For the second straight season a player from Smithtown East was selected as the winner of the Ray Enners Award as the top boy’s lacrosse player in Suffolk County. Gerard Arceri won the honor for the 2016 season and is one of the top faceoff specialists in the country.

"Being chosen as the recipient of the Ray Enners Award is an incredible honor," said Arceri. "It means that the coaches of Suffolk County recognized my hard work and dedication to the sport, as well as my willingness to always compete with pride and determination both on and off the field."

Arceri had heard of the Enners Award and the man it's named after thanks to attending previous All-County award dinners as an underclassman. He never imagined he’d earn the honor.

"[Ray Enners] was a selfless teammate, who always tried to make others around him better," Arceri said."He was a humble leader who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. He is a true inspiration, and I intend on living my life holding his philosophies as my own."

Playing lacrosse in Smithtoswn has provided Arceri with a strong foundation of fundamentals for how to play the game and how to represent himself on and off the field. He credits his high school program with teaching him how to win, and how to lose with dignity. He has learned that hard work truly does pay off, but that it never ends.

"I have learned to never take success for granted," he said. "I have been privileged to have developed lifelong friendships and memories. I have had supportive coaches who were always there to help guide me. Smithtown lacrosse has been a family to me. We all help each other become better individuals both on and off the field. I feel blessed and privileged to have been a part of this life changing program that has opened so many doors for me."

The Penn State bound Arceri credits his best moments on the field as the ones where he dominated in the faceoff circle and eventually beat other top future Division I recruits with ease. He also helped the Bulls win two straight Suffolk County championships.

Arceri credits his family and coaches for building him into the leader he is today. The lesson of accountability resonates with him most, and he learned this from Smithtown East coach Jason Lambert.

"As a leader, and team captain, it is important to set guidelines for my behavior and attitude both on and off the field, as I represent myself, my team, my family, and my community," he said.

Now he's also representing all Enners Award winners across the country. Not a bad class to be in.

The Gerard Arceri File
2x US Lacrosse All-American
Under Armour Senior All-American
3x All-County
3x Team MVP
3x All-Long Island Team
3x All-Metro Team Member of U-19 US Lacrosse team and Team Captain.
Stats: 2016 season: 85% F/O wins, Career overall: 82%
In addition to Lacrosse, played varsity soccer