Week 8
What: Greater Cleveland Conference game
Where: Solon's Stewart Field
When: October 8th at 7:00pm
Opposing Coach: Brian Wisniewski (first year as head coach)
History: Up until last season's COVID interruption, these two programs had played every season since the late 90's. Mentor narrowly leads the overall series, 14-12. Solon leads the regular season series 12-10, but the Cards have won all four playoff matchups (2002, 2006, 2007, 2011).
Looking Back...
Mentor won the last game these two played in 2019, 41-7. It was the most lopsided game in the series since a 2006 playoff game that Mentor won, 45-0. In 2020, Solon had an extra unusual season as the school delayed fall sports longer than most. The Comets didn't play their first game until Week 4. Without a full participation in league play, Solon and Mentor did not play. After losing their first three games played in the regular season, the Comets lost 42-14 in their opening playoff game to St Ignatius. Solon was able to get a couple games in after the playoff loss, which included wins over Shaker Heights and Berea. The overall 2021 record was 2-4. Three-year varsity standouts that were pivotal to the team included QB Pat McQuaide, DE Najee Goode (Northwestern), and RB Khalil Eichelberger. A First Team All-District player, Eichelberger led the offense in rushing yards, receiving yards, and total touchdowns.
Schedule...
Three of Solon's non-conference opponents (Twinsburg, Stow, and Hudson) play in the Suburban League. Hudson and Stow are both going to be among NEO's top teams this season. Hudson is coming off a season in which they won their first eight games before falling to eventual state champion Hoban in the regional final. Stow is a darkhorse in Region 1 as they have several talented players that have DI college offers. The Comets went out of state to add Erie Cathedral Prep, one of the top programs in Pennsylvania. Shaker Heights returns to the schedule. In the league, Solon will have some difficult games with top area teams like Medina and Mentor. Euclid, Brunswick, and Strongsville also are formidable opponents. Solon has a schedule that will pose a lot of challenges for them. While making the playoffs in the expanded field in Region 1 is a near certainty, the Comets could use a few big wins in the league in order to line up for a more reasonable path beginning in Week 11.
2021 Solon Outlook...
The Comets enter a new era for the program after longtime coach Jim McQuaide retired from coaching. Brian Wisniewski takes over after serving as the team's defensive coordinator previously. McQuaide's son Pat was the starting quarterback since his freshman season, so the offense will be looking for a new signal-caller. Offensively, this will be a transition without McQuaide/Eichelberger in the backfield. Junior WR Joel Kpassou was second on the team (behind Eichelberger) in catches, yards, and touchdowns last season. He will be a key part of this offense. As for the all-important QB position, look for either Charlie Bubonics or Andrew Mulvaney to get the opportunity. Solon has long been a program that builds their offense on the running game. Replacing Eichelberger will not be easy. Up front, the offensive line has some size and returning experience led by junior Chase Johnson.
Solon has been one of the most consistently good teams on the defensive side of the ball in Northeast Ohio. That shouldn't change in 2021. It starts up front with two-way starter Johnson. At the other defensive end position, senior and three-year starter Jakob Oldenburg is moving up from linebacker. Jamari Holmes is a talented junior that returns at tackle and is a big time player in the middle of the defensive line. At linebacker, Markell Green is a three-year starter. Green was one of the leading tacklers the past two seasons and he is the next in the line of great linebacking play in the program. Kpassou is a two-way starter that is an impact player in the secondary. The strength of the Comets should be on defense.
Like most of the GCC teams, the schedule is pretty challenging. Solon has beaten the Cards three times since 2015, but they are in a bit of a rebuild with graduating key starters as well as the retirement of McQuaide. But the Comets might surprise the area as their defense could help carry them to some big wins.
Next Preview: Strongsville (Week 9)
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