The Uzzi Report III: 2025 lacrosse prospects you need to know for September 1st

We're just 15 days away from September 1st where colleges can then contact lacrosse prospects in the class of 2025. Long Island  has so much 2025 talent across the board and I will be breaking down prospects that will instantly make a program better. Here are a few underrated players, a couple of star athletes and more! Part 4 comes out soon.

Parker McDonald (St Anthony's)- I would have to say he's the top pole in this class here on Long Island. He reminds me of former St Anthony’s legend Greg Campisi with how athletic he is all over the field. I like his ability to play either close or LSM, he is extremely versatile and makes an impact on every play. He has good footwork and speed along with his aggression to dominate his one on one matchups. He collected a bunch of accolades this summer being a showtime and main stage all star along with earning the defensive mvp at the one percent showcase. This summer he showed how much he can affect the offensive side of the field. McDonald had a bunch of goals this summer along with elite stick skills. He proved to be an all around threat thanks to his tremendous ground ball skills and feeding ability. He is also one of the best pure athletes in this class. 

Owen Wuchte (Garden City)- After his freshman and sophomore campaigns, Wuchte has solidified himself as one of the best defensive midfielders on Long Island. And when watching Wuchte play, one word comes to mind and its “toughness”. In the state championship game against Victor, the amount of grit he played with was fun to watch. He delivered some of the biggest hits during that contest and helped secure possession and shift momentum. He’s a player that everyone loves to have on their team due to how reliable he is at his job. He makes plays between the lines and the ruthless defensive midfielder won a bunch of his matchups against some of the better upperclassmen midfielders in the northeast. He is a classic lockdown defender from Garden City

James Pagano (Commack)- One of the top scorers on Long Island that deserves more recognition. Pagano had a breakout season being named all county and registering 43 goals in a tough Suffolk Class A. When watching him against a stellar Smithtown East defense, he had 4 goals on the day. He shredded the top left and top right corner in catch and shoot opportunities. While also scoring as a cutter inside and picking up a tough GB and firing it in. He gets it done in a variety of ways and that’s what makes him so dangerous. Pagano was terrific at dodging from X, as he clearly has added a good burst of acceleration to his game. But Pagano’s range and accuracy as a shooter definitely separates himself as an elite player here on Long Island

Evan Ostrager (Syosset)- Another successful spring and summer for Ostrager. At Syosset he mainly played at LSM but he has the versatility to be a good short stick defensive midfielder. Patience and positioning were two attributes that helped Ostrager have success against some of the better players on Long Island. Like most elite poles on the island, his stick skills are great. He was very active in picking up ground balls and creating offense with his speed. His off ball defending definitely stuck out to me, he has a very active with his stick in passing lanes and was able to come away with interceptions for his team. He’s been tasked with very tough matchups in his young varsity career and he has answered the bell.

Daniel Kolin (Manhasset)- There is no debate that Daniel Kolin is one of the best offensive players in this class here on Long Island. He has underrated strength and the ability to create separation that causes so many issues for defenders. Kolin is one of the smoothest dodgers on Long Island and his quick feet were on full display in the spring and summer. He proved that he was capable of playing great as an attackman and as a midfielder. He was asked to do a lot for Manhasset just as a sophomore and he stepped up as a dodger and an elite finisher. He has a knack for finding the back of the net and now with a lot of those seniors graduating, I think we’ll see how dominant of a dodger Kolin is during the next two years. Look out for him to put up big numbers the next two years 

Michael Kelton (St Anthony's- Another elite defender from St Anthony’s, Kelton has a great combination of physicality and lateral quickness. He proved that he could play defense in spots all over the field. He’s a difficult defender to beat because at the point of contact against a strong player he shows the strength advantage he possesses. He flips his hips well and does a good job staying in front of his player while also having an active stick in their gloves. His versatility as a long stick midfielder was also shown this summer. Kelton was valuable on the wings picking up ground balls and picking off passes. Kelton looks like he’s has the makings of a reliable on ball defender people should keep an eye on.

Carson Turissini (Connetquot)- Everybody found out that Carson Turisinni was a real deal goal scorer after the spring season. He played a big role on Connetquot’s prolific offense, and he registered 47 goals on the year putting him top 15 on all of Long Island. But since the T Birds had amazing senior initiators, Turissini was asked to be more of a finisher and an inside guy and he thrived. He scored a ton of tough goals through contact and had soft hands which enabled him to make plays. He had a quick release and was an excellent outside shooter as well. During the summer, I really got to see that he was a shifty and effective dodger. He collected a nice amount of goals on the run and also made smart feeds to open teammates. 

Jaxon Thompson (Miller Place)- A statement was made this summer for the Miller Place native. I saw Thompson dominate the Long Island Lacrosse Showcase “Nassau vs Suffolk game”. He has incredible size at 6 '2 and 185 pounds and he uses his strength to win his matchups as a bruiser. Thompson certainly has one of the best shots on Long Island, and he did a great job always improving his angle to make it a higher percentage look and he would often cash in. His feeding ability is also getting better, Thompson has his head up and is able to absorb a ton of contact, draw a slide and find the open man with ease. He has a very high ceiling and is an under the radar prospect that won’t be underrated for very long.

The Uzzi Report II: 2025 lacrosse prospects you need to know for September 1st

We're just a couple of weeks away from September 1st where colleges can then contact lacrosse prospects in the class of 2025. Long Island is loaded with 2025 talent across the board and I will be breaking down prospects that will instantly make a program better. Here are a few underrated players, a couple of star athletes and more! Part 3 comes out soon.

Dylan Baumgarth (Northport)- The Northport product had a phenomenal sophomore campaign from the faceoff X. In Suffolk County Class A, he consistently had to go against older and talented D1 faceoff commits but Baumgarth thrived. He was very consistent and was a huge piece of Northport’s third straight Suffolk County championship. He has some of the fastest hands on Long Island and his exits are very clean. He had excellent wing help and he did a great job utilizing his talented teammates but he also was able to do it himself. Baumgarth is also on Team 91 Shock as they were arguably the top 2025 club team in America 

Daniel Lankri (Hewlett)- Making door step saves became a speciality for Lankri during his varsity season with Hewlett. He was able to come away with incredible saves on golden scoring opportunities. The name of the game is athleticism as Lankri displayed his ability to make difficult saves. On low shots was where Lankri looked like a lockdown goaltender. He was quick to get down to those low lasers and he kept good positioning to also save shots that went high with a lot of heat. He had a 61 percent save percentage but it was so impressive considering the types of shots he faced during his sophomore season. 

Erik Heimlich (Islip)- The electric LSM has an incredible motor and plays with so much energy. He was excellent during the spring for Islip as he was one of the more physical poles I saw. He has a great combination of speed and strength to make him a tough defender. Heimlich throws solid stick checks and when he pressures his matchup he has the balance of being aggressive and controlled. He’s shown time and time again that he’s amazing at picking up GB’s and he’ll be off to the races. His speed and ability to create offense helps his team out a ton. He’ll have big responsibilities for this Islip defense taking on a tough competition. 

Jack Deliberti (Northport)- One of the best pure goal scorers in the 2025 class here on Long Island. He’s had back to back successful varsity seasons. He’s an incredible catch and shoot player. His release is so smooth and he’s easily one of the most accurate shooters you’ll see. He does a good job creating space off the ball and he was a threat from anywhere within 16 yards to fire it past the netminder. I loved the variation of his shots which makes him so hard to scout as a shooter if you're the opposition. As a dodger he used his size to his advantage and knew how to get leverage and shoot around his defenders under pressure. 

Connor Kuttin (Chaminade)- He’s in the conversation as the top 2025 prospect on Long Island and it’s easy to see due to how he plays the game. It’s almost like he’s 3 steps ahead of everyone else on the field. His anticipation and feel for the game is second to none. Kuttin is going to be an elite quarterback for the Chaminade offense this season. It doesn’t matter if he’s a little undersized, he causes such issues with his quick first step and ridiculous feeding ability. He makes the best reads out of any attackman on Long Island and he truly makes his teammates better. Kuttin still possesses an excellent shot along with his college level IQ, he’ll rack up a ton of points during his junior season. 

Mickey Faulkner (West Islip)- It was a breakout sophomore season from Mick Faulkner, as he was a leader on defense for a West Islip team that won a county title. Faulkner is a patient on ball defender with amazing footwork. He always had his stick in the oppositions gloves, pestering them and staying in front of them. At LSM, he has some of the best acceleration I’ve seen on Long Island in this class. He was a clearing machine for the Lions as he created transition opportunities. When he didn’t have numbers, he made smart passes to his teammates to set up the offense. During the tough Suffolk County Class B playoffs, Faulkner was known as a reliable player just as a sophomore 

Gio Massaro (St Anthony's)- The strong righty attackman had an amazing summer for Long Island Express and the individual showcases he went to. He’s a bruising type of dodger with excellent stick skills. I loved him during the LILJ all star game this summer, as Massaro showed the versatility in his game. He was able to dodge from X and come away with a slick back handed finish. And like multiple times this summer, he displayed his ability to dodge from up top. Massaro is such a strong downhill dodger and proved he can score on the run after embracing tough contact. For St Anthony’s this year, I could see him being great off ball and everyone will see his cannon of a shot 

Sean Connolly (Chaminade)- A great all around midfielder from Chaminade. He was the captain for the Flyers JV team and he has a heavy right handed shot that gave goalies issues. He’s a player who can go two ways and make plays on the wings. He has great leadership skills and toughness between the lines. I loved Connolly’s mentality when it came to clearing the ball and getting GB’s for his team. He was terrific on offense for Chaminade in the spring, as he was an elite distributor from the midfield. And this summer, he made every hustle play against top competition. He’s a player that impacts the game wherever you need him.

Devon Larsen (Ward Melville)- He has some of the most natural strength I’ve seen in this class. During the football season, he was an extremely tough lineman going against future college football players. Larsen benches over 300 pounds and at close defense he physically was able to push around his attackman and deliver crushing hits with ease. But along with this strength, he has extremely underrated quickness. He has good feet and he flips his hips well and is able to stay with quicker players. He often wins physical battles and throws good checks. Now although he isn't the tallest prospect, Larsen is tough as nails and has good stick skills. He’s one of the strongest 2025 lacrosse prospects on the island 

The Uzzi Report: 2025 prospects you need to know for September 1st

We're just a month away from September 1st where colleges can then contact lacrosse prospects in the class of 2025. Long Island is filled with 2025 talent across the board and I will be breaking down prospects that will instantly make a program better. Here are a few underrated players, a couple of star athletes and more! Part 2 comes out soon.

Alex Ruddy- (St Anthony's) Ruddy was a big part of one of the greatest junior varsity teams ever assembled this past spring at St Anthony’s. He has a cannon of a right handed shot but where Ruddy thrives is unsettled situations. Ruddy seemed to always be the beneficiary as both a passer and a feeder. He was a terrific dodger off ball movement as well, Ruddy is great in transition and as a downhill dodger. I loved the fact that he made an impact in so many areas this spring, he was effective on the wing, as an inside guy and showed he could play defense as well. 

Blake Cascadden- (Garden City) One of the best pure athletes in this class here on Long Island. I saw him at the LILJ 2025 all star game and he was a clearing machine. He’s an exciting between the lines player with a lot of toughness. Cascadden will get you ground balls, clear it with ease and also deliver some great defense. I’m expecting him to be a great two way midfielder for Garden City in the future, and he has Division 1 level athleticism. I’d expect him to get a bunch of calls on September 1st. 

Richie Metzger- (Carey) Metzger is a big game player and that’s what you love in a goalie. This spring he posted a 62% save percentage and he had the game winning save for Carey in their upset win over Syossst. Metzger has quick hands and terrific fundamentals in net. His underrated athleticism is accompanied by his leadership skills. He’s led a terrific Igloo Northface Defense for multiple years now. He’s the type of goalie that will be All County next season and is an All Long Island Caliber net minder by the end of his high school career.   

Peter Gerbasi- (Chaminade) Some of the best wing play from an LSM you’ll see. Gerbasi is groundball machine and he successfully cleared the ball a ton for the Flyers during the spring. The Chaminade product throws hard and accurate checks to cause turnovers. He’s a good 1v1 defender but what I loved about him was how he’d cause turnovers right after the faceoff. Gerbasi hounds the opposition and he’s certainly one of the stronger and more physical players in this class. He’s not the flashiest LSM, but he does his job and is nightmare to beat 1 on 1. Look for him to gain plenty of attention. 

Anthony Raio- (Hills) He had the best high school season out of any sophomore on Long Island. Raio stepped up for a young Hills team and made them contenders in Suffolk Class A. He registered 90 points and he was one of the best dodgers on Long Island. Whether it was dodging down the alley or getting right handed sweeps, he was making it look easy. His quick and smooth release, along with the velocity on his shot terrorized goalies in the spring. Raio also made smart decisions and set up teammates. He’s a prototype high level division 1 midfielder with size, speed and exceptional goal scoring ability. 

Gary Merril- (St Anthony's) After this summer some people think Merril is the top midfielder in the entire 2025 class and I don’t blame them. He helped Team 91 Shock to a national championship and he’s everything you want in a number one midfielder. He has good size at 6’1 170 and his athleticism and dodging versatility is special. Getting his hands free was never a struggle and Merril is an elite two handed shooter on the run. There there were very few players in the nation that were able stay with him this summer. Look for Merril to be an elite goal scorer for St Anthony’s the next two years 

Tyler Strohm- (Comsewogue) The Comsewogue defender has ridiculous measurables for a 2025 prospect. Listed at 6’5 and 215 pounds, Strohm is one of the biggest defenders on the island. He’s an intriguing prospect as when I’ve seen him in person I liked his stick skills a lot. Strohm did a great job picking up GB’s and was terrific at handling the ball. He made great passes and was able to move the ball well, and he threw some solid stick checks. Once his footwork and lateral quickness get better over time, we’re looking at a legit defender at the next level. His ceiling is extremely high, I think coaches will love working with Strohm. 

Derek Busking (West Islip) What statement Busking made this spring, he registered 41 goals and played a huge role in West Islip’s Suffolk County Championship. His first step and explosiveness made him so difficult to guard. He was excellent working from X, Busking constantly created separation which allowed him to score and dish out the rock. I loved his ability to catch and finish along with being the initiator and finding cutters inside. He’s listed at 5’8 150 but he plays bigger than he is, Busking finished through contact a ton and he’s an overall hard nosed attackman with a ton of skill.