Jackson Thompson Of Miller Place High Wins Lacrosse Showcase Award

Jackson Thompson of Miller Place High School was named co-MVP in leading Suffolk County over Nassau County 17-9 in the Long Island Lacrosse Showcase Top 25 Game of Rising Juniors at Hofstra University on June 22. Thompson received the game's James C. MetzgerMost Valuable Player Award as did Jack Cavalieri of Centereach High School.

The winning Suffolk team, coached by Paul Benway of Half Hollow Hills High School and Chris Schiefer of Patchougue-Medford High School, received the Metzger Cup. The cup is awarded to the winning teams at each of the four games of Rising Freshmen, Rising Sophomores, Rising Juniors and Rising Seniors at the Lacrosse Showcase. Nassau won three of the four games.

The awards were presented by Metzger and Vincent J. Sombrotto. Metzger was a lacrosse, football and basketball standout at Half Hollow Hills High School East and a lacrosse All-American at Hofstra University during the 1970s. A lacrosse benefactor for youth, high school and college programs on Long Island, he is founder and CEO of Whitmore—The Agency, one of the largest independent insurance and financial firms in the New York metropolitan area with offices in Garden City. 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. Sombrotto is a senior vice president at Whitmore.

Showcase Format

For more than 10 ten years, 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.

Players compete during tryout rounds to determine the top athletes at each grade level. Fifty players in each county for each grade level are selected to compete in the Final 50 games. The 25 players selected from the Final 50 games represent their county at their grade level at the Long Island Lacrosse Showcase Nassau versus Suffolk Games. Players for these games also earn roster spots to represent their county at the New York State Regional Championships held during the summer.