Hempstead PAL Lacrosse Is Back On The Field

Following the loss of the 2020 season to COVID-19, Alan Hodish’s Hempstead PAL Tigers regrouped for a winning 2021 lacrosse season. “Regroup” might not be the correct term, as only one player from last year’s team returned as 17 new players enjoyed and experienced the game of lacrosse for the first time.

The Tigers were able to feature limited on-field practices, training and scrimmages last season but were unable to schedule games due to the pandemic. This year, though, the volunteer coaches presented a “We’re glad to be back” attitude, and the same can be said of the PAL organizers, parents and the many fifth and sixth graders who learned about the game, teamwork and sportsmanship.

"It was a challenge to bring back the game here at Hempstead PAL,” said Coach Hodish, “but we made it work. It is all about these young men, introducing them to the game, hoping that they will take interest and allow lacrosse to become part of their future successful lives.”

Hodish is a former lacrosse and football coach at Hempstead High School. An attorney in Garden City and an East Meadow resident, he has coached youth lacrosse on Long Island for decades. Hodish recently was inducted into the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation’s Hall of Fame. During the season, the head coach received support from a handful of others, including Associate Head Lacrosse Coach Bernard Williams, coaches L.J. Hough, Bob Schmitt and Mike Townsend, Hempstead PAL Administrator Ruth Roberson and Hempstead PAL Director Detective Sheryl Roberts.

Hempstead PAL Tigers 2021 Roster

The Tigers won five of seven games this season, beating Malverne, Elwood, Massapequa, Hicksville and Hewlett with the following players:

• Joden Bolling
• Bentley Cannon
• Jahkai Carter
• Kaywan Cullum
• Kyle Damis
• K’Shaun Edwards
• JaSean Grafton
• Ashard Griffin
• Blake Harris
• Jeremy Henderson
• Ryan Jones
• Kamari Kinard
• Stephen Love II
• Kaylib Bruzon
• Seth Montgomery
• Noach Moore
• Anthony Morales
• Kareem Richardson

A number of Tigers’ benefactors, including James C. Metzger, celebrated the presentation of team, individual, coaches and other awards at Lincoln Park in Hempstead during mid-June. The founder and CEO of The Whitmore Agency of Garden City, Metzger has supported the program since its inception. He is a former lacrosse standout player at Half Hollows East High School in Dix Hills and Hofstra University. His support for Long Island lacrosse includes boys’ high school leadership awards for teams in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and most valuable player awards for the Long Island Championship games.

Special Recognitions, Rob Pannell Visits

Each season, the James C. Metzger Award is presented to a player for "his strong work ethic and improvement made throughout the lacrosse season." Metzger presented the 2021 award to Stephen Love II and enjoyed the opportunity to talk with all the players and their families about the many opportunities the game provides by opening doors for lacrosse student-athletes in high school, college and later in life.

Metzger was joined by his nephew, outstanding college (Cornell University) and professional lacrosse player Rob Pannell of the Redwoods Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League. The young athletes were excited to meet a professional lacrosse player who they have heard about and had seen on television. Pannell signed autographs, posed for pictures and conversed with the boys and their parents.

While many youngsters, according to Metzger, understandably gravitate toward football, basketball and baseball, he wanted the parents in attendance to understand that “lacrosse also can provide lifelong rewards and that I, Rob and the coaches are proof of what can be accomplished.”

Evidence that lacrosse can lead to future success was apparent to everyone in attendance with the presentation of the Tigers Outstanding Alumni Award to Adrian Ayala, a past winner of the James C. Metzger Award. Ayala will attend Long Island education and athletics powerhouse St. Anthony’s High School this September and will play lacrosse and football.

“It is so rewarding to see a participant in the Hempstead PAL program take the next step,” beamed Metzger. “I’m going to keep a close eye on Adrian as he develops as a player and a fine young man.”

Dylan Willis also received an Outstanding Alumni Award from the team. Willis, a senior midfielder at St. John’s University, also is a previous recipient of the Metzger Award. Willis sports a 3.9 grade point average. He recently received an internship with the Jefferies Financial Group, a diversified financial services company engaged in investment banking and capital markets, asset management and direct investing.

Another annual special recognition, The Michael J. Piegare Award, was presented to Jeremy Henderson. The award was established in memory of a Cold Spring Harbor High School and Pace University lacrosse player to honor a student-athlete who "best displays the character and outstanding attitude that was demonstrated by Michael Piegare in athletics and throughout the course of his life." The award is presented each season by parents Joe and Theresa Piegare.

More Awards

Each player received an award to commemorate the season. Additional awards also were presented to the players.

• Rookie of the Year Award – K’Shaun Edwards
• Mr. Hustle Award – Ryan Jones
• MVP Attack Award – Jah’kai Carter
• MVP Defense Award – Kamari Kinard
• MVP Midfield Award – Joden Bolling, Bentley Cannon and Seth Montgomery
• Tiger Award – Kaywan Cullum
• Don Ryan Coaches Award (named for the former mayor of the Village of Hempstead) – Kyle Damis and Kaylib Bruzon
• Bell Ringer Award – Blake Harris
• Bill Beroza Goalie Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1973 goalie; former USA Lacrosse team member and captain; Israeli National Team coach) – Jeremy Henderson
• John Moore Vaccuum Cleaner Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 midfielder who also played at Rutgers University) – Noach Moore and Kareem Richardson
• Arrion Cross Spirit Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1984 defenseman and retired Hempstead police officer) – Ashard Griffin
• Vincent Louther Sportsmanship Award (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 midfielder who played at Ashland College; retired athletic director of Rockland County's Clarkstown South High School; former New York State High School Lacrosse chairman of Section I) – Kaylib Bruzon and Kyle Damis
• Aaron Jones Most Improved Player-Defense (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1983 defenseman; recipient of the 1983 Howdy Myers Award presented to the best high school defensive player in Nassau County; two-time All-American at Cornell University) – JaSean Grafton and Anthony Morales
• James Ford Most Improved Player-Offense (named for Hempstead High School Class of 1976 all-time leading scorer; three-time All-American at Rutgers University; a member of the Long Island Metro Foundation and Rutgers University halls of fame) – K’Shaun Edwards
• Piegere Foundation Scholarships awarded for the Long Island Recon Summer Lacrosse Tournament Program – Bentley Cannon, Jeremy Henderson, Stephen Love II and Seth Montgomery
• Academic All-Stars – Bentley Cannon, Kyle Damis, K’Shaun Edwards, Blake Harris, Jeremy Henderson, Ryan Jones, Kaylib Bruzon, Kareen Richardson and Stephen Love II