LI’s Edward Blatz Jr., a lacrosse player at Georgetown, dies at 21
Ed Blatz Jr. of Garden City High School poses for a headshot during the Newsday All-Long Island boys' lacrosse photo shoot in 2013. Credit: James Escher
Ed Blatz Jr., 21, a former two-sport standout at Garden City High School and junior on the Georgetown men’s lacrosse team, died early Sunday, according to a university-wide email sent by Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson on Sunday afternoon. The cause of death was not specified.
The 6-5, 215-pound Blatz, who graduated from Garden City in 2013, led the Trojans to two state Class B lacrosse championships and a Long Island Class II football title. He was named to the All-Long Island first team in lacrosse and second team in football and was Garden City’s all-time leader in receptions and touchdown catches.
“He was one of my favorites of all time,” said Garden City football coach Dave Ettinger, who was the Trojans’ assistant coach in Blatz’s senior year in 2012. “He just texted me for my birthday last week. He’s a special kind of guy, someone who had his entire life in front of him. Graduation, a great job and a family life were next in order for Eddie.”
Ettinger said the news was so shocking that he had to sit down. “I immediately thought of his parents. They are unbelievable people,” he said. “And I can’t imagine what they’re going through. This really shakes you up. It’s awful.”
Ettinger said Blatz was the kind of person everyone wanted to be around. “We just watched him play on television against Virginia on Saturday night,” he said. “He was just an incredible athlete and a guy I loved spending time with.”
Blatz is survived by his parents, Anne Marie and Edward Blatz Sr., and two older sisters, Elizabeth and Jessica. Services were held Sunday night at Georgetown.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
