Men’s Lacrosse Team Inks Eight High Profile Recruits – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/2/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Dec. 2, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio – OSU head men’s lacrosse coach Joe Breschi announced today that eight student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to attend Ohio State University and play lacrosse. The eight member class will enroll at Ohio State in the fall of 2000 and consists of midfielder John Dauro (Rockville Centre, N.Y., South Side HS), midfielder Shaun Lyons (Hicksville, N.Y., Hicksville HS), attackman Anthony Gilardi (Baldwin, N.Y., Baldwin HS), midfielder Ryan Laffey (Huntington, N.Y., Huntington HS), midfielder Josh Lesko (Annapolis, Md., Annapolis HS), midfieder/attackman Devin Weatherley (Towson, Md., Loyola HS), defenseman Mike McKenna (Hunt Valley, Md., Loyola HS), and attackman Kent Martin (Great Falls, Va., Langley HS).
“We are very excited about the class of 2004,” Breschi said. “We have added solid depth at the midfield with great speed and goal scoring ability. These athletes recognize the direction our program is headed with the addition of athletic scholarships, the Success Center, and the 10,000-seat Jesse Owens Stadium. The fact that blue-chip recruits like these young men chose Ohio State is a real tribute to the commitment that the Athletics Department has made to men’s lacrosse.”
Ohio State finished 10-3 overall last year and captured a share of the school’s first Great Western Lacrosse League title since 1988. Breschi was named the GWLL Coach of the Year.
John Dauro (Rockville Centre, N.Y., South Side HS)
Dauro was an all-conference selection last year at South Side High School in New York despite playing most of the season through injuries. As a freshman and sophomore, he attended Chaminade High School and captained the team in his final season. He chose Ohio State over Johns Hopkins and the US Naval Academy.
“John is a very solid athlete that can play both ends of the field,” Breschi said. “He is excellent on faceoffs and he can score goals. He plays with great confidence.”
“I came to Ohio State to be part of a rising program that’s going to be great in the future,” Dauro said. “I think the coaching staff was probably the biggest reason I came to OSU. Joe Breschi was the best coach I talked to in the entire recruiting process.”
Shaun Lyons (Hicksville, N.Y., Hicksville HS)
Lyons is in his fourth year as a regular on Hicksville’s (N.Y.) lacrosse team and was a three-year starter at quarterback for the school’s football team. Last season he earned all-conference honors in lacrosse. The 5-11, 185-pound Lyons chose Ohio State over Hofstra and UMass.
“Shaun is a tremendous athlete that has the ability to make a difference right away,” Breschi said. “He has size, speed, and great stick skills.”
“I liked everything about Ohio State,” Lyons said. “Their facilities are amazing, the coaches are great, and academically, there’s so much to choose from. I just thought it was the best fit for me.”
Anthony Gilardi (Baldwin, N.Y., Baldwin HS)
One of the nation’s most prolific goal scorers, Gilardi comes to OSU after earning all-county honors last season and honorable mention all-county accolades as a sophomore. In just 16 games last year, Gilardi totaled 41 goals and 33 assists. He currently has 137 career points at Baldwin High School and is just 37 points shy of becoming the school’s all-time scoring leader. He chose Ohio State over North Carolina, Hofstra, UMass, and Johns Hopkins.
“Anthony is an incredible goal scorer,” Breschi said. “He’s got good all-around athletic ability and great stick skills. He is the kind of player that can dominate offensively.”
“Ohio State had a great group of current players and a great coach in Joe Breschi,” Gilardi said. “I think they’ll contend for a national championship very soon.”
Ryan Laffey (Huntington, N.Y., Huntington HS)
Laffey led his team to a Big Four Championship last season as well as a runner-up finish in the Suffolk County Championship. He tallied 38 goals and 38 assists in 17 games for Huntington High School, and was an all-Division first team selection for the past two seasons. He chose Ohio State over Fairfield and Hobart.
“Ryan is a very solid player that can play both offense and defense,” Breschi said. “He’s great off the ball and is tough and scrappy. He creates opportunities for the offense.”
“The facilities at Ohio State are unbelievable,” Laffey said. “The coaching staff was great and very personable. Everyone seemed really focused on winning there, and that’s what I was looking for.”
Josh Lesko (Annapolis, Md., Annapolis HS)
Lesko comes to Ohio State with an impressive resume at Annapolis High School. He was an all-county selection by both the Baltimore Sun and the Annapolis Capital Gazette last season after totaling 39 goals and 29 assists in 15 games. Lesko also posted one of the state’s top faceoff percentages at 72 percent. As a sophomore, he helped Annapolis to a state title with 13 goals and five assists after missing the first six games of the season with an injury. Lesko also was selected to represent Maryland on the 1999 Baystate team. He chose Ohio State over Delaware and Johns Hopkins.
“Josh is an excellent faceoff player who can create transition,” Breschi said. “He’s a solid athlete that can be effective on both ends of the field.”
“Ohio State is an up-and-coming program with lots of potential,” Lesko said. “Each year they get some excellent recruits from the Baltimore area. The program seems to get great support from the athletic department, too. They are intent on making the team a national championship contender.”
Mike McKenna (Hunt Valley, Md., Loyola HS)
The 6-2, 200-pound McKenna helped Loyola High School to the championship game of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association finals last season. He is also a standout two-way player on the school’s football team. McKenna chose Ohio State over Villanova, Bucknell, and Gettysburg.
“Mike is a great athlete with good speed and quickness,” Breschi said. “He plays solid position defense and can shut down an attacker with his physical style.”
“Ohio State is definitely and up-and-coming program,” McKenna said. “Coach Breschi is doing a great job getting the right guys in there. The school also meets my academic needs.”
Devin Weatherley (Towson, Md., Loyola HS)
Weatherly, a teammate of McKenna’s at Loyola, notched 38 goals and 38 assists last year in 21 games. He was an honorable mention all-area selection according to the Towson Times, and chose Ohio State over Johns Hopkins.
“Devin has great field savvy and scoring ability,” Breschi said. “He can control the tempo of a game and has the versatility to play anywhere on the field and be effective. He’s also got superb stick skills.”
“I really liked coach Breschi,” Weatherley said. “I really wanted to play for him. He’s so enthusiastic. I liked the school spirit and the athletic facilities are unbeatable. Ohio State also offers so many majors and classes that it’s tough to go wrong.”
Kent Martin (Great Falls, Va., Langley HS)
The 5-10, 170-pound Martin recorded 37 goals and 14 assists in 12 games last season at Langley High School. He also played football for three years at Langley and was a standout running back. He chose Ohio State over Delaware and Bucknell.
“Kent has great speed and tons of quickness,” Breschi said. “He can dominate offensively with his stick skills. He’s got tremendous field savvy and can put pressure on any defense. We think he’ll be a solid goal scorer for us.”
“I felt like the coaching staff at Ohio State was really friendly,” Martin said. “The program is already strong and has a really great future. I really enjoyed everything about the school.”
— OSU —
