Nassau And Suffolk Split Games At Long Island Lacrosse Showcase

For more than a decade, the Long Island Lacrosse Showcase for boys attending local high schools has been recognized as the premier event that allows players to display their talent for college coaches. The Long Island Lacrosse Showcase format originally was featured in the former New York Empire State Games. The Nassau County Lacrosse Coaches Association and the Suffolk County Lacrosse Coaches Association recreated the format during 2009.

The 2024 Long Island Lacrosse Showcase Top 25 Games for Rising Freshmen, Rising Sophomores, Rising Juniors and Rising Seniors was held at Hofstra University on June 25. Nassau and Suffolk split the four games.

Game Results/MVP Awards

Rising Freshmen: Nassau defeated Suffolk 14-7. Coaches Steve Finnell and Joe Jacovina from Garden City High School accepted the Metzger Cup. The James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Awards were presented to Casey Gilchrist of Massapequa High School for his defense and Luke Martini of Wantagh High School for his offense.

Rising Sophomores: Suffolk defeated Nassau 11-7. Coaches Mike Vitulli of Center Moriches High School and Drew Peters of Westhampton Beach High School accepted the Metzger Cup. The James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Awards were presented to Jake Calloway of Westhampton Beach High School and William Schwarz of West Islip High School.

Rising Juniors: Nassau defeated Suffolk 9-5. Coaches Eric Dunne and Mike Scheuerer of Farmingdale High School accepted the Metzger Cup. The James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Awards were presented to goalies Aiden Derupo of Long Beach High School and Gianni Passaro of Wantagh High School.

Rising Seniors: Suffolk defeated Nassau 12-10. Coaches Marcelo Sandoval of West Babylon High School and Tom McCandless of Lindenhurst High School accepted the Metzger Cup. The James C. Metzger Most Valuable Player Awards were presented to Derek Busking of West Islip High School and Ryan Chung of Half Hollow Hills West High School.

The awards were presented by James C. Metzger and Vincent J. Sombrotto. Metzger was a lacrosse, football and basketball standout at Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills and a lacrosse All-American at Hofstra University during the 1970s. He received the 1977 Lt. Ray Enners Award for outstanding Suffolk County lacrosse player when he scored 102 points and received All-American honors. Metzger’s support for Long Island lacrosse includes boys high school leadership, MVP and outstanding player awards for teams in Nassau and Suffolk counties. He is the founder and chairman of Whitmore – The Agency, an insurance and financial services firm in Garden City now known as Acrisure.

Sombrotto attended Chaminade High School in Mineola during the 1970s and was a Hofstra All-American midfielder. He was named to the 1982 All-World Team and is a member of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame.