Medina lacrosse squad has underclassmen dominated lineup

Photo by Mike Wertman – Anchoring the Medina High varsity lacrosse team this season is this quintet of returning starters. In front are Aaron Feltz, Dylan Lewis and Brett Pecoraro. In back are Kyle Barna and Nate Hodgins.

With 10 juniors, six sophomores, one freshman and only three seniors on the 20 player squad the accent is certainly on youth for the Medina High varsity lacrosse team this spring.

“Even though we’re young that’s no excuse,” said Mustangs Coach Gordy Luthart. “We’re going to have to grow up in a hurry. We got a little taste of winning last year and we’re hoping to continue to build on last year.”

Medina went 5-5 in the Class C Division and 12-6 overall last spring.

Looking to develop a balanced attack to offset some major goal production losses to graduation will be key for the Mustangs this season.

Senior Kyle Barna, who scored 72 goals last spring, heads the returning offensive contingent for Medina whose graduation losses up front include Ben Austin (74 goals last year), Derek Fuller (40 goals) and Matt Zacher (30 goals). Austin and Fuller are now both playing collegiate lacrosse at Pffeifer College in North Carolina and Community College of the Finger Lakes respectively.

Medina’s graduation losses also include midfielders Drew McMurray and Anthony Grazioplene, defenders Bryer Boyce and Dan Reigle and goalie Tommy Zacher.

Medina’s returning offensive group includes juniors Brett Pecoraro (19 goals) and Aaron Feltz (10 goals) along with sophomores Tyler Valley (8 goals) and Greg Husung.

The Mustangs also return experience on defense in senior Nate Hodgins and sophomore Dylan Lewis and in goal in junior Adam Cotter.

“With our youth we’re going to have to step it up,” said Luthart. “We have to continue to score and we’re looking to have more of a balanced attack to do that this season. But since we don’t have the offensive punch we had last year we also have to play real solid defense and we have to play smart.”

The Mustangs roster also includes senior defender Phil Schicker, junior defenders Andrew Nichols, Michael Hinkley and Tom Winters, junior attacker Brett Jepson, junior midfielders Nick Dipadova, Bryce Bellan and Brock Rosenberg, sophomore defenders Charlie Enderby and Kalvin Packer, sophomore midfielder Andrew Wigley and freshman midfielder Jake Cotter.

“This group has a lot of enthusiasm and we will work hard and compete,” said Luthart.

The Mustangs are scheduled to host host Williamsville East in scrimmage this Friday and Batavia in the non league opener on March 31 before beginning Section VI Class C Division competition at home on April 2 against Amherst.

“It’s definitely a challenging league,” said Luthart of the Class C Division. “Top to bottom I think it is the toughest division.”

The Mustangs schedule is as follows:
March 32 – Batavia, 5 p.m.
April 2 – Amherst, 5 p.m.
April 4 – at Wilson, 5 p.m.
April 5 – vs. Palmyra-Macedon at Genesee Community College, 3 p.m.
April 8 – at Eden, 5 p.m.
April 10 – East Aurora, 5 p.m.
April 23 – at Gowanda, 5:30 p.m.
April 25 – at Lockport, 5 p.m.
April 26 – Wilson, 1 p.m.
April 29 – Lew-Port, 5 p.m.
May 1 – Salamanca, 5:30 p.m.
May 3 – at Batavia, 4 p.m.
May 5 – at Akron, 5 p.m.
May 7 – Silver Creek, 5:30 p.m.
May 9 – at Lew-Port, 5 p.m.
May 12 – at Newark, 5:30 p.m.