Opponent Preview: Solon (Week 6)

Week 6

Who: Solon Comets

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Solon Stewart Field

When: October 4th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Jim McQuaide (133-50 record at Solon, 219-112 overall)

History: These two power programs have played every season since the late 90's. Mentor narrowly leads the overall series, 13-12. Solon leads the regular season series 12-9, but the Cards have won all four playoff matchups (2002, 2006, 2007, 2011). 

Looking Back...
In a series that has seen some ebbs and flows, Solon has lately been getting the better of Mentor as they have won three of the last four games. That included last season's 29-28 overtime win at the JTO, spoiling Mentor's hopes of their first undefeated season since 2003. Solon had an 8-2 regular season that included the Comets winning their first six games. Solon followed up one of their most impressive regular season wins under McQuaide with a narrow win over Shaker and an upset loss to Medina. The Comets lost in the first round of the playoffs to Canton McKinley, 28-15. Solon graduated several All-District talent, including OL/DT Nate Leskovec (Harvard), WR Trevon Raphael, LB Jeff Barnett (Ashland), OL Ron Carr (Duke), DE David Marbury, and DE Nick Close. 

Schedule...
Solon maintains a smart non-conference schedule filled with winnable games against nearby teams that all have experienced some level of recent success.  All three (Twinsburg, Stow, and Hudson) play in the Suburban Conference. Hudson (3-7 in 2018) had an unusual losing season after seven straight playoff appearances from 2011-2017. Twinsburg finished 5-5 last year after several losing seasons in a row. Stow, a team with four playoff appearances since 2013, has beaten the Comets three of the last four meetings. Solon has every reason to believe they can start 3-0, but it won't be a walk in the park. In the league, the Comets have done fairly well in the GCC. They have split their eight games against fellow top dogs Mentor/Euclid since the league was formed in 2015. Since 2004, Solon has gone 38-4 against Shaker, Strongsville, Medina, and Elyria. The Comets have lost to Medina the past two years, so that is a game they would certainly like to right. Solon should be favorites in at least 7 or 8 of the games on their schedule. 

2019 Solon Outlook...
Solon had put a couple sophomores in prominent positions last season. Now as experienced juniors, QB Pat McQuaide and RB Khalil Eichelberger will be counted on to lead the offense. McQuaide completed 48% of his passes last year and ended up with 1,144 yards and 12 TD's. Eichelberger rushed for 900 yards and 15 TD's last season. While they bring back their starting running back, the Comets did graduate their biggest playmakers at receiver. Ethan Wong (10 catches, 153 yards, 4 TD's) is the most experienced returning wideout. Grant McCurry and Ethan McGhee were experienced varsity players last year that should be important parts of the offense in 2019. After easing into the position, Solon's offense will rise and fall on the arm of McQuaide. The majority of the starting offensive line, led by Leskovec/Carr, will need to be replaced. Expect the running game to be solid, but the passing game will need to be efficient in order for Solon to beat Mentor, win the league, and be a threat in the Region 1 playoffs. Disappointing ending aside, the team Mentor saw in Week 8 last season played like a playoff team. 

For the last 20 years, Solon has been one of the most consistently good teams defensive side of the ball in Northeast Ohio. That side of the ball will need to continue to be a strength, even though they graduated a lot of talent. The defensive line took a big hit with Leskovec, Marbury, and Close. The good news is they bring back another standout from the Comets' 2021 class. Junior Najee Story, offered by Ohio State and Alabama, is one of the most highly recruited players at his position in country. Story (6'4, 235) will command a lot of attention by opposing lines. At linebacker, expect RJ Howard to have a big season. He played extremely well (17 tackles) in the upset win over Mentor in 2018. Grant McCurry, like his older brothers before him, returns as a standout in the Comet secondary. Solon did lost the majority of their defensive starters, but some good pieces return. Not to mention, the coaching staff has done a great job at preparing the "next man up" on that side of the ball. 

Solon will be one of Mentor's toughest games as usual. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Comets still undefeated by the time Mentor travels to Stewart Field in Week 6. The league title and lots of computer points should once again be at stake in this highly anticipated rivalry matchup.

Next Preview:  Brunswick (Week 7)