Metzger’s nephew and a standout lacrosse player in high school, as an All-American at the University of Virginia and with the pro league.

The Michael J. Piegare Award was presented to Bentley Cannon and Christian Pratt. Both boys were recipients of the 2022 Metzger Award. The Piegare recognition was established in memory of a Cold Spring Harbor High School and Pace University lacrosse player to honor a student-athlete who "best displays the character and outstanding attitude that was demonstrated by Michael Piegare in athletics and throughout the course of his life." The award is offered each season by parents Joe and Theresa Piegare.

More Awards

Each player received an award to commemorate the season. Additional awards also were presented to individual players and adult supporters.

• Rookie of the Year Award – Tyrell “Ace” Wilson
• MVP Attack Award – Ayden Europe
• Dan Williams MVP Defense Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1982 defenseman, three-time All-American West Point, member of Long Island Metropolitan Foundation Lacrosse Hall of Fame) – Mikah Butler
• MVP Midfield Award – Jawaan “JuJu” Johnson
• Tiger Award – Avery Ling
• Jim Brown Award – Noah Smith (named for Long Island football/lacrosse star, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and professional Hall of Fame football player) – Noah Smith
• Don Ryan Coaches Award (named for the former mayor of the Village of Hempstead) – Gabriel Seabrooks
• Bell Ringer Award – Major Sims
• Mr. Hustle Award – Mikah Butler
• Bill Beroza Goalie Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1973 goalie, former USA Lacrosse team member and captain, Israeli National Team coach, member of Long Island Metropolitan Foundation Hall of Fame and National Lacrosse Hall of Fame) – Jayden Butler
• John Moore Vacuum Cleaner Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 midfielder who also played at Rutgers University) – Noelle Sarduy, Zachery Belony, Jaire DaCosta Samuels, and Martez Stevens
• Arrion Cross Spirit Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1984 defenseman and retired Hempstead police officer) – Zachery Belony and Noelle Sarduy
• Vincent Louther Sportsmanship Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 midfielder who played at Ashland College, retired athletic director of Rockland County's Clarkstown South High School, former New York State High School Lacrosse chairman of Section I) – Martez Stevens, Nathan Epps and Anthony Morales
• Aaron Jones Most Improved Player-Defense (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1983 defenseman, recipient of 1983 Howdy Myers Award presented to best Nassau County high school defensive player, two-time All-American at Cornell University) – Gabriel Seabrooks and Anthony Morales
• James Ford Most Improved Player-Offense (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 all-time leading scorer, three-time All-American at Rutgers University, member of the Long Island Metropolitan Foundation Hall of Fame and Rutgers University Hall of Fame) – Tyrell “Ace” Wilson and Justin Jones
• Piegare Foundation Scholarships awarded for the Long Island Recon Summer Lacrosse Tournament Program – Bentley Cannon, Jason Grafton, Jawaan “JuJu” Johnson, K’Shaun Edwards
• Tim Pratt Academic All-Stars (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1985, former Adelphi University player) – Bentley Cannon, Ayden Europe, Justin Jones, Gabriel Seabrooks, Avery Ling, K’Shaun Edwards, Christian Pratt, Noelle Sarduy, Hayden Morales and Juelias Morales
• Eugene Grant Community Service Award – Hempstead High School Athletic Director Mike Jones
• Outstanding General Manager Award – Brhyin Williams