Hills East Lacrosse Season Closes With Awards

Submitted by Mike Virgintino

More than 100 student-athletes and their parents and families officially closed Suffolk County’s Half Hollow Hills East High School varsity lacrosse season with an awards dinner and season recap last Wednesday at Bella Verde on the Heartland Golf Course in Deer Park.

“This season was the toughest schedule we played over the last 10 years,” said Thunderbirds Coach Gordon Hodgson. “We finished with five wins and 11 losses, but our players never gave up and they played each game with all their effort.”

In reflecting on the tough season, Hodgson said he told his players that they had to eat a lot of humble pie but that “they will learn from the experience and will do better next season.”

The Thunderbirds will lose seven seniors from this year’s team. But with the bulk of the squad returning next year, and with the addition of players moving up from the junior varsity team along with the dedication and teaching skills of Assistant Coach Michael Conway and Goalie Coach George Fox, Hodgson expects the team to build upon this season’s lessons and to move higher in the standings.

Award Recipients

Despite the difficult season on the field, a number of Thunderbirds players were rewarded with school and county awards for their scholastic and athletic achievements.

Senior Jesse Parker received the third annual James C. Metzger Outstanding Player Award. Parker was the team co-captain and played the entire season after returning from a torn ACL that required surgery late last year. He played for the school’s varsity team all four years.

Parker was named team co-most valuable player of the Thunderbirds and he was recognized as a two-time All-County Division I player, leading the county in total points for two seasons. He will continue his education and lacrosse play at Binghamton University.

The award he received is named for a leading Half Hollow Hills High School East benefactor who also was an All-American student athlete at the school during the 1970s. 

“Jesse is helping us to continue to build the tradition of lacrosse at Half Hollow Hills,” said Metzger, who personally presented the honor. “His outstanding play this season to lead a team through a difficult schedule soon after recovering from a major injury is simply outstanding and reflects his commitment to the game and to success. He is a leader both on the field and off, and his desire to succeed will stay with him through his academic and sports careers, and whatever he decides to do later in life.”

Metzger is CEO of The Whitmore Group, a leading insurance services and estate planning company in the New York metropolitan area that is headquartered in Garden City. He set assist records (82 in one season) and won many awards during his high school playing days, including All-American honors and the 1977 Ray Enners Award for outstanding Suffolk County lacrosse player when he scored 102 points. Metzger also starred in football and played varsity basketball as a sophomore in the Suffolk County playoffs.

After graduation from high school, Metzger played lacrosse for two years at Hofstra University. As an All-American, he led Hofstra in assists during his freshman and sophomore seasons (1979 and 1980). His single season points per game average (4.9) ranks fourth all-time and his single season assist average (2.8) ranks eighth.

Anthony Ramaizel also was named team co-MVP. He is a two-time captain of the team and a two-time All-Division I Suffolk County player. He will continue his studies while playing at Lehigh University.

Other Half Hollow Hills East High School varsity lacrosse award winners were Jordan Shapiro, recipient of the Coaches Award; Justin Rothstein and Nick Pellegrino, recipients of the Hustle Award; and Richard Hogan, recipient of Rookie Of The Year Award. Three additional players—Dan Bockelman, Cory Mears and Evan Peller—received Suffolk County Unsung Hero Awards.

Drew Quinto received the inaugural Eric Geringswald Community Service Award that is named for a Half Hollow Hills school trustee who is involved in youth education and athletics. Quinto was recognized for establishing the Hill Verses Autism Foundation to raise funds to combat this developmental disorder.