Campbell Florence Wins 2023 James C. Metzger Lacrosse Leadership Award

The annual James C. Metzger Leadership Award for Nassau County high school boys’ lacrosse was presented to one player on each of the eight teams that competed in the finals of the 2023 Section VIII Nassau County high school boys’ lacrosse championships.

Each award recipient reflected the tenacity, honesty, commitment and positive attitude required in Nassau lacrosse. Each player also possessed the ability to inspire others on and off the field. One of the eight award recipients is junior defense/long stick midfielder Campbell Florence of Friends Academy in Locust Valley. Florence is committed to Dartmouth College.

The lacrosse championships were held on Tuesday-Wednesday, May 30-31, at Hofstra University. In the Class D championship game, Cold Spring Harbor High School defeated Friends Academy 14-1.

The award for Florence was announced by 1970s Long Island lacrosse star James C. Metzger, a three-sport athlete at Half Hollow Hills East in Dix Hills. He received the 1977 Lt. Ray Enners Award for outstanding Suffolk County lacrosse player when he scored 102 points and received All-American honors. An All-American lacrosse player at Hofstra University, Metzger is the founder and chairman of Whitmore – The Agency, an insurance and financial services firm in Garden City.

The award was presented by Vincent J. Sombrotto, another 1970s Long Island lacrosse star, and James Pannell, a more recent high school college and professional standout lacrosse player. Sombrotto attended Chaminade High School in Mineola and was a Hofstra University All-American midfielder. He was named to the 1982 All-World Team and is a member of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He is a senior vice president at Whitmore. Pannell is 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.