Week 1
Who: St Edward Eagles
What: Non-conference
Where: Lakewood Stadium
When: August 29th at 7:30pm (Thursday)
Opposing Coach: Tom Lombardo (5th season at St Edward, 44-9 record)
History: Mentor and St Edward split a brief regular season series in 2009 and 2010. The two have met in the playoffs seven times since 2003, with the Eagles having a 4-3 edge. The winner of that respective playoff game went on to the state final in six of those those seven years. The Cardinals and Eagles have played each other 10 times (regular season and playoffs) since 2003, which each team winning five.
Looking Back...
The Eagles finished a grueling regular season schedule with a 6-3 record. They were the No. 7 seed in Region 1 due to losing their first two games, which included a 42-39 thriller at Mentor in Week 1. Lombardo's Eagles got on a roll in November as they avenged two of their regular season losses in flipping the script against rival St Ignatius as well as Mentor. The win against the Cardinals (24-14) was in the regional final. Defensively, the Eagles held four of their five playoff opponents to under 20 points. St Edward won their 4th state championship since 2010 by defeating Colerain, 24-10. The Eagles boasted 13 players with All-District recognition.
Schedule...
The schedule is once again filled with some of the very best in Ohio (St Ignatius, Elder, Moeller) along with a mix of out of state teams. Those three Ohio programs have combined for 20 big school state championships. Cass Tech (Detroit), a program with three state titles since 2011, defeated the Eagles in Week 2 last year. Erie Cathedral Prep is one of Pennsylvania's most successful programs. The Ramblers won their third consecutive state championship in 2018. Akron Buchtel, Cincinnati Winton Woods, North St Joseph (Canada), and National Christian Academy (MD) make up the rest of the Eagles' schedule. Buchtel (6-5 last season) was a playoff team last year in DIV. Winton Woods won a regional title in DII in 2018. North St Joseph, a team new to Mentor's schedule, is Canada's best collection of high school football talent. This schedule is filled with mostly tough, but winnable games for a program like St Edward.
2019 St Edward Outlook...
Offensively, the Eagles were led last year by a trio of now-departed seniors (QB Garrett Dzuro, WR Quintel Kent, and RB Jordan Castleberry). Dzuro signed on with UMass and Kent/Castleberry are both at Michigan. Replacing those three won't be easy, but the cupboard is hardly bare. Senior RB Joey Formani showed glimpses last year as he got some varsity carries as the backup. Formani stepped up big in the playoff win over St Ignatius last season with two touchdowns after Castleberry got injured. Receiver Mackenzie Wainwright is the leading returning receiver. He currently has a half dozen DI offers. The biggest question on offense will be at QB. Dzuro provided the offense with lots of versatility as an efficient passer and effective runner. Conor O'Malley, a senior, could be the guy. On the offensive line, a couple starters do return. Brian Kilbane (6'4, 275) has DI offers from a long list of schools. In Week 1, this somewhat inexperienced offense will not be at the same high level as the one that Mentor saw at Euclid last November.
While the Eagles are a little green in some key spots on offense, they should be very sharp defensively. A big part of the core of the state championship defense does return. Senior Jeff Peitrowski, a Michigan State recruit, is a big and talented playmaker. The versatile Peitrowski is an effective edge rusher that opposing offenses will need to pay a lot of attention to. Alex Collangelo, a Robert Morris commit, is a returning starter at the other defensive end position. Twins Lawson and Logan Nash return in the secondary. Lawson was a 2nd team All-District player last season as he led the Eagles in solo tackles and interceptions. Logan is a standout corner. Both will be playing college football at the FCS or FBS level. DB Richard Johnson, a defensive hero in the playoff win against St Ignatius, is another key defensive player returning.
When you win the state championship as much as the Eagles have recently, you have a big target on your back as the "team to beat." Until proven otherwise, this is the best team in Ohio. Defensively, they will be as good as anyone. The offense will boast their usual big and talented line to go along with some talented playmakers. If St Eds can develop the QB well, the sky is the limit once again for Lombardo and the Eagles.
Next Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)
While the Eagles are a little green in some key spots on offense, they should be very sharp defensively. A big part of the core of the state championship defense does return. Senior Jeff Peitrowski, a Michigan State recruit, is a big and talented playmaker. The versatile Peitrowski is an effective edge rusher that opposing offenses will need to pay a lot of attention to. Alex Collangelo, a Robert Morris commit, is a returning starter at the other defensive end position. Twins Lawson and Logan Nash return in the secondary. Lawson was a 2nd team All-District player last season as he led the Eagles in solo tackles and interceptions. Logan is a standout corner. Both will be playing college football at the FCS or FBS level. DB Richard Johnson, a defensive hero in the playoff win against St Ignatius, is another key defensive player returning.
When you win the state championship as much as the Eagles have recently, you have a big target on your back as the "team to beat." Until proven otherwise, this is the best team in Ohio. Defensively, they will be as good as anyone. The offense will boast their usual big and talented line to go along with some talented playmakers. If St Eds can develop the QB well, the sky is the limit once again for Lombardo and the Eagles.
Next Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)
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