Pre-Season All-GCC Team

Offense

QB Jony Major, Strongsville - The dual threat QB has 1,880 passing yards and 925 rushing yards in his career
RB Brandon Wright, Euclid - The 6'3, 215-pound back is headed to Michigan State
WR Trevon Raphael, Solon - Michigan is among the teams that has offered the 6'4 senior
WR Dre'Von Lindsay, Euclid - Had over 700 reception yards each of the past two seasons
WR Luke Floriea, Mentor - Speedster was second on the team in 2017 in catches, yards, and touchdowns
WR Chris Kelly, Medina - Two way starter was one of Medina's leading playmakers last season
OL JD Duplain, Strongsville - The two-way lineman is a three-year starter headed to Michigan State
OL Ryan Jacoby, Mentor - After being offered by most major colleges, Jacoby (6'5, 240) chose Ohio State
OL Jalen Jackson, Euclid - One of four returning lineman for Euclid, Jackson (6'3, 295) was 2nd team All-District
OL Nick Samac, Mentor - The 6'4, 260-pound guard is committed to Michigan State
OL Darrius Johnson, Euclid - At 6'3 and 315-pounds, Johnson has offers from Indiana, Marshall, and Akron

Defense

DE Noah Potter, Mentor - A four-star recruit, the OSU-commit had 68 tackles and 10 sacks in 2017
DT Ashawn Berry, Euclid - Two-way lineman earned 1st team All-District honors last season
DL James Pedley, Mentor - A varsity contributor the past two seasons, Pedley is ready for a breakout 2018
DE Nate Leskovec, Solon - This 1st team All-Ohio lineman has numerous BCS offers, including
LB Sean Jackson Jr, Euclid - Senior linebacker was 2nd team All-Ohio last season
LB Michael Laubscher, Solon - Middle linebacker is the Comets' leading returning tackler from 2017
LB Nasir Rashid, Shaker Heights - One of the most talented players in the area, Rashid is committed to the Air Force
DB Sam Bubonics, Solon - The two-way standout excelled in leading the defense in interceptions
DB Joey Gillette, Strongsville - A speedy slot receiver as well, Gillette has offers from FCS schools
DB Jackson Paglio, Mentor - In 2017, Paglio was a sophomore starting all season on an improved defense
DB Job Rand, Euclid - The hard-hitting, ball-hawk safety was 1st team All-District last season

Ranking the Schedule

After spending the last few weeks researching Mentor's ten opponents, I did my best to rank the games in terms of their difficulty. Maybe I will be way off, maybe not.

The Big Ones...

1. St Ignatius (Week 2): Year in and year out, St Ignatius has been the most consistent obstacle on Mentor's schedule since the two started playing in 2005. Coach Kyle has an 8-5 record in regular season games against Mentor. This game is on the road and Mentor has had trouble winning at Byers (2-4 record) in the regular season...although the Cards are 4-0 at Byers in the playoffs against St Ignatius. Offensively, St Ignatius will build around a strong running game while acclimating a new QB. Senior Bo Floyd (1,000-yard rusher last season) and junior Jack Welsh are backs that will test Mentor's run defense. Senior lineman Grant Abbot (Bowling Green) leads a big and talented line. Defensively, the Cats have another standout linebacker in Tommy Eichenberg (Boston College). He will be one of the top playmakers in the state. The Cats are great at using their 3-3 stack defense to frustrate Mentor's passing game. The secondary (led by standout corner Jett Elad and safety Danny Scelza) is very strong. You can bet that the Ignatius defense will be creating a lot of difficult situations for Mentor and their young QB, sophomore Ian Kipp.

2. St Edward (Week 1): Mentor graduated nine offensive starters last season. It would have been nice if Week 1 was against just about anyone else, but not many teams are willing to schedule Mentor. The Eagles have had the most success in Division I this decade, which includes three state titles since 2010. These two have met in the playoffs five times since 2010, with Mentor holding on for a 3-2 edge. The Eagles bring back a few impact starters on both sides of the ball. Garrett Dzuro will get the reigns all to himself after a season of sharing QB responsibilities with Zach Kincaid. Dzuoro has a couple of very talented returning skill players in WR Quintel Kent (Michigan) and RB Jordan Castelberry. The Eagles usually have one of the biggest and most talented offensive lines in the area. Defensively, there aren't as many returning starters. Safeties Caden Kolesar and Daylen Jernigan are two returning impact players that bring back talent and experience to the secondary.

3. Euclid (Week 9): On paper, Euclid might be the most talented opponent on Mentor's schedule. So why put them below St Ignatius and St Edward? Coaching, tradition, depth, and the date of the games are all factors. Mentor's inexperienced offense will look much better by late October than they will in the first game or two. That makes a difference in the difficulty of the matchup. In terms of regular season importance, this is one that will almost certainly decide the winner of the GCC. The Panthers are extremely talented on offense. Their offensive line is not as top heavy as Mentor two tackles headed to the Big Ten. But across the board, Euclid might have the more talented group. On paper, their running situation looks very strong with Michigan State commit Brandon Wright (6'3, 215) getting the bulk of the carries. Receiver Dre'Von Lindsay was a huge matchup problem for Mentor last year. Defensively, Euclid has some indiviual talent. Last year, Mentor scored 61 points on the Panthers. Unlike St Ignatius and St Edward, I think Euclid is a defense that Mentor can really expose. One thing in Euclid's favor is the location. The Cardinals are 8-0 at home against Euclid since 2004, but only 3-3 at Euclid.

Tier 2...

4. Solon (Week 8): In a tier all by themselves, Solon is very capable of beating Mentor and even winning the league. But as we saw last year, they are also capable of having the wheels fall off and come crashing through the end of the season. Solon's offense has some talent, starting with Trevon Raphael at receiver. He scored four touchdowns against Mentor last season in a variety of ways. If Mentor can't contain Raphael, this game will be a major challenge. One of Solon's biggest offensive concerns this season will be getting the QB position figured out. Both teams may end up starting a sophomore QB in this game as Solon's Pat McQuaide (son of Coach McQuaide) looks to be the favorite after getting some varsity reps last year. Defensively, Solon looks very strong at the defensive end position with big time recruit Nate Leskovec and three-year starter, David Marbury. The Comets have been a mainstay on Mentor's schedule for 20 years and they remain one of Mentor's main rivals.

Minor Challenge...

5. Strongsville (Week 4): The Mustangs have been building toward a season like this. Their senior class is deep, talented, and experienced. Many of them got varsity experience as sophomores. Their QB, Jony Major, even started a couple games (including one against Mentor) as a freshman. Major has a chance to be the best QB in the league in 2018. He has an experienced line led by Michigan State commit JD Duplain. Returning starters at skill positions makes for a potent offense. Strongsville has a tough schedule early in the season just like Mentor. This Week 4 game might feel like a must-win for both teams. Since 2006, Mentor has only had one season (2008) where they didn't beat the Mustangs. The game is at JTO Stadium, a place where Mentor has done extremely well. Defensively, it doesn't appear that Strongsville will be able to slow Mentor down. But if their offense gets going, we could see a shootout.

6. Glenville (Week 3): The Tarblooders posed a challenge last season for Mentor. The game was tight in the first half before Mentor pulled away in the 3rd quarter. The Tarblooders are big and physical on the lines. They usually have a very good run-stopping defense. That will put more pressure on sophomore Ian Kipp to make plays at QB. Glenville doesn't have a bunch of DI college recruits like the old days, but they will have enough speed and skill on the outside to keep Mentor's defense honest. Glenville hasn't been able to get enough consistency out of their passing game in several years. Going up against a one-dimensional offense is an advantage for Mentor's big and talented defensive line. This Week 3 game has a unique challenge as it comes on the heels of opening the season against St Edward and St Igantius.

Running Clock...

7. Medina (Week 6)
8. Brunswick (Week 5)
9. Elyria (Week 10)
10. Shaker Heights (Week 7)

Mentor is 26-1 against these four teams since 2005. The lone loss was against Elyria (27-24) in 2015. Most of the games haven't been very close, and there is no reason why any of these games should be close this season either. None of these four have the talent, depth, or experience to match up with the top teams of the GCC. All of these coaches are still in the process of building the program. Medina or Brunswick might get four or five wins a piece, but don't expect any of those to be against Mentor. Elyria and Shaker are going to struggle to win more than a game or two this season.

Next Blog: Preseason All-GCC Team

Opponent Preview: Elyria (Week 10)

Week 10

Who: Elyria Pioneers (1-9 in 2017) 

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Jerome T Osborne Stadium

When: October 27th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Sean Arno (2nd season at Elyria)

History: Mentor and Elyria were in the LEL together in the late 90's and early 2000's. After a 13 year absence of playing, the two met up as GCC members in 2015. Elyria beat Mentor at home (27-24) that season. The Cards won the past two games against the Pioneers, including a 55-6 win last season. 

Looking Back...
Nearly three years removed from one of the biggest wins in program history, Elyria has been on a down spiral ever since. After making the playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2013-2015, Elyria has fallen on hard times. The Pioneers are just 4-17 since that Week 10 win over Mentor in 2015. Last season was Coach Arno's first, and it ended with just one win. Two-year starting QB Dontae Beckett, WR Deviian Williams, OL Johnanthony Lowery, and RB Tristan Arno are among the nine starters that graduated on offense. 

Schedule...
The Pioneers have finished tied for last in the GCC the past two seasons. Five of Elyria's six GCC losses were by at least 26 points. Finding wins in the league has been and will continue to be a challenge. The GCC is as strong as ever with Mentor/Euclid looking like Region 1 contenders and Solon/Strongsville looking like probable playoff teams. Medina returns the majority of their starters from a team that beat Elyria last season, 41-24. The non-conference slate will be difficult. Lake Erie League favorites, Lorain (8-2 in 2017) and Bedford (9-1), have some of the most talented players in the area. Both were playoff teams a season ago. Elyria opens with Avon Lake, a tradition-rich program that also had a winning season in 2017. 

2018 Elyria Outlook...
Elyria had only one playoff appearance in 40 seasons before former coach Kevin Fell guided the Pioneers to unprecedented success in his six years as coach: five straight winning seasons (2011-2015), three playoff appearances, and a 2013 league title. Elyria has to climb out of the basement of the GCC now in order to approach where the program was under Fell. It won't be easy coming off a tough season, graduating most of the offense, and taking on another tough schedule. Receiver Aaron Frost is one of the potential breakout players on offense that returns. The other returning starter on offense is lineman Nick Arno, son of the coach.

Defensively, Elyria returns seven starters. They will need that side of the ball to keep the team in games as a mostly new offense grows together.  Early games against Lorain and Bedford will be very challenging. An 0-3 start in non-conference play is expected with the kind of season Elyria had last year and the probable playoff teams that they start the season with. The game against Shaker Heights, the one team Elyria beat last season, will likely decide who will finish at the bottom of the league. This should be the kind of Week 10 game where Mentor can hopefully get off to a big lead and rest their starters in the second half in preparation for a hopeful playoff run. 

Next Blog: Ranking the Schedule

Opponent Preview: Euclid (Week 9)

Week 9

Who: Euclid Panthers

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: New Euclid Stadium 

When: October 20th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jeff Rotsky (4th season at Euclid, 26-11 record)

History: Mentor and Euclid have been on each other's schedule for many years in conference and out of conference. The Cardinals have a 24-17 record in the overall series. Mentor won last year's game in a wild shootout at home, 61-59. 

Looking Back...
The Panthers finished 8-2 in the regular season, including 6-1 in a competitive conference. They had non-conference wins over a couple of playoff teams, Glenville and Aurora. The Panthers nearly knocked off Mentor at home for what would have been their second straight win against the Cardinals. Euclid beat Jackson (49-29) in the first round of the playoffs before falling to St Ignatius in Week 12, 45-21. One of the key seniors from last year was record setting rusher, Ronald Lee. Euclid's prestigious history of running backs include Robert Smith, Tony Fisher, and Pepe Pearson. Lee crushed Smith's single season rushing record with 2,304 yards in 2017. Two-way standout Arquon Bush is now at Cincinnati continuing his football career. Both QB's (Cee Jay Hale and Aubrey Shabazz) have graduated as well. 

Schedule...
Under Rotsky, Euclid has beefed up their non-conference schedule to go along with a tough slate of Greater Cleveland Conference games. All three non-conference opponents made the playoffs last season. They open with Glenville (7-4 in 2017), always one of the most talented teams in the area. Lorain (8-3), a former LEL foe, is back on the schedule. For the third straight season, Euclid has St Ignatius on the schedule. Euclid has taken some steps forward in the first three seasons under Rotsky. League games against Solon and Strongsville will be key to their playoff chances. 

2018 Euclid Outlook...
Before Rotsky came, Euclid hadn't won a playoff game since 1993. Here are some of the accomplishments since Rotsky took over in 2015: playoff appearances all three seasons, won the league in 2015, three playoff victories, and regular season wins over GCC top dogs Mentor and Solon. Finding a way to get a win against St Ignatius and St Edward is the next stage of progress. The Panthers, 0-4 against these two schools since 2015, will use the Week 3 game against the Wildcats as a measuring stick.

Taking the next step is in sight with the talent that Euclid is bringing back this season. Normally, it might seem impossible to think a team could replace a back that had well over 2,000 yards. Senior Brandon Wright (6'3, 215) may not break Lee's record - but he has the physical tools to be a menacing back. With limited opportunities last season, Wright averaged close to 10 yards a carry on his way to over 700 rushing yards.  Another talented offensive player returning is receiver Dre'Von Lindsay. The 6'2 receiver took over last year's game against Mentor as he had 7 catches for 196 yards and 4 touchdowns. Up front, Euclid returns four of their five starters on the offensive line. Three of them have scholarship offers. Darrius Johnson (6'4, 315) is their most highly recruited lineman with offers including Indiana, Akron, and Marshall. Ashawn Berry was a 1st team All-District as a center last season. The only question mark on offense is at QB. Expect Euclid to have another offensive explosion in 2018.

Defensively, the Panthers were a little shaky at times last season. In order to be in the mix to win the league and Region 1, they will need to get more consistency on that side of the ball. A trio of linebackers that started last season do return. Sean Jackson Jr (10.5 sacks in 2017) is part of that group. Safety Job Rand was 1st team All-District last year. If the defense can improve significantly, the Panthers can be as good as any team in Northeast Ohio. 

Next Preview: Elyria (Week 10)

Opponent Preview: Solon (Week 8)

Week 8

Who: Solon Comets

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Jerome T Osborne Stadium

When: October 12th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jim McQuaide (125-47 record at Solon, 211-109 overall)

History: This is one of the top big school rivalries in NEO. Mentor leads the overall series, 13-11. Solon leads the regular season series 11-9, but the Cards have won all four playoff matchups. 

Looking Back...
Mentor snapped a two game losing streak to Solon as they picked up an exciting 38-34 win last season at Stewart Field. Solon started the season strong before losing their last four games to finish 5-5. The final two losses against Medina/Shaker (two teams that finished with losing records) were especially surprising. Nine of their ten games were decided by 14 points or less. Among the key graduates are QB/S JT Caver, RB Thomas Wilks, WR/CB Taj Ward, and WR/CB Ryan McCurry, and lineman Da'Veon Parker. 

Schedule...
For the third straight season, Solon maintains a smart non-conference schedule filled with nearby teams that have had some level of football success. Twinsburg (12-38 record since 2013) is the only one of the three that is struggling to win. Aurora is a DII power that has made the playoffs in 13 straight seasons, including a state championship in 2008. Stow, a team that has beaten Solon each of the last three seasons, has seen a resurgence in the program as they have made the DI playoffs in four of the last five seasons. Solon can afford one slip in non-conference, but a 3-0 start would go a long way in taking some of the pressure off of league play. Solon was competitive with Mentor/Euclid last year, but came up short. Those are two important games to the Comets' season. From 2004-2016, Solon was 33-1 against Shaker, Strongsville, Medina, and Elyria. Last season was an anomaly as Solon struggled in October and lost to both Medina and Shaker. Expect Solon to be the favorites in the majority of their league games in 2018.

2018 Solon Outlook...
Disappointing ending aside, the team Mentor saw in Week 8 last season played like a playoff team. Mentor barely escaped with a win. The Comets had some tight losses against three DI playoff teams - losing by a combined 12 points to Mentor, Euclid, and Stow. Will Solon be able to close and win those types of games in 2018? If so, it will require some big plays from last year's Cardinal-killer, 6'4 receiver Trevon Raphael. The senior lit up the Mentor defense in last season's game for four touchdowns - two receiving, one rushing, and one 90-yard kick return. Raphael, offered by Michigan and several others, is one of the top recruited players at his position in Ohio. Quarterback as a position of contention on last year's team as the Comets tried multiple players (due to injuries and other reasons). Getting that position solidified in 2018 will be key to a bounce back season. Sophomore Pat McQuaide, son of Coach McQuaide, is the QB returning with the most varsity experience. Versatile senior Sam Bubonics, a standout receiver and defensive back last season, is another player to watch out for on offense.

Defensively, Solon has been one of the strongest programs around Northeast Ohio. In order for them to compete to win the GCC and make the playoffs, that side of the ball will need to stand out. A pair of three-year starters will command a lot of attention at the edges. Nate Leskovec and David Marbury are strong and athletic difference-makers that can wreak havoc from both defensive end positions. Leskovec (6'3, 250) is also a standout on the offensive line. He was first team All-Ohio last season and has multiple offers from the Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12. Marbury was a starter on Solon's state runner-up basketball team. 

Solon will be one of Mentor's toughest games as usual. The Comets have some returning talent, but depth will be a concern. Solon has some key games early on against Stow and an improved Strongsville team. Winning those two games would mean a lot in Solon's quest to return to the top of the league and playing football games in November.

Next Preview:  Euclid (Week 9)