The 2025 James C. Metzger Lacrosse MVP Awards

The James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Awards at the 2025 Long Island Boys Lacrosse Championships were presented following the four games held at Hofstra University (Class A and C) and East Islip Middle School (Class B and D) on Wednesday, June 4.

Class A: Half Hollow Hills High School defeated Massepequa High School 15-14. Senior midfielder Luke Bradley, who scored the winning goal with 9.7 seconds remaining in the game, and senior attack/midfielder Anthony Raio, who recorded five goals and three assists, were named co-MVPs. Presented by James C. Metzger and Rob Pannell.

Class B: Garden City High School defeated East Islip High School 15-11. Junior attack and midfielder Charlie Koester scored four goals and an assist to lead Garden City. Presented by James Pannell and Matt Schultz.

Class C: Wantagh High School defeated Kings Park High School 16-15. Junior midfielder Carter Loughman scored four goals for Wantagh. Presented by Jim Amen.

Class D: Cold Spring Harbor High School defeated Center Moriches High School 16-8. Senior attack Roger Testa scored six goals for the Seahawks. Presented by James Pannell and Matt Schultz.

The Presenters

A 1970s Long Island lacrosse star and now a lacrosse benefactor, James C. Metzger received the 1977 Lt. Ray Enners Award as outstanding Suffolk County player for Half Hollow Hills and then he was an All-American at Hofstra University. A member of the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame and the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, he is founder, chairman and CEO of Whitmore – The Agency, an insurance and financial services firm in Garden City now known as Acrisure.

Rob Pannell is a professional lacrosse player currently with the Maryland Whipsnakes of the Premier Lacrosse League. At Cornell University, he was the fourth leading scorer in men's Division I history and holds the Cornell and Ivy League all-time scoring records. Pannell attended Smithtown High School in Suffolk County, where he played on the varsity lacrosse team for three years. He led Long Island in scoring during his senior year with a school record 130 points. Pannell was named offensive MVP of the team that season and earned a place on Newsday's All-Long Island second team. He also was named to the 2007 high school All-American team.

James Pannell was a two-time All-American and career points leader at Smithtown West High School. He was an All-American at the University of Virginia and a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) All-Star.

Matt Schultz was an All-American from Smithtown West High School and a Stony Brook University First Team All-America East selection. He was selected by both the New York Lizards and Boston Cannons in the MLL Supplemental draft. Schultz recently completed his second season as head coach for Smithtown West boys lacrosse. He also is currently a training director with Rebels Lacrosse Club.

Jim Amen is Section VIII high school boys lacrosse coordinator. Amen graduated from Massapequa High school and played lacrosse and soccer at Cortland State Teachers College. He was an assistant lacrosse coach at Hofstra University during 1977 and then an assistant coach and head scout at Johns Hopkins University. On Long Island, he coached various lacrosse championship teams while serving as an athletics administrator at several school districts.