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)

10 Random Notes on the GCC

In honor of Mentor joining a new league in 2015, here are some thoughts, stats, schedules, and opinions on the Greater Cleveland Conference...

    

1) The Greater Cleveland Conference features seven schools (Mentor, Solon, Shaker Heights, Brunswick, Strongsville, Elyria, and Medina) from the now defunct Northeast Ohio Conference and one (Euclid) from the Lake Erie League. The original GCC ended in 1998 as the final members fled to start/join other leagues. Mentor (1967-1993) and Euclid (1950-1998) are the only members of the new GCC that were in the original. 

2) The league is mostly filled with teams from the big school division of the NOC. Many of these schools are considered too big or too successful to be included in leagues like the Western Reserve Conference, Suburban League, or Southwest Conference. For those reasons, the GCC teams all need each other and the league is a good fit. 

3) Over the past 10 seasons, Mentor and Solon lead all GCC teams with 8 playoff appearances. Here is how the rest of the league has fared since 2005: Brunswick (7 playoff appearances), Euclid (4), Elyria (3), Shaker Heights (2), Medina (2), and Strongsville (1). 

4) None of the GCC schools have won a state football championship. Three schools have been state runner-up: Mentor (2006, 2007, 2013), Solon (2000), and Brunswick (1995). 

5) Half of the GCC made the playoffs last year: Mentor, Solon, Brunswick, and Elyria. Mentor won two playoff games while the other three lost in the first round. 

6) There are some big name coaches in the league. Mentor's Steve Trivisonno (24 playoff wins, 6 regional titles) is one of the most accomplished coaches in all of Ohio. Solon's Jim McQuaide has been a longtime head coach with all kinds of success at his current school (10 playoff appearances in 12 years) as well as St Edward. Euclid's Jeff Rotsky has been a program changer at Chanel, Maple Heights, and Cleveland Heights. Larry Laird (Strongsville) has a brief, but strong reputation too. He helped turn around Medina to their fiest ever playoff win in 2010.  Elyria's Kevin Fell was inducted in the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2008. Fell has coached at five different schools and gone to the playoffs with all of them. Jarvis Gibson (Shaker), Dan Sutherland (Medina), and Luke Beal (Brunswick) are the other league coaches.

7) Per the most recent figures, here is how each of the teams are ranked in enrollment (grades 9-11) by the OHSAA: Mentor (987 boys), Brunswick (896), Elyria (869), Medina (830), Euclid (791), Shaker (739), Strongsville (741), and Solon (647). 

8) All of the teams are in Division I, Region 1. With nearly half (16 out of 35) of the Region 1 teams making the playoffs, there is an excellent chance that at least three GCC teams will qualify. Whether or not four or five can qualify depends on how the GCC teams fare in non-league play. 

9) Ranking the non-league strength of  schedules for all eight teams (opponents coming off a 2014 playoff berth are underlined):

1. Mentor (Boardman, St Ignatius, @ St Xavier)
2. Brunswick (@ Highland, Fitch, Brecksville)
3. Strongsville (Avon, @Hudson, @ Brush)
4. Euclid (@ Glenville, Canada's South Collegiate, Willoughby South)
5. Medina (Lakewood, @ Kenston, Wadsworth)
6. Elyria (@ Avon Lake, @ Lorain, Shaw)
7. Solon (Aurora, @ Twinsburg, Canada's St Thomas Moore)
8. Shaker Heights (@University, Cleveland JFK, East Tech)

10) In recent years, Mentor has dominated the teams now in the GCC. The Cardinals are 21-0 against them since 2011. The average margin of victory is 30.4 points. Below is a breakdown of the recent history between Mentor and the seven other GCC programs:

Shaker Heights: Mentor has won 8 in a row over the Raiders.  The Cards won the last 6 LEL meetings (2005-2010) plus their two NOC games in 2013 and 2014.  Mentor's last loss to Shaker was an overtime game in 2004. 

Euclid: Mentor has won the last 7 meetings with the Panthers. The last Euclid victory was in 2007 against a soon-to-be state runner up Mentor team. Certainly one of the top regular season wins in Euclid's history.

Strongsville: Mentor has played Strongsville annually since 2006. Mentor is 8-2 since that series began. They lost the regular season game and playoff rematch in the 2008 season. That Strongsville team was among the most successful in program history.

Solon: Of all the teams listed, the Comets are clearly Mentor's rival. After Solon mostly dominated the first half of the series, Mentor has won 10 of the last 12 games with the Comets. Mentor has won all four playoff matchups (2002, 2006, 2007, 2011) between the two.

Brunswick: Since the two started playing in the NOC in 2011, Mentor won all five meetings. That included a playoff win in the 2013 season. Mentor also defeated Brunswick in the 2007 state semifinal.

Medina: Mentor played the Bees just twice (2011 and 2012) recently. The Cards won the two games by a combined 80 points. 

Elyria: These two haven't played since their LEL days. Mentor won the last meeting, which was in 2002. 

Opponent Preview: Shaker Heights (Week 5)

**Disclaimer: This is a fan blog and NOT associated with the Mentor football program

This is the fourth of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2015 season. Click below for other opponent previews:

Week 1 - Boardman

Week 2 - St Ignatius

Week 3 - St Xavier

Week 4 - Euclid

Week 5

Who: Shaker Heights

What: Northeast Ohio Conference crossover game

Where: Rupp Field

When: September 26 at 1:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jarvis Gibson (6th season at Shaker, 19-31 regular season record, 0-1 in playoffs)

History:  Mentor and Shaker played annually in the Lake Erie League from 1993 to 2010.  Mentor held a slight edge (9-7) during that time.  The two had a short two-year stint together in the NOC (Mentor won both matchups). Now Shaker joins Mentor and six other teams in the GCC. Mentor won the last two meetings by a combined score of 103-26. 

Looking Back...

Shaker Heights took some steps back last season after building positive momentum in 2012 (8-2 record) and 2013 (playoff appearance). Shaker only had one win last season and it was against a Normandy team that was 0-10. Mentor beat the Raiders, 49-12.

Schedule...

Shaker's non-league schedule includes University, East Tech, and JFK. University School has been a little down lately. They finished 4-6 last year. The other two games against East Tech (2-8) and JFK (4-6) of the Senate League are also winnable games. Shaker will need to take advantage of that portion of the schedule. The Raiders head into the new league as an underdog. Mentor, Solon, Brunswick, Elyria, Strongsville, etc. present the most challenging football league Shaker has probably ever been in. The Raiders have just one playoff appearance in the last ten seasons. They will need to take a few steps forward with their football program in order to compete with the top of the league.

2015 Shaker Heights Outlook...

After a down season, Shaker does bring back a lot of experience. It is always a good thing to have your QB return. Craig Robinson and Erick Barksdale Jr both had opportunities last season. Robinson has moved out of state. Barksdale could be in the mix at QB or another position. Marcus Carthton brings skill and experience to the receiver position. On the line, Gary Harris returns as a three-year starter and all-league performer. Shaker's running game has been the focal point of the offense under Gibson. Last year's primary ball carriers have graduated.

Defensively, Shaker had a difficult time in 2014. The Raiders gave up an average of 43 points in their last 5 losses. Until they can start getting some improvement from that side of the ball, they will have a tough time keeping up with the best of the GCC. Wright and Harris play both ways and are two of the top returning defensive players.

Shaker will have a tough time getting a win or two in the league, but they are fully capable of winning a couple non-league games. Shaker should be able to improve on last year's 1-9 record...but not by much. 

Next Preview: Solon (Week 6)

Opponent Preview: Euclid (Week 4)

**Disclaimer: This is a fan blog and NOT associated with the Mentor football program

This is the fourth of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2015 season. Click below for other opponent previews:

Week 1 - Boardman
Week 2 - St Ignatius
Week 3 - St Xavier

Week 4

Who: Euclid Panthers

What: Greater Cleveland Conference opener

Where: Jerome T Osborne Stadium

When: September 18th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jeff Rotsky (1st season at Euclid)

History:  Mentor and Euclid have played one another for decades, having been in the old GCC and LEL together. The Cardinals have an edge (22-16) in the overall series. After a four year hiatus with Mentor in the NOC, the two teams are back in the same league.

Looking Back...
Last year, Mentor won their 7th straight game over Euclid with a 49-0 win.  It was the second straight season Mentor shut out the Panthers. Euclid was 4-5 last year while facing a schedule with six playoff teams.  Euclid did have two wins over playoff teams (Maple Heights and VASJ). After the season, Tom Gibbons stepped down as head coach after seven seasons. Standout defensive players LB Harrison Roberts (Bowling Green) and DE Christian Woods were three-year starters that have graduated.

Schedule...
Euclid's non-conference schedule has Glenville, Willoughby South, and South Collegiate Institute (Canada).  It is pretty rare for a Canadian team to pose a threat to an Ohio team. That should be an easy win for the Panthers. Glenville and South will pose quite a challenge. Both have seen various levels of success for an extended period. If Euclid hopes to return to the playoffs, winning one of those two games would go a long way. The newly reformed GCC schedule includes a few 2014 playoffs teams: Solon, Brunswick, and Elyria.

2015 Euclid Outlook...
The biggest splash made in the program over the last year has been the hiring of Jeff Rotsky. After the departure of Gibbons, the program will have a different kind of leader in Rotsky. After years of successfully building Cleveland area programs like Chanel, Maple Heights, and Cleveland Heights - Rotsky will look to do similar things on E. 222nd. The Panthers haven't made the playoffs since 2009. Their last winning season was in 2012. Euclid has a stronger football heritage than the previous programs Rotsky took over.

Offensively, Euclid used two QB's last season. Both of them return: senior Terry Duckworth and junior Noah Mitchell. Duckworth has had varsity experience at the position since he was a sophomore. He is more of a threat with his legs while Mitchell is more reliant on his arm. Mitchell probably has the upper hand, but don't be surprised if both end up playing. Two-way player Aaron Berry was an All-District receiver last season. Berry should be the top target for whomever is playing QB. David Wright, a starting receiver for Shaker last season, has transferred to Euclid. Chris Collins should be the feature back after a productive junior season in which he split duties with Taji Holden.

On the defensive side of the ball, the returning standouts include Berry and Keon Williams in the secondary. Newcomer Anthony Johnson (transfer from Cleveland Heights) had 50 tackles last year. Johnson has several DI offers that include Kentucky, Cincinnati, and several MAC teams. The 6'3, 185-pound cornerback could also make an impact on offense at receiver if needed. The secondary is loaded with talent. The defense does have a gaping hole in the front seven when trying to replace Roberts/Woods.

Expect bigger things for Rotsky and Euclid going forward. The 2015 season will be a transition: new league, new coach, new players. Euclid will probably be closer to the bottom of the GCC than the top, but never underestimate a sleeping giant.

Next Preview:  Shaker Heights (Week 5)

Opponent Preview: St Xavier (Week 3)

Disclaimer: This is a fan blog and NOT associated with the Mentor football program

This is the third of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2015 season.  See the Week 2 preview on St Ignatius here.

Week 3

Who: St Xavier

What: Non-league game

Where: Ballaban Field (Cincinnati)

When: September 11th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Steve Specht (12th season, 2 state titles)

History: Mentor and St Xavier last met in the 2007 state championship game.  Mentor's Mr. Football QB Bart Tanski and the high octane offense were completely suffocated by the St Xavier defense.  The Bombers won their second title in three years with a 27-0 win over the Cardinals.  The two teams have never met in the regular season.

Looking Back...
While playing one of the most difficult schedules in Ohio, the Bombers had an impressive 8-2 record.  It included wins over Indianapolis Cathedral (2014 state champs), LaSalle (2014 DII state champs), and three other Ohio playoff teams (St Ignatius, Colerain, and Elder).  St X won two playoff games that included a rematch win over Colerain.  In a playoff rematch with Moeller, the Bombers lost 21-0 in the regional semifinal.  Key seniors on the 2014 team include All-Ohio LB Justin Hilliard (Ohio State) and RB Ben Glines (Boston College).

Schedule...
St Xavier plays in the very challenging Greater Catholic League.  This four-team league has a total of seven state titles since 2002.  St. X is notorious for often having one of the most challenging schedules in the country, let alone in the state.  Along with playing the three GCL schools (Moeller, Elder, and LaSalle), fellow Cincinnati power Colerain is also on the schedule.  St Ignatius, a fellow Jesuit school, is a long-standing opponent.  Along with Mentor, that is a "who's who" of Ohio schools.  St X has four out of state opponents: Covington Catholic (KY), Indianapolis Cathedral (IN), Warren Central (IN), and Louisville St Xavier (KY).  These four have a wealth of state football titles: Indy Cathedral (12), Louisville St X (12), Warren Central (8), and Covington Catholic (6).  Mentor is the only team on St X's schedule who doesn't have a football state championship.  That says all you need to know as to how challenging their schedule is.

2015 St Xavier Outlook...
The Bombers head into the 2015 season with local, state, and national hype.  A national website puts St Xavier as the No. 3 team in Ohio.  Mentor is ranked No. 15 in the same pre-season poll.

The Bomber offense has very high expectations.  QB Sean Clifford returns after a solid sophomore season.  The 6'4 junior QB (832 passing yards and 9 TD's) has already committed to Penn State.  St X has several returning linemen.  Fellow junior Matt Bockhorst is one of the top at his position/class in the country.  Bockhorst (6'4, 290) already has a growing list of college offers.  6'5 TE Noah Davis (20 receptions for 275 yards and 4 TD's in 2014) has committed to Michigan State.  Replacing Glines at the RB position should be Sean Prophit, another talented junior.  Prophit had 224 yards and 2 TD's on 35 carries.  He had a season-ending injuring during Week 3.  Clifford does return some of his top targets from last year.  Davis led the team in reception yards.  Andrew Homer (6'6, 210), a Miami (OH) commit, and junior Colton Paul are two other key receivers that return.

Defensively, St X graduated most of their starters.  Coach Specht has always had good defensive teams, so it shouldn't be a problem to reload.  Safeties J.P. Bitzenhofer (71 tackles in 2014) and Hayden Specht (1st team All-GCL) will be leaders of the defense. Homer was recruited by colleges as a LB and TE, so he could make a transition to the defensive side of the ball.

The Bombers should be one of the top teams in Ohio and will be serious contenders for a third state championship under Specht.  Considering the opponent and the long drive on a Friday afternoon/evening, expect this game to be the biggest challenge on Mentor's schedule.

Next Preview:  Euclid (Week 4)

Opponent Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)

Disclaimer: This is a fan blog and NOT associated with the Mentor football program

This is the second of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2015 season.  See the Week 1 preview here.

Week 2

Who: St Ignatius

What:  Non-league game

Where: Jerome T Osborne Stadium

When: September 4th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Chuck Kyle (33rd season, 11 state titles)

History: St Ignatius leads the regular season series (6-4) dating back to 2005.  Mentor is 3-1 in the playoffs against St Ignatius since 2003.  Coach Triv is an impressive 7-7 against the legendary Coach Kyle.

Looking Back...
Mentor won last year's regular season game 37-33 at Byers Field. The win was the high point of Mentor's season.  The Wildcats finished the season 7-5 (including playoffs).  St Ignatius persevered through a rugged schedule to make the playoffs and earn a 42-14 win over Elyria in Week 11.  Their Week 12 opponent was an undefeated Hudson team that beat Mentor twice last season.  Hudson edged out Ignatius 28-23.  The season had some level of success, but overall it was not a memorable season for the Cats.  When you have won 11 state titles, the bar for a success is set pretty high.

Schedule...
The 2015 schedule includes a rare trifecta with the three Parma high schools (Parma, Normandy, and Valley Forge).  For years, St Ignatius has used Byers Field (owned by Parma City School District) as their home field.  This partnership led to a series with the three schools.  Needless to say, St Ignatius will be heavily favored in all three games.  The other game on the schedule you can chalk up as a victory would be Canada's Brantford Assumption, a team Ignatius handled easily last season.  Those four games are locks.  The other six will be challenging.  Moeller, St Xavier, and St Edward make up the last three games of the season.  Along with St Ignatius, those four schools have won 8 of the last 10 DI state titles.  Walsh Jesuit is on the schedule for the first time since the 90's.  Saint Joseph Prep (Philadelphia), always a strong competitor, returns to the schedule for a second straight season.

2015 St Ignatius Outlook...
The Wildcats are going to be the front runners to win the Region 1 title and serious challengers to win their 12th state title.  They are loaded on the offensive side of the ball.  QB Dennis Grosel is the returning starter.  He had over 2,000 passing yards and 17 TD's last season. His top returning targets include Cal Grbac (son of former NFL QB Elvis Grbac) and All-District receiver Jack Cook.  Cook had 47 receptions for 870 yards and Grbac had 28 catches for 642 yards.  Cook had a team high 12 touchdown receptions.  St Ignatius did not have much of a ground game last year.  Two of the RB's they used (James Norris and Jimmy Andrews) have some promise.  Offensive line is usually a strength for St Ignatius and they do return some of last year's unit.  Highly recruited senior tackle Liam Eichenberg (6'6, 280) is a Notre Dame commit.  The three-year starter, a rarity in Kyle's system, is key to the front 5.  Defensively, the Wildcats graduated a lot of their 2015 starters.  The strong defensive line (led by current OSU freshman Dre'Mont Jones) will be missed.  The secondary should be a strength.  Cook stands out at safety as well as a receiver.  Senior Quin Lawless also returns.  Expect the team to be led by their passing offense.  With a stable running game and defense, the Wildcats could be headed for a big season.  Ignatius may lose a game or two in the regular season with their difficult schedule, but they will be more than ready for state title contention.

Next Preview:  St Xavier (Week 3)

Opponent Preview: Boardman (Week 1)

**Disclaimer:  This is a fan blog and NOT associated with the Mentor football program

Here is the first of my previews of Mentor opponents for the 2015 season.  Every few days or so I will try to post some info on each opponent starting in Week 1 with Boardman.  It will lead up to the beginning of the season.

Week 1

Who: Boardman

What:  2015 regular season opener

Where:  Jerome T. Osborne Stadium

When:  August 28th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Joe Ignazio (3rd season as head coach)

History:  Mentor won last year's meeting at Boardman by a score of 48-14

Looking Back...
Boardman and Mentor have been on different paths lately.  Boardman (2-8) averaged 8.1 ppg while Mentor averaged 39.9.  After starting out 0-7, Boardman knocked off playoff hopefuls Jackson and Canton McKinley in back-to-back weeks.  Boardman is 7-23 during the last three seasons.  Mentor (11-2 in 2014) has more playoff wins (8) than Boardman has regular season wins during since 2012.

Schedule...
Once again, Boardman will have their hands full with a difficult schedule.  Local parochial powers Mooney and Ursuline are both on the schedule for the first time in many years.  Three teams that made the DI playoffs last year (Massillon Perry, Lorain, and Fitch) are also on the schedule.  Along with Mentor, that makes a total of six 2014 playoff teams.  Warren Harding, Canfield, Jackson, and Lakeside are the other opponents.  The Spartans have one of the tougher DII schedules in NEO.

2015 Boardman Outlook...
Boardman is hoping to take a step or two forward after a couple of disappointing seasons.  From 2007 to 2011, the Spartans had three playoff appearances and zero losing seasons.  After three losing seasons in a row, Boardman is hoping to get closer to returning to playoff football.  They will have to find a new QB to do so.  Last year's starting QB Sean Birchfield moved to Florida for his senior season.  Last year's top overall player, LB/TE Eric Croutch, is now playing football at Ohio University.  Boardman had a small group seniors on last year's team, so lots of sophomores and juniors had opportunities.  The Spartans should be a pretty experienced group this season.  The overall varsity numbers should be the highest in the Ignazio tenure.  Three-year starter Mario Graziani had 843 yards rushing in 2014.  The senior RB/LB will be key to the success of the offense.  Leading receiver Travis Koontz returns on offense as well.  On defense, Graziani is one of the Spartans' best as he was 3rd in tackles and led the team in sacks.  Senior LB Erick Ritz returns after leading the team in tackles last season.  Boardman should see some continued improvement during the third year of Ignazio.   With their rugged schedule and recent struggles, don't expect to see a whole lot of wins for Boardman in 2015.

Next Preview:  St Ignatius (Week 2)