Opponent Preview: Football North (Week 5)

Week 5

Who: Clarkson Football North (Canada)

What: Non-league game

Where: Jerome T. Osborne Stadium 

When: September 17 at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Larry Jusdanis

History: Mentor welcomed our neighbors from the North during 2019 in a storm-shortened game that could only get one half of play before it was called. Mentor won the game, 28-15. Due to COVID, the two were unable to play each other last season.

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. Unable to cross the border in 2020, Football North didn't have the kind of season they were hoping. Games against US teams were all cancelled. They normally play a rugged schedule, including a bunch against some of the top teams in Ohio. Overall, their record in 2019 was 3-6. But they found a way to win a couple games against Ohio teams (St Ignatius and Lorain) while having competitive losses against Mentor and Elder. Football North spent the last 12 months focusing on practice, training, scrimmages, attending camps, etc. 

Schedule...
Due to their chase of playing high profile teams, Football North has one of the most grueling schedules in North America. In the past few years, the Ohio teams on their schedule are among the four best programs in the state: St Ignatius, St Edward, St Xavier, and Mentor are among the typical scheduled teams. For 2021, only Mentor and St Edward remain. They also play some top notch programs from other states. Due to their demanding schedule, wins are not easy to come by. 

2021 Football North Outlook...
Unlike a lot of HS football teams, the number one score card for Football North is not necessarily wins and losses. The development and promotion of players to make it to college football is their top priority. Because of that, their roster is almost entirely filled with guys that are aiming to play some level of college football (either in the states or in Canada) in their future. It starts at the all-important position of QB. Callum Wither (6'4, 210) has joined Football North this season. Wither was offered by a handful of programs in the MAC before committing to play quarterback at Ohio University. RB Omarion Martin (9 carries for 66 yards and a TD as sophomore against Mentor in 2019) is primed for a big 2021. Martin boasts an offer from Central Michigan. Fellow back Donavin Milloy is another talented player to watch out for. Milloy recently got an offer from UMass and will be a key playmaker on this offense. Football North is not short on size and speed at the receiver position. Micah Dennie is a speedster with an offer from West Virginia. Football North has plenty of size and talent on the lines. Mateo Lucero (6'5, 285) and Vincent Ramolli (6'8, 335) are a couple of starting linemen that have both been offered by Texas State. 

On defense, there is plenty of college talent on the field. It starts at the all-pivotal defensive end positions. Football North has some good ones. Ishmael Findlayter is a 6'4, 230-pound defensive end with multiple DI offers. Kumail Khilji (6'4, 245) is at the other end position and he isn't far behind with the offers. There is plenty of size up front on both sides of the ball. 

It can't be denied that there are a lot of individually talent players on this roster. They have many guys that will be playing college football. On an individual level, Mentor won't have the kind of talent that Football North has. But Mentor's advantages will include consistency, depth, and continuity. It will be a very interesting matchup. 

Next Preview: Brunswick (Week 6)

Opponent Preview: North Allegheny (Week 4)

 This is the third of my previews for Mentor's 2021 opponents. See the Week 3 opponent preview on St Edward here

Week 4

Who: North Allegheny Tigers

What: Non-conference

Where: North Allegheny's Newman Stadium

When: September 10th at 7:30pm 

Opposing Coach: Art Walker (200+ wins, two state titles at North Allegheny)

History: Mentor and North Allegheny have no history of playing one another. This will be the first time Mentor has played a team from Pennsylvania since a home-and-home series with Erie McDowell back in 2012 and 2013. North Allegheny, about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh, has three football state championships (1990, 2010, and 2012).

Looking Back...

The Tigers won their first six games in an abbreviated season before matching up against Pittsburgh's Central Catholic in a big November postseason matchup. The Tigers, playing in the big school division in Pennsylvania, lost in the WPIAL championship to Central Catholic by a score of 38-24. The lone loss of the season prevented North Allegheny from advancing to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. There were seven players that earned First Team all-league selections. Six of those were seniors. Key graduates from last season that will move on to play college football this fall include receiver Khalil Denkins (Penn State) and linebacker Nate Hoke (BYU). 

Schedule...

Mentor is not the only Ohio team on North Allegheny's schedule. Pickerington Central, a team with two recent state championship, is hosting North Allegheny in Week 2. The rest of the schedule includes Pennsylvania teams, the majority of which are in WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League). One of the big games on the schedule for the Tigers will be a season-defining game against Central Catholic. The Week 10 game with Seneca Valley, a team North Allegheny knocked off in the playoffs last season, is also a big one.  

2021 North Allegheny Outlook...

North Allegheny is led on defense by a very talented edge rusher in Jacob Porter (son of former Steeler Joey Porter). Porter (6'3, 210) has multiple DI offers after an all-conference season in 2020. He was a state-qualifier in the 100 meter dash, so expect a lot of size, strength, and speed off the edge. Michael Dorn is another big body on the defensive front that should help solidify a strong line. Kolin Jenkins (brother of Khalil and son of former NFL player Darnell Dinkins) should be a playmaker on both sides of the ball a season after starting at corner. Jenkins should see some opportunities to help the offense too. On offense, the team graduated its most dangerous playmaker (Khalil Dinkins) and the starting QB (Greg Philips). Along with possibly using the younger Jenkins on offense, the Tigers do bring back a big and dangerous weapon in Dwayne Taylor (6'5, 205) at receiver. JR Burton is a returning starting running back from 2020, so his presence brings some stability to the offense. North Allegheny is a team that likes to run the ball, so expect Burton to be a focal point of the offense. This will be an interesting challenge for a Mentor program that isn't accustomed to making long trips. The last time they went on the road this far was a 2015 matchup in Cincinnati against St Xavier. 

Next Preview: Football North (Week 5)

Opponent Preview: St Edward (Week 3)

This is the third of my previews for Mentor's 2021 opponents. See the Week 2 opponent preview on St Ignatius here

Week 3

Who: St Edward Eagles

What: Non-conference

Where: First Federal Lakewood Stadium

When: September 4th at 7:00pm 

Opposing Coach: Tom Lombardo (7th season at St Edward, 60-13 record, 149-51 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 two of the last three regular season games. The Eagles overcame a two score 4th quarter deficit in winning last year's game, 28-24. 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 13 times (regular season and playoffs) since 2003, with Mentor having a 7-6 advantage.

Looking Back...

The Eagles finished with a 5-2 record (including playoffs) in the shortened 2020 season. Their only regular season loss was to Hoban, the eventual DII state champions. St Edward had big regular season wins over Mentor, St Ignatius, and Massillon (2020 DII state runners-up). In an unprecedented COVID season where the OHSAA shifted their playoff format, the Eagles earned the respect of Region 1 coaches by being voted the #1 seed in the playoff draw. After a comfortable 42-0 win in their first playoff game against GlenOak, the Eagles were upset in the regional quarterfinal by Medina. The 35-31 victory by the Bees was part of a historic playoff run that saw Medina advance to the regional final by knocking off St Edward and St Ignatius in consecutive weeks. The surprising loss snapped a streak of ten straight seasons where the Eagles advanced to at least the regional semifinal round. St Edward had nine players that were named to the All-District First and Second teams. All but one of them were seniors. The talented graduates include CJ Hankins (a key starting linebacker on the 2018 state title team), CB Jaylen Castleberry, and a group of stellar linemen (Thomas Aden, Chris Moran, Charles Calhoun, and Caden Casto). 

Schedule...

The schedule is once again one of the most daunting in the state. Big games with some of Ohio's best DI programs (St Ignatius, Mentor, Moeller, and Elder) will test the Eagles as always. St Edward has won the last three games with their rival, St Ignatius. Cincinnati area powers Moeller and Elder are two of the most successful big school programs in Ohio history, but the Eagles have dominated the series as of late. St Edward is 18-2 against the pair since 2010, including winning ten straight games against Moeller. The top two teams from Division II (Hoban and Massillon) are back on the schedule. Toledo Central Catholic (a three time state champion) is a new addition. The Ohio teams on their schedule have combined for 28 state titles (and 18 state runners-up) in the playoff-era. The rest of the schedule includes non-OHSAA team Bishop Sycamore, Rock Creek Christian (Maryland), and DC's Washington Wilson. The schedule will prepare the Eagles for a November run.

2021 St Edward Outlook...

Since 2010, the Eagles have been the dominant big school program in Ohio. Their four state championships (2010, 2014, 2015, 2018) during this stretch is tops in Division I. If not for Mentor knocking off some very talented Eagles' squads (2012, 2013, 2017, and 2019), they might have five or six state championships over the last decade. Despite graduating a lot of valuable seniors, St Edward figures to still be one of the top teams in the state.

Senior Christian Ramos returns at QB after getting plenty of valuable starting experience a season ago. Ramos is a talented multi-sport athlete that has committed to play baseball at Bowling Green. He showed his grit in guiding the Eagles to a comeback win at Mentor last season along with leading the team to wins over Massillon and St Ignatius. Ramos should be one of the more dangerous dual threat QB's in the area. The passing game should see some improvement with the growth of Ramos along with returning receiver Connor Goodall (6'3, 180). Dynamic playmaker Joel Castleberry, a standout in all three phases, is another potential target. Talented back Daniel Enovitch returns after a season in which he shared carries with now-graduated Malachi Watkins. Enovitch had one of his best games of the season against Mentor last year, rushing for a team-high 132 yards. Enovitch should be one of the top running backs in the area now that he will be getting the bulk of the carries behind the usually large and talented Eagles offensive line. Up front, lineman Joe Lavelle (Second Team All-District in 2020) is a key returning starter. The offense should be in good shape with a nice mix of talent and experience. 

A large reason for the rise of St Edward over the past dozen seasons has been their defense. While they experienced some hits from graduation at all three lines of the defense, this should still be one of the top defenses in the area. It starts at the edge with the big and talented DE Trey Bixby. A starter since he was a sophomore, Bixby (6'5, 235) is a Minnesota recruit and considered one of the top at his position in the Midwest. Zyion Brown was one of the leading tacklers and returns to lead the linebackers. In the secondary, Castleberry and Jack Riley are returning starters. With a handful of talented returning starters from 2020, expect this group to once again be one of the top defenses in the state. 

Region 1 has gone through the Eagles for most of the past decade. Expect 2021 to be no different. This should be a pretty balanced team with key pieces returning on both sides of the ball. This should be as difficult as any game on Mentor's schedule. 

Next Preview: North Allegheny (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 experience success as a starter headlined by guiding St Ignatius to a couple of impressive playoff wins. 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 consecutive playoff wins against Solon (19 carries for 171 yards and 3 TD's) and Euclid (233 total yards and 2 TD's). Lenehan should be one of the top at his position in NEO. Being able to return players at 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). Montgomery is the only returning starter on the line, but plenty of talent and size are waiting in the wings. Behind Pfaff, Lenehan, and the typically strong Wildcat line - look for a balanced offense to be the strength of the team to start the season. 

There are a few more questions on defense than offense. St Ignatius was especially senior-heavy on that side of the ball 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)

Opponent Preview: Canton McKinley (Week 1)

This is the first of my previews of Mentor's opponents for the 2021 season. I will be adding new opponent previews throughout the summer. 

Week 1

Who: Canton McKinley

What: Non-league game

Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

When: August 20th at 7:00pm

Opposing Coach: Antonio Hall (first year as head coach)

History: Mentor has some playoff history with McKinley, headlined by a program-defining state semifinal win (18-13) in 2006. More recently, the Cardinals had playoff wins against the Bulldogs in 2018 (36-6) and 2019 (34-13). The two haven't met in the regular season since McKinley's 1997 state championship season, a year in which Mentor was shutout 49-0. Those Pups earned USA Today's #1 ranking in their final national poll for that season. 

Looking Back...
In the shortened season, McKinley went 4-2. They had wins against Federal League foes GlenOak, Jackson, Hoover, and Lake. Their success and reputation earned them the #3 seed in the expanded Region 1 playoff field. During the first week of the playoffs, McKinley cruised to a 54-32 win over Berea-Midpark. It looked like a foregone conclusion that Mentor and McKinley would meet for a third straight time in the playoffs. However, the Bulldogs were upset by Brunswick (27-14) during the second round. Among the graduates from their 2020 team is talented QB Elijah Wesley, a recruit for the University of Toledo. Other departed seniors from last year's team include RB's Rob Jones and Brandon Foster along with a trio of All-District defenders from the secondary: Jonah Lytle (Toledo recruit), Nehemiah Stovall, and Brian Pinkey. Receiver Xavier Black was a third member of McKinley's 2021 class that will be continuing football as a scholarship player at Toledo. 

Schedule...
As a part of the Federal League, McKinley will play six of their ten games in conference. The Bulldogs are 20-3 against the Federal League since 2017. They haven't lost to Jackson, Hoover, Lake, or Green since 2014. GlenOak has won just two games over the past three seasons. The Bulldogs should be favorites in those five games. McKinley's biggest obstacle to an undefeated league championship is Massillon Perry, a team they are just 1-6 against since 2014. The non-conference schedule is highlighted by the annual Week 10 showdown with Massillon. McKinley has dropped five straight games in this historic rivalry. The other two teams on the schedule are Fitch and Wayne. Fitch is coming off a 7-1 season. Wayne is a very successful program from the Dayton area with four DI state runners-up. McKinley's schedule has a good balance of local rivals, traditional playoff programs, and some very winnable games. The schedule will leave them battle tested for the playoffs. 

2021 Canton McKinley Outlook...
Few big school programs in Ohio have the kind of cache that Canton McKinley has. With one of the nation's highest win totals (851 and counting) along with 38 playoff wins, nine regional titles, and three state championships - the Bulldogs have earned the respect they have been given. As for this season, it would be difficult to talk about the 2021 Bulldogs without first pointing out the challenges faced by the program. In the aftermath of a controversial situation that led to the dismissal of the coaching staff, Athletic Director Antonio Hall stepped in to become the interim head coach. Adding to that upheaval is the replacement of key members on offense such as Wesley and other starters at receiver and running back. The offensive line is also needing to replace most of their starters, but Third Team All-Ohio tackle Stefan Monahan (6'8, 295) does return. This will be a season of starting over in multiple ways on offense with a change in coaching and the need to reload at nearly every position.

Defensively, it starts with three star linebacker Mani Powell (6'3, 225). As a junior, Powell earned a Co-Defensive POY award for the Northeast Inland District. He currently has around a dozen college offers that include Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, Arkansas, and Boston College. He will be one of the players to watch for the Bulldogs this season. Safety Harold Fannin Jr. is another returning impact player on defense. McKinley did graduate a lot of starters on defense, so this side of the ball will also have to reload. 

Next Preview: St Ignatius (Week 2)

Division I Final Four Preview

 

When: Saturday, March 20 at the University of Dayton

5:00pm - Mentor (25-0) vs Centerville (24-3) 
8:00pm - St Ignatius (19-6) vs Westerville Central (21-2) 

*Winners will play in the state championship game on Sunday, March 21 at 8:30pm

Mentor (25-0)

Mentor is a team built on seniors. All seven players who saw time in the two regional games were seniors. It starts with All-Ohio guard and Youngstown State commit Luke Chicone. The third all-time leading scorer in Mentor history is having a memorable season. At the regional round, Chicone scored a team-high 41 total points in the two wins over Jackson and Medina. As the team's point guard, top scorer, and emotional leader - the Cardinals will go as far as Chicone can guide them. Seniors Jonah Waag and Steven Key have been consistently strong on both ends of the court all season long. Waag is a 6'3 guard that is physical, athletic, and versatile. He earned 2nd team All-District honors in a season in which he is second on the team in scoring with 18 points per game. Waag scored 19 points in Mentor's regional final win over Medina. Senior guard Steven Key is one of the team's top defenders along with being one of their go-to playmakers on offense. Key helped seal a regional semifinal win over Jackson with a put back off of a missed free throw in the final minute of the game. The return of forward Ian Kipp has been a welcome sight as he helps provide depth in the front court along with 6'5 forward Andrew Smith. Senior sharpshooter Kyle Culler hit a couple of early three-pointers to help build an early lead in the regional final. Guard Cael Gray brings energy, experience, and shooting off of the bench. 

Making their third trip to the Final Four under legendary coach Bob Krizancic, this group will try to win the program's second state title (and third overall for Krizancic as a coach). Their journey to this point has been unscathed as the program seeks a rare undefeated state championships season. Key wins during the regular season included two wins over regional finalist Medina and fellow Final Four team St Ignatius. The district final win saw one of Mentor's finest offensive performances of the season in scoring 91 points against Solon. Even when the offense wasn't at its most efficient at the regional rounds, Mentor found ways to pull out key victories over Jackson and Medina. The team is balanced offensively to go along with a defense that can easily be overlooked. 

Centerville (25-0)

In direct contrast to Mentor, Centerville is a younger team with four of their five starters being sophomores or juniors. Super sophomore Gabe Cupps is a social media sensation and AUU teammate of Bronny James. The son of head coach Brook Cupps, the 6'2 point guard was a First Team All-District honoree as he averaged 16 points and 5 assists a game during the regular season. 6'7 junior Rich Rolf is a versatile scorer and double-double machine. Like Cupps, he earned First Team All-District in a season in which he averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds a game. With 14 points, Rolf was the leading scorer in Centerville's 40-38 regional final win over Moeller. 6'6 junior wing Tom House led the Elks in scoring during the regular season with 18 ppg. Able to score inside and out, House hit two late game three pointers in the regional final to help send Centerville to their first ever Final Four appearance. This trio is as good as any in the state of Ohio. Sophomore guard Emmanuel Deng and 6'7 senior Tre Johnson round off the starting lineup. Key bench players include guards Jayson Hayes and Quinn Hafner. 

Centerville is a young but extremely talented team. They knocked off two of the three top teams (Elder and Moeller) from the mighty Cincinnati Greater Catholic League in their two regional wins. Coming into the regional final, Moeller had not lost a tournament game since the 2017 state final. In upsetting the Crusaders, Centerville avenged one of their regular season losses. Centerville won the GWOC during the regular season, including two key wins over talented rival Wayne. The Elks knocked off NEO power St Edward last month in a big regular season win. Similar to Mentor, Centerville is a strong offensive group that is not shy about shooting the three ball. The Elks are averaging close to 20 three-point attempts per game. They also showed a commitment to defense in limiting their two regional opponents to an average of 40 points per game. 

St Ignatius (19-6)

The Wildcats are making their first Final Four appearance since their 2001 state championship. St Ignatius is guided by second year coach Cam Joyce. It starts up front with 6'7 forward Henry Raynor. The senior averaged 17 ppg during the season and earned Second Team All-District honors. Raynor scored 37 total points in the two regional victories. Fellow 6'7 senior post Will Yontek gives St Ignatius a talented frontcourt duo. Junior guard Jon Effertz, who finished with a team-high 19 points in the district final against Lorain, is the second leading scorer on the team. Talented freshman CJ Little has emerged as the team's point guard and has an excellent future ahead of him. Raynor, Yontek, and 6'10 junior CJ Yarian are key at defending the post and making sure the opposing team's guards have difficulty finishing in the lane. 6'4 sophomore Brayden Szczepaniak and freshman guard Carter Jackson bring depth to the backcourt. 

After a grueling regular season schedule that saw some highs (a nine game winning streak that included wins over St Edward, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights) and some lows (four game losing streak early in the season), the Cats are playing their best basketball in the tournament. Following a big district final win over a talented Lorain team that features West Virginia commit Seth Wilson, St Ignatius clinched their first district title since 2016. After splitting two regular season games with rival St Edward, the two met up in the regional semifinal. Behind strong efforts from Ronyak and Effertz, the Wildcats held on to a 55-54 tournament win. In the regional final, St Ignatius knocked off Lima Senior with a 56-44 win. St Ignatius is a team much more comfortable keeping the score low and letting their defense lead the way. 

Westerville Central (21-2)

The Warhawks were one of Central Ohio's best and most consistent teams all season long. A year removed from the program's first ever district title, Westerville Central followed it up with the program's first ever Final Four appearance. Coach Kevin Martin, a starter on Westerville North's 1994 state championship team, has already made a huge impact on the program in just his third season. They are led by the Central District's Player of the Year in senior Tasos Cook. The 6'2 guard averaged 21 points per game during the regular season. Joining Cook in the backcourt are fellow seniors Quincy Clark and Landon Tillman. Clark is a 6'3 point guard that led the team in assists along with being a regular double digit scorer. Tillman is one of Westerville Central's top scorers and helped the Warhawks secure the district title with a late game three-pointer. MJ Davis is a 6'4 senior that hit three triples in the regional semifinal win over Hilliard Bradley. 6'7 sophomore Donovan Hunter and 6'5 junior Brad Leonard brings some size and rebounding to the team. 

Westerville Central has lost just two games all season. Both games were decided by a single point. They won a district final rubber match with league member Pickerington North, 41-39. After splitting a couple of one-point games during the season, the Warhawks won another rubber match against a league rival in the regional final. Down two with seconds left, Tasos Cook nailed a buzzer-beating shot from beyond halfcourt to give Central a 45-44 victory over Gahanna Lincoln. Westerville Central is a senior-led squad with winning experience in all kinds of ways. They have won eight straight tournament games dating back to last season. This team has strong guard play to go along with size, experience, and a commitment to defense. 

2021 Region 2 Preview

Region 2 Teams Preview

When: Wednesday, March 10 at Twinsburg High School

5:30 -  Medina (17-6) vs North Canton Hoover (17-8) 
8:00 - Mentor (23-0) vs Massillon Jackson (23-3) 

 Medina (7-2 in the GCC, 14-6 in regular season, 17-6 overall)

Medina has established themselves as one of NEO's top programs since Coach Hassinger took over in 2014. They dropped both games to Mentor, but swept through the rest of their GCC matchups. The Bees swept the season series with Brunswick and also knocked off Solon, a district runner-up. With high expectations in 2020-21, Medina upped the difficulty of their non-conference schedule. The four OHSAA teams to beat the Bees this season are all still in the tournament. Medina's tournament path to this point began with a 92-53 sectional final win over Westlake. Following a win over an underrated Copley team (42-35), Medina was matched up with one of the hottest and most talented teams in the area: Cleveland Heights. The two talented squads battled all night before Medina held on for a 54-53 victory. 

The Bees are led by three seniors that started a season ago on a team that won a district title. Corey Tripp is one of the best players in the state. The underrecruited 6'3 guard has proven to be a dynamite scorer inside and out. Tripp, averaging 24 ppg this season, recently became Medina's all-time leading scorer. Senior guard Brandon Geschke is one of the most accurate shooters in the area. Forward Christian Howard brings the size, rebounding, and inside scoring that makes the Bees a difficult team to defend. The 6'4 senior averages 12 points and 7 rebounds a game. Juniors Jajuan Jackson and Matt Spatny, also key starters on the football team, provide depth for Medina's trio of experienced and talented seniors.

Coach Chris Hassinger shared the 2020 Coach of the Year honors in the GCC with Mentor's Krizancic. Hassinger has four district titles in his seven seasons with the Bees. 

Biggest regular season wins: Cleveland Heights, Copley, Chaney, Solon Brunswick (twice), and Green

Regular season losses: Mentor (twice), St Ignatius, Buchtel, Richmond Heights, ISA

 Hoover (6-6 in the Federal League, 14-8 in regular season, 17-8 overall)

Of all the teams that made it to this regional, the Hoover Vikings are the biggest surprise. While the other three regional teams earned the top seeds at their respected district, Hoover was the 4th highest seed at the Northeast 2 district. They started the season pretty shaky after dropping five of their first six. A team with only one senior in the rotation was sure to experience some growing pains. Hoover flipped the switch and has been on a 16-3 tear since Christmas. That included handing Canton McKinley their only league loss as well as four impressive wins at their sectional/district. Three of those tournament wins were rubber match victories against Federal League foes after splitting the regular season series. An "upset" win at the higher-seeded Boardman was sandwiched in between home victories against Lake and Green. Finally, Hoover put together an impressive 64-53 district final win on the road against a highly talented McKinley squad that was the #2 overall seed in the Northeast pool of districts.  

Unlike the other three teams at this region, Hoover is more likely to rely on their size over guard play to carry them to victory. 6'4 junior Trent Ware and 6'5 senior Brock Henne lead the Vikings in points and rebounds. Another big body in the lineup is 6'4 junior Elijah Barker, who scored a team-high 22 points in the district final. Junior Cade Henne has emerged as the team's top scoring guard. The junior Henne made his presence known with a 24-point outburst in Hoover's regular season win against McKinley. 

Coach Mike Bluey is in just his third season at Hoover after a five year stint at Tallmadge. This is Bluey's first district title as a coach, and Hoover's first since 2013. 

Biggest regular season wins: McKinley, Green, Dover, Massillon, and Worthington Kilbourne

Regular season losses: Jackson (twice), McKinley, Green, Hoban, Walsh Jesuit, GlenOak, Lake

Mentor (9-0 in the GCC, 19-0 in regular season, 23-0 overall)

Mentor won their 15th district title since Coach Krizancic took over the program. The 2013 state champions are making their fourth trip to regional play in the last five seasons. During the regular season, Mentor went 19-0 and capped off the first undefeated season atop the final AP poll. Sweeping Medina and routing St Ignatius were the highlights of the regular season. Their path to the district crown included a pair of comfortable sectional wins against North and Harvey. In the district semifinal, Mentor was able to control pace against a Dover squad that did their best to slow down the game. In the district final, Mentor had probably their most impressive offensive performance of the season in a 91-73 win over conference foe Solon. The Cardinals shot a staggering 74% from the field. Through four games in the tournament, Mentor is averaging over 85 points a game. While the offense gets the attention, this team has proven to be very formidable on the defensive end as well. They cause headaches for the opposition in the half court as well as when they use their patented full court pressure. 

Mentor is led by Mr. Basketball candidate Luke Chicone. The three-year starting guard and Youngstown State commit has an 11-1 tournament record since 2019. Chicone is averaging 23 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals a game. Seniors Jonah Waag (18 ppg) and Steven Key (15 ppg) combine with Chicone to form one of the top scoring trios in the state. Waag had a game-high 29 points in the district final. Senior guard Kyle Culler is one of the top shooters in NEO. Key scored a season-high 33 points in a 76-70 win over Medina last month. Forwards Ian Kipp, Andrew Smith, and Sean Collins provide some size and depth in the front court. 

Coach Bob Krizancic has over 600 wins in his career that are highlighted by his state championships (1995 with Girard and 2013 with Mentor). 

Biggest regular season wins: Medina (twice), St Ignatius, Solon, Chaney, and Brunswick (twice)

Regular season losses: None

 Jackson (9-3 in the Federal League, 19-3 in regular season, 23-3 overall)

The Polar Bears were the top seeded team at Northeast District 1, and also the #3 overall in the Northeast pool of districts. After cruising through a couple of sectional wins against Ellet and Warren Harding, Jackson had a grueling district round against two of the better teams in NEO. Standing in their way on the other side of the bracket were the #4, 5, and 6 overall seeds. In the district semifinal, the Polar Bears held off Brush, 51-41. In the district final, Jackson once again demonstrated their grit with a 51-47 win over Walsh Jesuit. In both district games, the Polar Bears had to overcome first half double-digit deficits to grind out victories. Before the tournament started, Jackson snapped St Ignatius' nine-game winning streak with a 57-46 win last month in their regular season finale. The Polar Bears overcame a late deficit to pull out their most impressive regular season win. 

Jackson has won two state championships (2010 and 2017), four regional titles, and ten district titles. In a highly competitive athletic region like Summit/Stark County, Jackson has proven to be among the premier area basketball programs. The offense is led by a trio of double-digit scoring guards. After a strong sophomore campaign last season, Kevin James once again is among the players to watch for on the Polar Bears. Senior Michael Skeriotis is a sharpshooting guard that is capable of a big scoring night. Junior Ben Suillivan leads the team in assists and is second in scoring. In the front court, Jackson is not short on length or depth. 6'5 senior Alex Graybill, 6'6 senior Jovan Jovivic, and 6'6 sophomore Owen Woolbert are integral parts of Jackson's success. This is a team built on balance and depth. 

Coach Tim Debevec is in his 10th season for Jackson, which included guiding them to a 2017 state title. Jackson has won four district titles during Debevec's tenure. 

Biggest regular season wins: Hoover (twice), Hoban, Chaney, Brush, St Ignatius, Copley, Green, and Massillon

Regular season losses: McKinley (twice) and Green