The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
BIG OPPORTUNITIES FOR EX-TEAMMATES
Mentor graduates Trivisonno, Debeljak lead teams into playoff showdowns this weekend
Greg Debeljak remembers growing up in Mentor looking up to his older brother C.J. and his friends.
Included in that group was Steve Trivisonno.
“I just tagged along,” said Debeljak. “They tolerated me.”
When Debeljak was old enough, he proved he belonged among his older brother and his friends on the football field.
When he was a sophomore at Mentor, Debeljak saw action with the varsity football team in 1980. C.J. and Trivisonno
WHAT’S NEXT
Mentor vs. Olentangy Liberty What: D-I state semifinal When: 7:30 p.m., Nov. 24 Where: Mansfield Senior Arlin Field Records: Mentor 12-1, Liberty 11-2 Case Western at Mount Union
What: NCAA D-III second-round playoff game When: Noon, Nov. 25 Where: Mount Union Stadium Records: Case 11-0, Mount 11-0 were seniors.
“When we have a guy who we think has what it takes (academically), Greg’s the first guy we think of.” — Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno
Debeljak might have played second-fiddle back then to Trivisonno and the rest of the Mentor seniors. But flash forward almost 40 years later, and the coaches are on equal ground — especially this week.
Debeljak and Trivisonno face huge opportunities leading their respective teams.
Debeljak has the Case Western Reserve football team in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The 11-0 Spartans play at perennial DIII power Mount Union on Nov. 25.
Trivisonno’s Mentor football team is one game from the Division I state championship game. The Cardinals play Olentangy Liberty in a state semifinal Nov. 24 in Mansfield.
It all began for Debeljak and Trivisonno at Mentor High School.
Trivisonno graduated from the school in 1981, and then played college football at Bowling Green.
When it was time to pick a career, it was a nobrainer for Trivisonno. His father Joe was a longtime coach at Collinwood and Brush, and his uncle Bob Fisher followed Joe at Brush.
“I always knew coaching was something I wanted to do,” said Trivisonno.
His first job in coaching was as Madison’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. He returned to Mentor as an assistant in 1988, and was eventually elevated to head coach.
Debeljak’s coaching career wasn’t as concrete. By the time he was ready to graduate from John Carroll in the late 1980s, he wasn’t sure what to do, but knew he wanted stay in the game.
“I really didn’t have a plan, it just happened,” said Debeljak.
His first job was as an assistant at John Carroll. He spent 12 years at JCU, then became the offensive coordinator at Case before he was named the head coach there. He’s built the football program into a steady winner.
This season marks Case’s fourth trip to the NCAA playoffs in Debeljak’s 14 seasons.
“I’m a D-III guy, and I have no desire to coach (in Division I),” said Debeljak. “That was cemented when I got to Case.”
A funny thing happened when Debeljak arrived at Case. He and Trivisonno built a relationship that neither probably predicted.
C.J. moved out of the area, but Greg and Trivisonno are regularly in contact because of recruiting.
The Mentor-to-Case pipeline has served both schools well.
The likes of Mentor grads Tom Brew (an AllAmerican linebacker), Ryan Kolesar and Tim Cowdrick (receivers during the Dan Whalen era of the late 2000s) and Ricky Hanzlik (a dependable running back) have been a boost for Debeljak during his tenure.
In 14-plus seasons, he’s 102-42, and always looking for Northeast Ohio talent. But it isn’t always easy. Case’s admission requirements are difficult.
“When we have a guy who we think has what it takes (academically), Greg’s the first guy we think of,” said Trivisonno. “He’s a great coach, and a better guy.”
Trivisonno’s career record is now 184-66 after the Cardinals’ 23-21 win over St. Ignatius Nov. 17 in a D-I regional final.
He and Debeljak are winners, but their styles are different.
Linebacker Justin McMahon played for Trivisonno at Mentor, and is Debeljak’s leading tackler this season as a senior.
He’s seen both coaches styles up close.
“Oh yeah, they are very different,” said McMahon. “Triv gets very emotional and loves the rah, rah speeches before the game. Coach Debs is like, ‘All right, we know what we have to do. Let’s go out and do it.’
“On the field, though, they’re both very heated during the games and competitive.”
It comes to a head this weekend.
Trivisonno continues his quest for Mentor’s first state title in football.
Debeljak can shock the college football world with a win at Mount Union.
It’s taken them nearly 40 years to collectively get to this point.
History is within reach for both.