The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Week 3 has arrived on the area gridiron
John Kampf previews the area’s top high school football games in Week 3, including Euclid seeking a signature win as it welcomes St. Ignatius and a battle of archrivals as Perry takes on Madison.
GLENVILLE AT MENTOR
What: Nonconference game Where: Jerome T. Osborne Stadium When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: Glenville 1-1, Mentor 2-0
Last week: Mentor def. St. Ignatius, 28-7, Olentangy Liberty def. Glenville, 19-17
For the record: The Cardinals are coming off two huge wins to start the season against St. Edward and St. Ignatius. Because both the Eagles and Wildcats are 0-2, if the season ended today, Mentor would be on the road in the first round of the playoffs. But there’s a long way to go . ... Mentor’s defense shone brightly against St. Ignatius, holding the Wildcats to less than 100 yards until the final drive of the game. DE Noah Potter and LBs Brady Benz, James Pedley and Daniel Adams lead an active, hardhitting unit. Mentor’s offense is led by sophomore QB Ian Kipp (two rushing TDs, one passing TD against St. Ignatius) and junior RB Brian Trobel (five TDs through two games). The Mentor offensive line is big and physical. ... The Tarblooders defeated Olentangy Liberty — a D-I state semifinalist last year — in Week 2. Junior William Anglen has been solid for Glenville through two games. Torrance Davis is a receiver for Mentor to keep an eye on.
ST. IGNATIUS AT EUCLID
What: Nonconference game Where: Euclid Community Stadium When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: St. Ignatius 0-2, Euclid 2-0 Last week: Mentor def. St. Ignatius, 28-7, Euclid def. Lorain, 42-21
For the record: A major game for both teams. St. Ignatius can’t afford to go 0-3 if it wants to make the playoffs this year, and Euclid has a chance to start 3-0 against a tough schedule. ... Euclid has scored 42 points in each of its first two games. New QB Dion Valentine threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns last week. Dre’Von Lindsay caught five passes for 114 yards. Jaabir Mujihad had a breakout game with 145 yards rushing against Lorain. The Panthers gave up only 26 yards rushing against the Titans, but did surrender 231 passing yards . ... St. Ignatius struggled to get anything going offensively in the loss to Mentor. The Wildcats’ lone scoring drive was 4 yards, set up by a Mentor turnover. QBs Patrick Delahunty and Griffin Hanna both played against the Cardinals, but were under heavy pressure all night. St. Ignatius had only 30 yards rushing against Mentor and 1 yard the week before against Hoban. St. Ignatius will need to get offense going to win this one.
PERRY AT MADISON
What: Nonconference game
Where: Dick Hamblin Field When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: Perry 1-1, Madison 2-0 Last week: Chardon def. Perry, 49-43 (OT), Madison def. Lakeside, 29-0
For the record: Madison leads the all-time series, 36-23, but Perry has won the last three. Madison is looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2014, while Perry is looking to rebound after a loss to Chardon that snapped a 22-game regular-season winning streak . ... Madison’s offense has looked tremendous early on. Junior QB Alex Dragas has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of the first two games. Couple that with a big offensive line than churns out yards in the vaunted running game and the Blue Streaks are more diverse than they’ve been in recent memory . ... Perry is a little banged up, with RB Jaylen Anderson and OL John Cales out this week. All-Ohio safety Cameron Rogers is questionable after missing much of last week’s game. But the Pirates still have All-Ohio WR Jacob Allen, budding QB Drew Schiano and a tough defense led by Jason Beyer and Jake Reid . ... The emotion in this one runs high.
BENEDICTINE AT AKRON ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY
What: Nonconference game Where: Green Street Stadium When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: Benedictine 1-1, SVSM 1-1
Last week: Shaker Heights def. Benedictine, 23-21, St. VincentSt. Mary def. Walsh Jesuit, 35-0
For the record: The Bengals lead the all-time series, 8-2, but the teams haven’t met since 2004 when the Bengals won 26-15 . ... Benedictine has gotten phenomenal play from Nick Demchuk in the early going. He threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns last week against Shaker Heights. For the season, he has thrown for 571 yards and all eight of his team’s touchdowns to date. Christopher Gales (194 yards) and Charles Rosser (129 yards) are his favorite targets. ... The Irish hammered Walsh Jesuit last week behind Terrance Keys’ big night. Keys ran for 140 yards on 14 carries and scored three times. QB Luke Lindsay is dangerous in the passing game, having thrown for 155 yards last week. SVSM’s pass rush (seven sacks last week) will come after Demchuk. Offensive line play will be big this week for Benedictine.
KENSTON AT WEST GEAUGA
What: Nonconference game Where: Howell Field When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: Kenston 2-0, West Geauga 1-1
Last week: NDCL def. West Geauga, 42-7, Kenston def. Chagrin Falls, 41-14
For the record: Former CVC rivals now get together for nonconference action. West Geauga was stung last week by NDCL, and will try to recapture the magic it had in that Week 1 win over Chardon . ... West G had 230 yards last week against NDCL, but could only get in the end zone once. Five interceptions hurt the Wolverines, who were playing from behind all night. QB Riley Huge has good weapons in Justin Renner, Cody Jacobson and Gino Fornaro. Getting the running game going (75 yards last week) is a key, too. ... Kenston has been an offensive wrecking ball so far, averaging 43.5 points per game. Junior RB Jack Porter is well on his way to another 1,500-yard rushing season, and QB Jon Tomcufcik threw for 267 yards and two scores against Chagrin Falls. The Bombers have a slew of offensive weapons, so the key is how West Geauga will defend them.
KIRTLAND AT GENEVA
What: Nonconference game Where: SPIRE Institute When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: Kirtland 2-0, Geneva 0-2 Last week: Kirtland def. Columbia, 49-7, Mogadore def. Geneva, 49-20
For the record: The Eagles loaded up the nonconference schedule, that’s for sure. Madison and Mogadore are both 2-0, as is this week’s foe Kirtland. A tough task for Geneva, for sure . ... Kirtland has pile-driven Chagrin Falls and Columbia to a combined score of 93-7. AllOhio RBs Joey Torok and Jake Neibecker both average more than 100 yards per game despite playing limited time because of lopsided scores. The offensive line that features Jack Bailey (6-foot-3, 305 pounds), Kalid Alabsi (6-6, 315) and Austin Fulco (6-2, 245) is simply punishing. Kirtland’s offense is so good that its defense goes unnoticed — but the Hornets are extremely stingy, especially against the run . ... Geneva’s best defense might be its offense. The Wing-T is piloted by senior Kyle Stark, and runners Jason Corlew, Blake Peet and Justin Way can chew up yardage and clock if they have room. The biggest test yet for Geneva will be defensively: Can the Eagles defend one of the top run offenses in Ohio?
ST. JOHN AT FAIRPORT
What: Nonconference game Where: Greig Field When: 7 p.m., Sept. 7 Records: St. John 2-0, Fairport 2-0 Last week: Fairport def. Brooklyn, 22-13, St. John def. Newbury, 26-6
For the record: The thrill of this game is two small schools who battle numbers issues are both 2-0 — and someone is going to come out of this one 3-0 . ... Fairport is looking for its first 3-0 start since defeating Mineral Ridge, Grand Valley and Windham to start the 2012 season — Fairport’s last playoff season. Rayshawn Alston ran for 135 yards and a score last week. Sam Schuster threw for a pair of touchdowns in the Skippers’ win over Brooklyn. Defensively, keep an eye on Tobin Schafer at linebacker. He could be a difference maker against the Heralds . .... St. John’s biggest threat looks to be junior QB David Cumberledge. Known best as a state-placer in the Division III wrestling ranks, Cumberledge facilitates St. John’s offense. Chardon transfer Ethan Ducca is among his favorite targets. Coach Scott Knisely’s team held Newbury to 96 yards rushing last week, so running the ball might be tough sledding for the Skippers . .... Veterans and military will be admitted free, and a ceremony honoring them will be held at halftime.
YOUNGSTOWN URSULINE AT LAKE CATHOLIC
What: Nonconference game
Where: Jerome T. Osborne Stadium When: 7 p.m., Sept. 8
Records: Youngstown Ursuline 0-2, Lake Catholic 2-0
Last week: Lake Catholic def. Cleveland Central Catholic, 45-6, Youngstown East def. Youngstown Ursuline, 34-7
For the record: Lake hasn’t started 3-0 since 2011 when the Cougars beat Strongsville, Ravenna and Ursuline. The Irish, again, find themselves standing between the Cougars and 3-0. ... Lake only had 226 yards last week, but piled up 45 points thanks to a defense that put the Cougars in great scoring position all day against Central Catholic. Nate Rieple is one of the area’s best two-way players. He had two more TD runs this past week. QB Matt Slowey threw for 46 yards. But they key this year has been Lake’s defense. The Cougars have scored three defensive touchdowns this year . ... Youngstown Ursuline has struggled to get its offense going this year, being outscored, 69-7, through two games this year. Irish QB Brady Shannon was picked off twice. RB Davion Jones ran for 74 yards and Ursuline’s lone touchdown.