Opponent Preview: Brunswick (Week 7)

Week 7

Who: Brunswick Blue Devils (6-4 in 2019)

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium

When: October 9th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Mark Pinzone (4th season at Brunswick, 12-18 record)

History: Mentor has won ten in a row (including a playoff win in 2014) over Brunswick since the two joined the same league in 2010. One of the biggest games in the history of both programs was a state semifinal matchup in 2007. Mentor defeated Brunswick, 39-14, and went on to their second straight DI state championship game. 

Looking Back...

From 1995-2009, Brunswick had 12 playoff appearances under legendary coach Rich Nowak that included multiple league championships and two regional titles. The last decade was a step back with only two playoff appearances (and zero playoff wins) in the past ten seasons. However, Pinzone helped guide the Blue Devils to a surprisingly winning season in 2019. After starting the season 3-0 in non-conference, the Blue Devils went 3-4 in GCC play. Their two best wins of the season were against Lorain and Strongsville. The Blue Devils showed a competitive punch even in losses to playoff teams like Solon (33-29) and Medina. With a playoff berth on the line, Brunswick came up short 45-35 against Medina in Week 10. Lineman Eddie Sevastos and Mike Grzybowski are among the graduated seniors that helped the Blue Devils achieve their 2019 success. In last year's game at Mentor, Brunswick was shutout 45-0. 

Schedule...

In non-conference, Brunswick brings back two of their opponents from 2019 and adds two new opponents. Returning on the schedule are Lorain (6-4 in 2019) and North Royalton (4-6). Brunswick beat both of those teams last season. New to the schedule are Highland (4-6 in 2019) and Olmsted Falls, a 7-3 playoff team a season ago. At a minimum, Brunswick will need at least three non-league wins to put themselves in contention for a winning record again. The top of the league (Mentor, Solon, and Euclid) remains a daunting challenge for the Blue Devils. Since 2013, Brunswick is just 1-19 against the Big Three of the GCC. The games against Strongsville and Elyria are must-win games if they are to continue to build on 2019's winning season. The Week 10 showdown with county rival Medina could end up being another season-defining game.

2020 Brunswick Outlook...

Brunswick had three all-league players a season ago. All three are coming back to lead the 2020 charge. Twins Jake and Kyle Scherette and lineman Tomas Rimac are sure to be three of the better players in the GCC once more. Jake, a QB, is entering his third season running the offense. In his two previous years, Jake has been used as a runner even more than a passer. The Blue Devils like to run the ball, and they also bring back last year's starting RB Nick Vadini. The offensive line returns a few starters, led by Rimac. The 6'6, 280-pound senior chose West Virginia over several other college offers. With talent and experience running behind a line keyed by Rimac, the running game should be one of the strengths for the Blue Devils. 

Defensively, the Blue Devils are led by some two-way players like DE Tomas Rimac and LB Kyle Scherette. Rimac is being recruited for his offensive game, but he is a difference-maker on defense too. Scherette was 1st team All-District on defense in 2019. He is joined in the middle by returning starting LB's Kyle Haber and Quintyn McKinely. Expect linebacker to be a position of strength. Brunswick has a strong and deep senior class that should put the team in a lot of competitive and winnable games. If their experience can guide them to a strong start out of the gate, expect the Blue Devils to once again be in the mix to return to the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, the league is incredibly deep and they will need to get a win against one of the top teams in order to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. 


Next Preview: Berea (Week 8)

Opponent Preview: Strongsville (Week 6)

Week 6

Who: Strongsville Mustangs (5-5 in 2019)

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Jerome T. Osborne Stadium

When: October 2nd at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Lou Cirino (4th year at Strongsville, 64-41 overall coaching record)

History: These two have played every season since 2006. During that time, Mentor leads the series 13-2. Strongsville won both meetings in 2008 (including a playoff rematch). Mentor beat the Mustangs last season, 56-21. 

Looking Back…

After surrendering a total of 21 points in their previous six league games, Strongsville matched that number in Week 10 against the Cardinals. Still, Mentor did score 8 touchdowns in a comfortable victory. The Mustangs started the season 4-0 before dropping five of their final six games to finish the season at 5-5. They had two big wins in non-conference play against Hudson and Brecksville. Both of those teams made the playoffs in Division II. Back to back one score losses to Brunswick and Euclid in Weeks 5 and 6 proved to be the difference between making the playoffs or not in a very deep Region 1 field. Under Cirino, the Mustangs haven't had a losing season. All-District graduates include RB Garret Clark, DE Andrew Keating, and DT Ryan Seefeldt. 

Schedule…

The Mustangs' nonleague schedule kept all three opponents they had last season (Berea-Midpark, Hudson, and Brecksville). To fill for the departed Shaker Heights, they added Midview. Strongsville went 3-0 in non-conference games last season. Berea-Midpark (4-6 in 2019) is a team Strongsville has beaten the past few seasons. Hudson and Brecksville are coming off playoff seasons, so those games should present a challenge. After a strong run of making the playoffs five times in six seasons from 2012-2017, the Middies (5-5 in 2019) have failed to make the postseason since. This is a manageable non-conference schedule for the Mustangs that includes three DII teams. If they want to contend for a playoff spot, it is critical to win all of those games. In the league, Strongsville has been about a .500 team in GCC play (10-11 record) since Cirino took over. Most of those losses came at the hands of Mentor, Euclid, and Solon. Since 2009, the Mustangs are 0-30 against the Big Three of the GCC. Until Strongsville can find a way to win at least one of those games, there is incredibly small margin for error to make the playoffs. The games that will make or break their season are their longtime conference foes, Medina and Brunswick. 

2020 Strongsville Outlook…

If you see Strongsville this season, the first player that will stand out will be junior OL Blake Miller (6'6, 300). The tackle has offers from Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan, Florida, and many others. Despite bringing back one of their most coveted recruits in years, the Mustangs graduated most of their starters on offense. Senior Ryan Kahn will be given the opportunity to be the starting back after gaining some experience last year behind 1st team All-District RB Garret Clark. QB Maddux Beard got some starts last season as a sophomore, so expect his growth to be an important part of the team's success. Beard is a dual threat QB that showed a lot of ability to run the football last season. 

Defensively, the secondary looks to be a strength with a few returning starters that include corners Shane Slokar and Kyle Patrick. Kahn played safety last season, so it is possible to see him play on both sides of the ball. LB Jack Stephenson and DT Garrett Manney return on defense after strong 2019 seasons. Miller played some defensive line in the past, but it remains to be seen if he will be utilized on defense this season. Look for this team's success to be built on defense and the running game. If they can get out of the gate with a few wins like they did in 2019, that will go a long way as they hope to keep moving forward toward building a consistently winning program. 

Next: Brunswick (Week 7)

Opponent Preview: Medina (Week 5)

Week 5

Who: Medina Bees (7-4 in 2019)

What: Greater Cleveland Conference game

Where: Ken Dukes Stadium (Medina)

When: September 25th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Larry Laird (5th season at Medina, 25-18 record)

History: Mentor has played Medina seven times in league play since 2011, winning all seven. Last season, the Cardinals had one of their most dominant performances of 2019 with a 63-7 home victory over the Bees.

Looking Back...

Medina had a strong bounce-back year in 2019 as they finished 7-3 in the regular season and returned to the playoffs. With five playoff teams on their schedule, Medina had big wins against Cleveland Heights and Wadsworth. They also beat county rival Brunswick, which gave the Bees three wins over teams with winning records. This propelled them back into the playoffs after a three-year absence. Switching over to sophomore QB Drew Allar in Week 7 seemed to light a spark in the offense. The Bees had a tough draw with St Edward in Week 11, but the offense scored 38 points on one of the best defenses in Ohio. Their season ended in Week 11 with a 73-38 loss. Departed seniors include District Defensive POY Noah Nunn, WR Jake Nanonsky, lineman AJ Coltz, DB Kaedin Andrasik, and LB Seth DiCola. 

Schedule...

The non-conference schedule includes a couple of 2019 DII playoff teams (Warren Harding and Wadsworth) that should provide strong tests and an opportunity for big computer points. The Bees beat Wadsworth last season after losing two straight to their county neighbors. Warren Harding is a new addition to the schedule in the aftermath of Shaker Heights leaving the GCC. Highland (4-6 in 2019) has struggled to meet the heights they reached before their former coach (Tom Lombardo) left for St Edward in 2015. GlenOak, a team Mentor beat in the 2014 and 2015 playoffs, is a new addition to Medina's schedule. The Eagles (1-9 in 2019) made the playoffs eight out of ten seasons from 2007-2016, but they have struggled in the Federal League the past few seasons. Overall, this is a very manageable non-conference schedule that could see Medina be the favorite in all four games. Medina has struggled against the top three teams of the GCC (Mentor, Euclid, and Solon) with a 3-12 record against that group since 2015. Those three accounted for all of Medina's regular season losses in 2019. If Medina wants to be assured of the playoffs and avoid playing on the road in Week 11, they need to win at least one of those. Games against longtime conference foes Brunswick and Strongsville feel like must-win games. Medina is 5-0 against Elyria since the two joined the GCC in 2015. Medina's schedule shapes up as one that is challenging, but also one that could see at least 7 wins for the second straight season.

2020 Medina Outlook...

Offensively, Medina brings back junior QB Drew Allar. He is quickly becoming one of the most coveted Ohio recruits in his class. Allar went from backup to starter late in the season as he replaced Ryan Gillepsie, who also returns for the Bees. Allar (6'5, 210) has offers from Pitt, Akron, Central Michigan, and Toledo. Senior receiver Luke Hensley is a three-year starter who was 1st team All-District in 2019. The Allar/Hensley connection is one of the best in the area. Look for another big year from Hensley. WR/RB Matt Spatny is another talented offensive player for the Bees. Over the past couple of seasons, Coach Laird has utilized a lot of empty backfield looks with 5 wideouts. This pass-frenzy offense scored five touchdowns against St Edward in last year's playoff game. Up front, the Bees bring back a few starters on the offensive line including Otto Weight (6'4, 290), and Kyle Shultz (6'4, 280). With Allar getting the reigns from the start, expect this offense to be as good as any on Mentor's schedule. 

Defensively, they have several starters to replace including the Northeast Inland District Defensive Player of the Year, Noah Nunn. LB Nathan Spatny and DB Jajuan Jackson are a couple of talented returning starters that should lead the defense.  The defensive line is young and huge with defensive ends Ryan Farrell (6'3, 240) and Mason Pogue (6'5, 240) leading the way. Keeping opponents off the scoreboard was a concern last season. In their four losses (including the playoff loss to St Edward), the Bees gave up an average of 52.5 points per game. This group will need significant improvement on the defensive side of the ball in order to compete with the best teams on their schedule. On special teams, all-district kicker Ryan Miller is back. 

Coach Larry Laird has two playoff wins in his career with Medina. Those are the only two playoff wins in the history of the program. This is a strong and deep junior class. Over the next couple of seasons, don't be surprised to see the Bees add to that number as they look to challenge Mentor, Euclid, and Solon for league supremacy. 

Next Preview: Strongsville (Week 6)

Pre-Season All GCC Team

Offense

QB Ian Kipp, Mentor - This 2019 DI Co-Offensive POY (4,000 total yards and 42 TD's) has five career playoff wins and a 5-1 overall record against St Ignatius/St Edward

RB Khalil Eichelberger, Solon - The talented senior has been the workhorse for the Comets the past two seasons with close to 2,000 rushing yards and 23 TD's

RB Jaheim Atkinson, Elyria - His junior season saw a number of 100+ yard games, including a season-high of 187 yards against Shaker

WR Luke Hensley, Medina - A three-year starter, Hensley was 1st team All-District in 2019 and will be the top target in a high powered Medina passing offense

WR Claishon Ivory, Euclid - Became an impact player (37 catches for 684 yards and 9 TD's) as a sophomore last season and earned 2nd team All-District

WR Armond Scott, Euclid - At 6'3 and 200-pounds, Scott is a big and talented receiver (40 catches, 700 yards, 15 TD's) that chose Kentucky over a number of other college offers

OL Blake Miller Strongsville - The 6'6, 300-pound junior has the attention of every top program with offers that include Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, and Clemson.

OL Hunter Colao, Mentor - A three-year starter, Colao (6'0, 260) earned 1st Team All-District honors in blocking for an offense that rushed for nearly 4,000 yards

OL Tomas Rimac, Brunswick - The 6'6, 280-pound senior recently committed to West Virginia over a dozen other offers to play at the next level, including multiple Big Ten teams

OL Herman Taylor, Euclid - After earning 2nd team All-District honors last season, Taylor (6'4, 285) is sure to get some college looks

OL Harkamal Sohi, Solon - This big senior tackle (6'6, 295) has college offers from FCS schools like Youngstown State and Indiana State

Defense

DE Najee Story, Solon - One of the most sought after defensive recruits in the Midwest defense, the three-year starter (6'4, 235) has committed to Northwestern

DL Alex Reese, Euclid - A standout two-way lineman (and Akron commit) that has the size (6'4, 280) and talent to make a big impact on both sides of the ball

DT Preston Cardina, Mentor - Now a senior, the experienced Cardina (6'1, 285) will be a key part of Mentor's big and talented defensive front

DE Brenan Vernon, Mentor - Started as a freshman last season, Vernon (6'5, 245) has compiled an impressive offer sheet including Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Michigan State

LB Evan Boyd, Mentor - In 2019, Boyd forced/recovered key turnovers that were instrumental in wins over St Ignatius, Clarkson, and Solon

LB Kyle Scherette, Brunswick - The senior was one of the leading tacklers for the Blue Devils last season as he earned 2nd Team All-Ohio

LB Markell Green, Solon - Starting as a sophomore, Green was one of Solon's top defensive players as he collected 74 tackles and 3 interceptions in 2019

DB Cameron Smith, Euclid - The 6'2, 180-pound Eastern Michigan commit was 2nd Team All-Ohio in a season that was highlighted by his game-winning play against Canton McKinley

DB Noah Gladish, Mentor - Displayed big-play potential (including two pick-sixes in a playoff game) as a sophomore in 2018, Gladish missed the entire 2019 season due to ACL injury

DB Jajuan Jackson, Medina - Was named Honorable Mention on the All-District team after having a big impact in the secondary and on special teams as a sophomore in 2019.

DB Atiba Fitz, Euclid - Dangerous on offense, defense, and special teams - Fitz is a three-year starter and an Air Force commit

Opponent Preview: St Edward (Week 3)

This is the third of my previews for Mentor's 2020 opponents. See the Week 2 opponent preview on St Ignatius here

Week 3

Who: St Edward Eagles

What: Non-conference

Where: Jerome T Osborne Sr Stadium

When: September 11th at 7:00pm 

Opposing Coach: Tom Lombardo (6th season at St Edward, 55-11 record, 144-49 overall coaching record with three state titles)

History: Mentor and St Edward split a regular season series in 2009 and 2010. With a series renewal in 2017, Mentor has won the past two regular season games. The two have split eight playoff meetings since 2003. The winner of that respective playoff game went on to win the region all eight times and advance to the state final in six of those those eight years. The Cardinals and Eagles have played 12 times (regular season and playoffs) since 2003, with Mentor having a 7-5 advantage.

Looking Back...

The Eagles finished with an 11-2 record (9-1 regular season) in 2019. Their only losses were handed to them in late game heroics by the Cardinals. The season opened with a 29-28 loss to Mentor. But the Eagles won their next 11 games and proved to be as talented as any team in the state last year. After convincing playoff wins over Medina and Euclid, a 36-35 (OT) regional final loss at the hands of Mentor ended Lombardo's hope for a 4th state title as a head coach. The Eagles' regular season was highlighted with wins over Cincinnati Elder (the eventual state runners-up) and rival St Ignatius. Mentor was the thorn in what was otherwise a very successful season. The regional final saw Mentor come back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to eventually tie the game, force overtime, and win on a two point conversion. RB Joey Formani (Bowling Green), WR Montorie Foster (Michigan State), OL Brian Kilbane (Bowling Green), OL Ronan Chambers (Akron), DE Jeff Pietrowski (Michigan State), DB's Logan/Lawson Nash (Penn), and DE Alex Colangelo (Robert Morris) are graduated seniors that will earned scholarships to play DI football. QB Connor O'Malley and WR Mackenzie Wainwright (chose baseball over football offers) are also talented graduates from a loaded 2019 offense. Last year's Eagles were as good of a team that Mentor has ever beaten.

Schedule...

The schedule is once again filled with some of the very best programs in Ohio (St Ignatius, Hoban, Elder, and Moeller) along with a mix of out of state teams. Those four Ohio programs have combined for 24 state championships. Moeller (2-8 in 2019) did struggle last season, but they shouldn't be down long. The Eagles have to make two trips to Cincinnati, always a difficult challenge. Elder, the runners-up in Division I last season to Pickerington Central, is back on the Eagles' schedule. Euclid is one of the best teams in NEO and they will be looking to avenge their Week 12 loss to the Eagles. Benedictine returns to the schedule. HD Woodson (D.C.), Canada's Football North, and Landover Royalty Institute (MD) round out the 2020 schedule. This schedule is filled with a healthy mix of very tough games as well as some very winnable games. The schedule will prepare the Eagles a November run, but it isn't too daunting as to be a road block for making the playoffs. 

2020 St Edward Outlook...

Over the last ten years, the Eagles have been the dominant big school program in Ohio. Their four state championships (2010, 2014, 2015, 2018) were tops in Division I. If not for Mentor knocking off incredibly talented Eagles' squads (2012, 2013, 2017, and 2019), they might have had five or six state championships last decade. As for 2020, look for St Eds to reload and become one of the top teams in the state. Offensively, the Eagles have to replace nearly every key position. Junior Christian Ramos is the favorite to replace O'Malley at QB. Replacing 1st Team All-Ohio back Joey Formani will be senior Malachi Watkins, who got some varsity carries last season. Watkins rushed for over 200 yards last season as the backup. At receiver, the player that returns with the most varsity experience is Joel Castleberry, who had 7 catches for 90 yards and two TD's as a sophomore last season. Lineman Chris Moran and Thomas Aden are returning starters on the offensive line. A lot of the pressure on offense will be put on the arm and legs of the highly touted Ramos. If the first year QB can establish himself as a consistent dual threat weapon, that will go a long way toward the Eagles' offensive success. 

While the Eagles are a little green (no pun intended) in some key spots on offense, they should be sharp as always on defense. Senior LB CJ Hankins is the leader of the defense as a three-year starter that played a key role on a state championship defense in 2018. Hankins is an athletic inside linebacker with offers to play at Akron and Kent. Junior DE Trey Bixby (6'5, 245) was one of the leading tacklers on the team as he was a part of a big and talented defensive front that included All-Ohio end Pietrowski. Bixby is one of the top Ohio recruits in the 2022 class with offers that include Michigan State, Minnesota, and Cincinnati. Cade Castro (6'2, 250) had 34 tackles a season ago as a rotational interior lineman. Senior corner Jaylen Castelberry is the lone returning starter from a very talented 2019 secondary. Led by a super duo of Hankins/Bixby, expect the Eagles to be one of the top defensive teams in the state. 

Region 1 has gone through the Eagles for most of the past decade. Expect 2020 to be no different. A lot of talented players at key positions have graduated, but St Edward has plenty of talent and depth to reload. This will be a state championship caliber defense that will be big and talented up front. If the offense can successfully plug in some youth/inexperience, this is the team to watch out for come November.


Next Preview: Solon (Week 4)

Opponent Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)

This is the second of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2021 season.  See the Week 1 preview here.

Week 2

Who: St Ignatius Wildcats

What: Non-league game

Where: Jerome T Osborne Stadium

When: August 27th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Chuck Kyle (39th season, 360-99-1 overall record, 11 state titles)

History: Mentor and St Ignatius paused their 15 year consecutive run due to complications with scheduling in a COVID season in 2020. Mentor has an 8-7 edge in the regular season series that started up in 2005. The Cardinals have won four of the last five playoff matchups with the Wildcats that included memorable wins in 2003, 2012, 2013, and 2017. This has shaped up to be one of the most entertaining rivalries over the past 20 years. 

Looking Back...
During an unprecedented 2020 campaign, St Ignatius had a later start to the season than most teams. With just three regular season games against OHSAA opponents, St Ignatius scheduled three of the very best (St Edward, DII state runner-up Massillon, and DI state champion St Xavier). The Wildcats went 0-3 in those games, but still made a strong impression in the playoffs. St Ignatius knocked off Mentor's GCC rivals (Solon and Euclid) in consecutive playoff wins. Facing a third GCC team (Medina), the Wildcats' season ended with a 33-26 regional semifinal loss. Among the 2020 graduate standouts are First Team All-District players like DE Bennet Adler (Akron), LB Aidan Hubbard (Northwestern), and OL Gus Salopek. Safety Emmett Hanna (Boston College) and LB Aidan Conway were also key starters on defense that have graduated. 

Schedule...
St Ignatius routinely has one of the most grueling schedules in Ohio, and this season is no exception. Home games against two Ohio state champions (St Xavier and Hoban) from 2020 highlight the biggest challenges on the schedule. St Edward, Moeller, Springfield, Euclid, and Mentor round out the daunting part of the Wildcats schedule that includes some of the best teams from the state. St Edward, a program with four state titles since 2010, is once again on the short list of being a state championship contender. Springfield has won Region 2 and advanced to the state semifinals each of the past two seasons. Maryland powerhouse Mount St Joseph (2019 state champs), River Rouge (Michigan), and Canada's Football North are also on the schedule. River Rouge was a runner-up in DIII in Michigan last season after winning a state title in 2019. Football North, also an opponent on Mentor's schedule, has some of the best football players in all of Canada. Needless to say, Chuck Kyle's squad will be battle tested once they enter the playoffs. 

2021 St Ignatius Outlook...
Offensively, there are key returnees that should give the Wildcat faithful some optimism. During the tenure of legendary coach Chuck Kyle, the QB position has been a position of strength in building the dynasty. Senior QB Joe Pfaff is coming off a shortened season that saw him experiencing success as a starter. Pfaff (6'5, 190) is a big and talented QB that has college football in his future. Senior WR Steven Bodamer is one of the returning targets for Pfaff. Another returning starter that finished with a strong 2020 is RB Marty Lenehan. He earned Second Team All-District as he became a workhorse for the St Ignatius offense. Lenehan proved his value in a couple of big playoff wins against Solon (19 carries for 171 yards and 3 TD's) and Euclid (233 total yards and 2 TD's). Being able to return players at those the key positions of quarterback and running back should be a great boost for the offense. Up front, the line is led by returning starter Ashton Montgomery (6'3, 300). Behind Pfaff and Lenehan, look for a balanced offense to be the strength of the team to start the season. 

On defense, St Ignatius was especially senior-heavy last season. Most of their key defensive stars have now graduated, but the Wildcats often reload well on that side of the ball. Safeties Griffin Taliak and Braeden Lair are returning impact players in the Wildcats five-man secondary. Expect the safety position to be a position of strength. Up front, nose tackle Tommy Wasinski returns to bring some size and stability to the defensive line after the graduation of Adler. The defense lacks experience, but will likely be one of the better defenses Mentor will see all season. 

As usual, expect this to be one of the toughest games on Mentor's schedule. St Ignatius is not entering the season as the Region 1 favorite, but they are still one of the most accomplished high school programs in the country. 

Next Preview: St Edward (Week 3)