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Mustangs lacrosse program is making an impact at the collegiate level

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 19 January 2019 at 12:28 pm

Contributed Photos Brendan Luthart, left, and Ben Austin are among former Medina High players now playing lacrosse at the collegiate level.

When Medina High senior Christian Silversmith signed a Letter of Intent last week to play lacrosse at Medaille College he became just the latest is a steadily growing list of Mustang stickmen to continue their careers at the collegiate level.

The Mustangs current alumni list now playing collegiate lacrosse includes Brendan Luthart, who is a freshman at St. Bonaventure, Jake Cotter, who is a sophomore at SUNY Brockport, Kyle Barna, who is a senior at Lake Erie College, Bryce Bellan, who is a senior at Houghton College and Ben Austin, who is a senior at Lenoir Rhyne College in North Carolina.

In addition, Tommy Zacher (Class of 2013) graduated last year from Canisius College after playing goalie for the Griffins for four years and Blade Garlow (Class of 2011) finished his career at Pfeiffer College in North Carolina with a school record for most goals in a season (67) and a career total of 118 goals.

“All of these kids were definitely the backbone of our team,” said Medina Coach Gordy Luthart. “They were the leaders. They did things in the off season to make themselves better. They had the work ethic and set the example for the other kids.”

That alumni group not surpassingly dominates the Mustangs single season and career record lists. Barna (Class of 2014) is Medina’s career points leader with 280 on 181 goals and 99 assists. Luthart (Class of 2018) is second with 273 points on 163 goals and a school record 110 assists. Cotter (Class of 2017) is in the third spot with 241 points on a school record 199 goals and 43 assists. Austin (Class of 2013) is fifth with 214 points on 133 goals and 81 assists and Garlow (Class of 2011) is sixth with 195 points on 131 goals and 64 assists.

“Their playing at the collegiate level really gets more exposure for Medina kids ” said Luthart. “As a program you develop a reputation that you can develop kids who can play at the next level and that’s really been nice to see. Hopefully it can continue. It’s all the credit though to those kids as they really have put in the work.”