Triv's Top Regular Season Wins (2011-2018)

In honor of Coach Trivisonno's final season as Mentor head coach, I took a trip down memory lane to highlight the top ten wins over his career. The first five were highlighted here. Here is the rest of the top ten, in date order:

Mentor 38 St Ignatius 24 (2011): The 2011 Mentor team can easily be forgotten when thinking of Triv's all-time great teams due to them not winning the region - something that five other Mentor teams have done. But this team was really, really good. The offense threw away the RB position and relied on a 5-out spread offense led by junior QB Mitch Trubisky. The defense featured DE Tom Strobel and LB Kurt Laseak, two of the very best Triv has coached on that side of the ball. This group gave St Ignatius, the eventual state champions, all they could handle. The Wildcats' ferocious defense allowed an average of 13.6 points per game, not including this Week 3 loss. But on this night, the Mentor offense was clicking on all cylinders as Trubisky threw for nearly 500 yards. A trio of standout receivers (Cameron Kavan, Brandon Fritts, and Conner Krizancic) had their way in the Ignatius secondary. Kavan had a team-record 283 receiving yards. This is the first of two times that Mentor would have a win over a soon-to-be state champion.

Mentor 44 Solon 20 (2011): No team has played Mentor more times than Solon since Triv became coach. Of all the regular season wins over the Comets, this is the one that stands out most. It was a Thursday night. Both teams were 6-0, the top ranked teams in NEO. A packed house at Solon Stewart Field in front of a large and lively crowd. The game was live on Fox Sports Ohio - a showcase night for both teams as they had tens of thousands of HS football fans across the state watching. Mentor jumped out to an early lead and never really let up. The Trubisky-led offense, which also featured Brandon Fritts and Conner Krizancic, was on full display for the entire state to see. The Comets (10-2, both losses to Mentor) were a good football team, nearly upsetting the Cards in a November rematch. Mentor showed on this televised night that offense was truly destined for greatness. On the strength of quality wins like St Ignatius and Solon, the team would soon become the No. 1 ranked team in the AP poll for the first and only time in Triv's career.

Mentor 63 St Ignatius 56 (2015): These two friendly rivals have squared off 19 times since 2003. In hindsight, neither of these teams ended up meeting the pre-season hype or expectations set before them. Mentor finished with an 8-4 record that included a Week 12 loss to St Edward. St Ignatius went on miss the playoffs for just the second time since the late 80's. But at the time the game was played, this win was as exciting and fulfilling as any in the series. Entering the game, Mentor and St Ignatius were the top ranked teams in the Cleveland-area. The game featured over 1,400 yards of total offense from both teams. Sophomore QB Tadas Tatrunas had a night to remember with a record 523 passing yards. Receiver Jason Blizzard surpassed Cameron Kavan's single game receiving record (also set against St Ignatius) with 342 yards. Both teams moved the ball and scored at will. But it was Mentor that got the last score with 8 seconds left in a game that ultimately became the difference between one team making the playoffs and one team sitting at home in Week 11.

Mentor 42 St Edward 39 (2018): Last season, Mentor was coming off a surprising state final run that really began with an upset over the Eagles in the regional semifinal. These two met in Week 1 in a highly anticipated matchup. Mentor was breaking in first year starters at key positions, like sophomore QB Ian Kipp and junior RB Brian Trobel. Running behind a strong offensive line, the Cardinals churned out 386 yards on the ground as they ran the ball down the Eagles' throat. After a modest offensive night through three quarters (Mentor held a 21-14 lead), the two teams exploded for 46 4th quarter points. Mentor was mostly in control as the Eagles scored a last second touchdown to close the gap at the end. Kipp was excellent in his debut - efficient with his arm (14-18, 114 passing yards) and dangerous with his legs (192 rushing yards). Trobel finished with 192 yards and 4 TD's. This was followed by a 21-7 win at Byers against St Ignatius, making it arguably the most successful back-to-back regular season stretch in Mentor history. The Eagles would eventually beat Mentor in a November regional final rematch and win their 4th state title. This was the second regular season win that Triv had over an eventual state champ. 

Mentor 29 Euclid 7 (2018): This game was probably the most hyped Mentor/Euclid showdown in many years, maybe ever. Both teams were looking strong as Region 1 contenders. Mentor was coming off a stunning 29-28 overtime loss at home the prior week. During that Solon game, Mentor lost QB Ian Kipp to injury. Star RB Brian Trobel was also dealing with an injury. Heading into Mentor's first game at Euclid's beautiful new stadium, things weren't looking good. With the offense unable to be at full strength, the game was put in the hands of Mentor's defense. They answered the call by stuffing Euclid's strong running attack, which featured talented Michigan State-bound RB Brandon Wright. For the game, Euclid had just 118 yards on the ground. Junior defensive back Marco Toth was responsible for three turnovers. Luke Floriea was Kipp's replacement at QB as the offense did enough to get the job done. RB Varney Spansel spelled Trobel and got in the endzone twice. Considering the talent of the opposition and the injuries to two key players, it was one of the most impressive regular season wins under Trivisonno. The win helped secure Mentor's standings near the top of the region as well as win the GCC. 

Coming Soon: Triv's Top Ten Playoff Wins

Opponent Preview: Clarkson Football North (Week 3)

This is the third of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2018 season.  See the Week 2 preview (St Ignatius) here

Week 3

Who: Clarkson Football North (Canada)

What: Non-league game

Where: Jerome T. Osborne Stadium 

When: September 13th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Larry Jusdanis

History: Mentor has absolutely zero history with Clarkson Football North. This is believed to be the first time that Mentor is playing a team from Canada. 

Looking Back...
Football North is a Canadian football academy school that aims to be a big time attraction for the best of the best in Canada, and even some players from the United States. As they look to establish a talented roster, the program tries to put themselves on the map by playing quite a daunting schedule. Last season, Football North played several teams from Ohio: Moeller, Elder, St Xavier, St Ignatius, and Lorain. They went 1-4 in those games (beating Lorain), but Football North was pretty competitive in some losses. The closest was a 21-13 loss to Region 4 runner-up, Elder. Overall, the team finished 6-6. The biggest win on the year was against Erie Cathedral Prep, a state champion last season. 

Schedule...
Due to their chase of high profile status, Football North maintains their high profile schedule. Half of their schedule are Ohio schools: St Ignatius, St Edward, Elder, St Xavier, Lorain, and Mentor. If last year was any indication, don't expect a whole of computer points to come from Football North. They do play a 12 game schedule, but only 10 will be included in the computer point calculations. Cathedral Prep (PA), a two-time defending state champion, is back on the schedule. They also play one of the IMG Academy teams, Maryland powerhouse Saint Frances (a team that beat them 64-6 last season), and their partner school - St Joseph Football North. Football North managed to finish 6-6 last year, but this schedule is even tougher than last year. 

2019 Football North Outlook...
Due to the nature of being a Canadian school as well as being a type of football academy where players often come and go, it isn't easy at this point to project what Football North will bring to the table. For instance, last year's star RB (Brendan Barrow) has transferred for his senior season to a school in Florida. Barrow has several DI college offers. In terms of individual talent, this team will still have some. QB Quincy Vaughn, named the team's MVP in 2018, is a 6'4 senior that has committed to play at Old Dominion. Fellow QB Callum Wither already has a few MAC offers before his sophomore season has even started. Justin Stevens (6'6, 285) is an offensive lineman that has a few offers from MAC schools. Tyrell Lawrence (6'7, 370), who boasts an offer from Tennessee, is another huge offensive lineman. On defense, 6'1, 185-pound DB Peter Kemeni recently committed to play football at Ohio University. 

It can't be denied that there is some quality individual talent on this roster. They have several guys on their roster that will be playing college football. But throwing together a bunch of individual pieces doesn't work out so well in a team-oriented game like football. Mentor, and all of the Ohio teams they play, will have a huge advantage in continuity and consistency. Football North has bit off more than they can chew when it comes to the schedule, but wins and losses aren't as concerning for them as they are for Ohio teams. This is a game that was scheduled out of desperation on Mentor's part. Clearly, very few teams in NEO want any part of the Cardinals. Football North will get to showcase their team to a lot of talented teams across Ohio. Getting victories will be tough to come by. This is a game that Mentor should win, but not one that will generate much in terms of computer points. 

Next Preview: Elyria (Week 4)

Triv's Top Regular Season Wins (2000-2010)

In February, the legendary Steve Trivisonno announced that 2019 would be his last as coach of the Cardinals. Coach Triv, a Mentor graduate, began coaching here in 1997. Over his past 22 seasons, Mentor has experienced 166 regular season wins, 31 playoff wins, five Region 1 titles, and four state runner-ups, and two Mr. Footballs. With the many regular season wins under Coach Trivisonno's belt, it wasn't easy to try and pick out a top ten. 

For the regular season, the wins I chose were games that were important for a variety of potential reasons. Maybe it was a win over an elite quality opponent. Maybe it was a program-defining win that helped give Mentor football some additional cachet. Maybe it was gutting out a big road win despite injuries. Or maybe, it was just one of those unforgettable, record-setting victories. 

In date order, here is the first part of my list of the most memorable regular season victories:

Mentor 48 Glenville 33 (2002): During the season, Triv touted the 2002 team as the best Mentor team since the 60's. The 2002 Glenville team featured plenty of stars highlighted by an electric trio of defensive backs headed to Ohio State: Ted Ginn Jr., Donte Whitner, and Dareus Hiley. Mentor had not been competitive in the previous few years against Ted Ginn Sr.'s dynamic and speedy squads. But this year, things were different. QB Thom Abbott picked apart that uber-talented secondary on his way to 359 passing yards. The game was played over two days due to Friday night thunderstorms. The win would catch the attention of the area as the offense (engineered by offensive coordinator Don Anderson, RIP) was making a name for itself. The win over Glenville was the biggest exclamation to their 9-1 regular season. It was also the first step in showcasing that this offense would become the most efficient and aggressive passing attack in Ohio of the last 20 years.

Mentor 78 Chardon 7 (2003): Mentor has had a lot of great teams since Trivisonno took over. Due to the success of four state runner-ups, it would be disrespectful to say that 2003 (Region 1 runner-up) was the best. But it is tough to deny that the 2003 group was the most dominant in program history. To put it in perspective, here are the most amount of points given up in one game by some of the state finalist teams: 2007 gave up 52 to Massillon, 2013 gave up 55 to Moeller, and 2017 gave up 59 to Euclid. In 13 games (including playoffs), the 2003 defense gave up 65 total points. Plain and simple, this was by far the best defensive team to ever put on a Mentor Cardinal uniform. The absolute dominance of Chardon was the most memorable win of the regular season. The Hilltoppers came into the game state-ranked and would later go on to win Region 5 on their way to a DII state semifinal. That Chardon team was no slouch, but they were no match for the most dominant team in program history. Mentor used four different QB's, so they were hardly trying to run up the score. It was a win that summed up the way the majority of games went during that special season.

Mentor 19 Massillon 7 (2006): Before the 2000's, the greatest win in program history was a 19-0 upset of the mighty Massillon Tigers back in 1968. When you think of Ohio football, Massillon should quickly come to mind. Beginning in 2005, Mentor began upgrading their non-conference schedule. One of those teams they ended up playing for six straight years was Massillon. In 2006, these two met for the first time at Jerome T Osborne Stadium. The game was broadcasted on Fox Sports Ohio and it was an important game for both teams, as they entered with identical 3-1 records. The year before, Massillon was a state runner-up. The 2006 Mentor team, led by QB Bart Tanski, would later that season reach the state final. The game was scoreless at halftime. Massillon RB/WR Brian Gamble, a two-time All-Ohio player, got Massillon on the board first in the 3rd quarter. In front of a packed house, Mentor's defense stuffed the Tigers most of the evening. The offense scored just enough. Mentor picked up a signature win over the winningest program in Ohio football history.

Mentor 38 St Ignatius 17 (2007): As stated above, Mentor started to beef up their schedule in 2005. The first big name that was announced was the mighty St Ignatius Wildcats. The first game had great anticipation, but Chuck Kyle's squad had defeated Mentor rather easily in 2005. Then the Cats followed that with a surprising upset the following season. This 2007 victory over St Ignatius was sweet for a lot of reasons, but one is that it was the first regular season victory against the most successful big school program of the last 30 years. Mentor came into this one as the defending Region 1 champions and state runners-up. St Ignatius was undefeated and the No. 2 ranked team in the AP poll. Mentor was searching for an important statement victory. Boy did they get one with a three touchdown beat down of one of the state's best. The game was tied 10-10 at halftime before QB Bart Tanski (2007 Mr Football) began engineering several big  drives in the second half to secure the win in front of one of the biggest crowds ever at Mentor.

Mentor 48 South 47 (2010): This rare Lake County clash was one of the more entertaining regular season games in the Triv-era. The Cardinals were 1-3 entering the Week 5 showdown with the undefeated and high-scoring Rebels. QB Mitch Trubisky was just a sophomore, so the team was much more reliant on running (behind senior RB Mike Korecz) than passing. The Rebels were the passing team that season, led by All-Ohio QB Ray Russ. South averaged 50 points a game during the regular season as Russ would throw for 391 yards and 5 TD's in this game. Mentor's running attack churned out 333 yards to help fuel a second half comeback. A couple Kurt Laseak interceptions were difference-makers. This loss was the only blemish on one of the best regular seasons in South football history. It gave Mentor a big computer point jolt and they ran the table to make the playoffs before falling to eventual state champion, St Edward, in a competitive Week 11 game. This game, and the the winning streak that followed, helped set up the best era (2011-2013) of Mentor football.

I will release the rest of my top ten, featuring games from 2011-2018, at a later time. 

Opponent Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)

This is the second of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2019 season.  See the Week 1 preview on St Edward here.

Week 2

Who: St Ignatius Wildcats

What: Non-league game

Where: Jerome T Osborne Sr Stadium

When: September 6th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Chuck Kyle (37th season, 11 state titles)

History: Mentor and St Ignatius are entering their 15th consecutive year in this series that started in 2005. After last season's win by Mentor, St Ignatius still has an edge (8-6) over the Cardinals in the regular season series. Since 2003, Mentor has won four of five against the Wildcats in the playoffs. Coach Trivisonno currently has a 10-9 advantage in games coached against the legendary Chuck Kyle. Unless they meet again in the playoffs, this will be the last game ever between these two coaches. 

Looking Back...
The Wildcats began the season 0-2 after falling to Hoban (undefeated state champions in DII) and Mentor. The home loss to Mentor (28-7) brought rumblings of certain doom for Chuck Kyle's squad. The Cats squashed the doubters and ran the table in September and October, which included a Week 10 win at Browns Stadium against St Edward. St Ignatius' season came to a close as they fell to the eventual state champion Eagles, 21-19, in the first round of the playoffs. Since 2008, St Ignatius has been bounced from the playoffs seven times. Six of those seven losses were against teams the Cats had beaten earlier in the regular season. St Ignatius boasted five players (all seniors) on the All-District 1st Team in 2018. 

Schedule...
St Ignatius will once again have one of the toughest schedules in Ohio. They open the season against Loyola Academy, the defending big school state champions from Illinois. That is followed by road games at Mentor and Hoban, two teams that handed St Ignatius their only regular season losses last year. Weeks 4-6 feature three winnable games against DeMatha (MD), Canada's Football North Academy, and Rockledge (FL). St Ignatius beat Clarkson Football North 45-13 last season. Rockledge, a playoff qualifier in Florida in 2018, is new to the schedule. In Weeks 7-9, the schedule is hit with a heavy dose of more of the best in the state: St Edward, Moeller, and St Xavier. Those three schools have combined for nine state titles since 2005. St Ignatius gets a breather in Week 10 against Canada's West Toronto Prep, a team the Cats blanked 45-0 last season. Needless to say, Chuck Kyle's squad will be battle tested for the playoffs with three defending state champions and a few other big hitters. 

2019 St Ignatius Outlook...
Offensively, St Ignatius brings back some key returnees from last season. Power back Jack Welsch has a lot of varsity experience the past two seasons. After sharing carries as a sophomore and junior, he will be the primary ball carrier this season. Receiver Connor Cmiel received 2nd team All-District honors in 2018. The 6'2, 175-pound receiver has big play capabilities and will be one of the most talented at his position in the area. Senior TE Sam Daugstup (6'5, 285) is one of the most highly recruited players at his position in the Midwest. On the line, the Wildcats should be solid. A couple starters return, including Nick Schwitzgebel (6'3, 285). The senior guard has several DI offers. Offensive line is often a strength for the St Ignatius. As for QB, it will not be a surprise if Chuck Kyle once again goes with a first year senior starter. Griffin Hanna was the backup last season and proved to be efficient (14-27, 155 yards) in his limited opportunities to throw. Expect him to be the starter, but a pair of sophomores could be in the mix with a strong August camp. The Wildcats should be pretty balanced with talent and experience returning in the running and passing game. 

Defensively, it won't be easy to replace LB Tommy Eichenberg, who is at Ohio State. Senior linebackers Connor Francz and Michael McNamara (Kent State baseball recruit) are returning starters in the middle of St Ignatius' vaunted 3-3 stack defense. Despite huge roster numbers, Kyle is not hesitant to put some of his most talented athletes on both sides of the ball. Daugstup could see time at defensive end in addition to his offensive duties. Key offensive players Welsch and Cmiel were two-way standouts last year, so expect them to make an impact in the secondary this year. 

A grueling first few weeks of the season will test the Wildcats. If they can get one or two wins out of the gate, this will be another playoff season. St Ignatius has some size, speed, and talent at key positions. Finding a playmaker to lead the defensive charge will be key. The Cats develop QB's as good as just about anybody in Ohio, so expect the offense to be efficient. Mentor has had their hands full with Ignatius over the years, so expect 2019 to be no different. This team will be on the short list to seriously challenge St Edward for the Region 1 title. 

Next Preview: Clarkson Football North (Week 3)

Opponent Preview: St Edward (Week 1)

Here is the first of my previews of Mentor opponents for the 2019 season. Leading up to the season, I will post some info on each opponent starting in Week 1 with St Edward. 

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)

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