Opponent Preview: Solon (Week 6)

**Disclaimer: This is a fan blog. It is not affiliated with the Mentor football program.

This is the sixth of my opponent previews. To view the other previews for the first five opponents, click on the team: Boardman (Week 1), St Ignatius (Week 2), St Xavier (Week 3), Euclid (Week 4), and Shaker Heights (Week 5)

Week 6

 

Who: Solon

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Solon Stewart Field

When: October 2nd at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jim McQuaide (101-37 at Solon, 177-99 overall)

History: Mentor leads the overall series 12-9. Solon leads the regular season series 9-8, but Mentor has won all four playoff meetings (2002, 2006, 2007, 2011). Mentor has won the last five games against Solon.

Looking Back…

Solon started off the 2014 season winning their first five games. It included wins over two playoff teams (Kenston and South). The season unraveled after that point. The Comets lost five of their last six games. One of those losses was a 42-16 set back to Mentor. Solon lost 23-10 to Westerville Central in Week 11. It was the second consecutive season that Solon made the playoffs at 6-4 and had to travel to Westerville. Some of the top departed seniors include All-Ohio defensive players (LB John Sensibaugh and DE Tyree Seals)

Solon has one of the highest reputations among NEO football, but the past few years have seen a step back for the program. From 1996-2011, Solon lost a total of 16 regular season games. The Comets lost 13 regular season games in just the past three seasons.

Schedule…

As I posted on my GCC notes, Solon has a pretty easy non-conference schedule. Twinsburg has gone 3-17 the past two seasons. The Tigers and Comets are local rivals that have been on each other's schedule for years. Solon has dominated the series and 2015 should be more of the same. Solon's other very winnable game is with St Thomas Moore of Canada. Ohio teams almost always easily beat our international neighbors. Those two games provide little test for a program with high aspirations. The one test on the non-conference schedule is Aurora, a DIII team. The Greenmen have been one of the most consistent teams in all of Ohio over the last ten seasons. They have made the playoffs every year since 2005. It included four regional titles and one state title (2008). Solon will hope to start 3-0 to build momentum for their first year in the GCC. Most of the GCC teams are familiar foes from their NOC days. Aside from Mentor, the biggest game on the season will be Brunswick. The Comets split their 8 games with the Blue Devils while both were in the NOC. Solon was 3-1 against Brunswick at home, which is where the 2015 game will be. The Comets have dominated the series lately with other GCC teams. Since 2004, Solon is 25-1 against Strongsville, Medina, Elyria, and Shaker. 

 

2015 Solon Outlook…

Solon took some lumps last season. The good news is that it was a young and talented team. Much of last year's offense returns. Solon's version of "Johnny Football" (senior QB Johnny Mooney) will lead the offense after a solid junior season. Mooney threw for 1,112 yards and 13 TD's. He managed the game well and had just three interceptions in the regular season. If Mooney can progress in his second year as varsity QB, the offense will be in great hands. Solon's bread and butter over the years has been their running game. The Comets have a couple of talented returning backs in Melvin Jackson (over 900 yards rushing as a sophomore) and senior Gil Barksdale. Jackson led the team with 8 rushing TD's last season. Barksdale and Jackson combined for 27 catches last season as well. Last year's leading receiver, Jake McCurry, returns. Tim Harmondy is another experienced receiver. Not many teams in the league (if any) return as many skill players on offense as Solon.  

Many great Solon teams over the years have excelled with All-Ohio football talent on defense.  In order for this year's Solon team to take steps back toward success - it has to start with their defense. Their top two defensive players from 2014 have graduated, but the cupboard is not bare. LB Zach Lesko is a three-year starter and a key part of the defense. Most of the defensive lineman were seniors last season, so the Comets will need a new group to step up and make plays in their 4-3 scheme. Solon often relies on their best athletes making plays on both sides of the ball. Barksdale and McCury are ball hawks in the secondary with a combined 7 interceptions and 85 tackles last season.  

If the Comets can use their experience and skill on offense in creative and effective ways, they will be a tough team to beat. If the defense can overcome graduation hits to play at a high level, this team should win a playoff game for the first time since 2011. Considering their returning talent and schedule, anything less than 8 regular season wins would be a surprise. Expect Solon to be the biggest test for Mentor in the GCC.

Next: Medina (Week 7)