The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Essery finds home, confidence in Mentor
Mark Essery has found a few homes to this stage in his hockey career.
Mark Essery has found a few homes to this stage in his hockey career.
His upbringing and junior career was in Connecticut.
His college hockey was in Massachusetts.
His last port of call before this winter was in Germany.
But if the early going is indicative, Northeast Ohio may very well be where Essery truly found his game.
The 26-year-old forward paces the fledgling Ice Breakers with six goals and three assists through eight games.
To date, the crowning achievement for the Federal Hockey League expansion franchise came with a 4-3 win Nov. 21 over Carolina, which came into the night leading the FHL with a 7-1 record.
Essery notched a vital second-period power-play goal and assisted on another against the Thunderbirds.
Mentor had just notched its first win in franchise history Nov. 17 at Port Huron, 6-4, a game in which Essery recorded a hat trick.
So all in all, it’s been a memorable extended Thanksgiving week.
Before Mueller Field, the Falcons played their games a few miles away at Brush High School. The program’s first game as an NAIA independent was Aug. 28, 2010 at Brush’s Korb Field. The Falcons lost to Mercyhurst, 23-0.
Russ — one of the area’s all-time best high school quarterbacks — was at that game as an NDC recruit.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh man,’ “said Russ.
Eight years later, Russ and some of his former college teammates plan to be at the school’s first-ever playoff game.
On Nov. 24, instead of “Oh man,” Russ might be thinking, “Oh wow.”
Those humble beginnings laid the groundwork for a program in just its seventh season as an NCAA D-II program. It’s been a fast rise for NDC, and that groundwork was made by the likes of Russ and many others. Without it, the Falcons might not be where they are today — a college football program on the rise.
When Russ made his official recruiting visit to NDC, he roomed with Mentor graduate Colton Wallace, a standout football player and track and field athlete for the Cardinals. It didn’t take long for the two to hit it off.
“I remember that weekend, we decided we were committing,” said Wallace.
At the time, Russ was fielding offers and attracting a lot of interest, but the
decision to say yes to NDC stemmed from wanting to be part of a unique situation.
“I wanted to make a difference, and start something,” said Russ.
Russ and Wallace arrived at the South Euclid campus in 2011, and together with a host of players and coaches led by Adam Howard began building. By 2012, Russ was NDC’s starting quarterback, and in his first
start that season, he threw five touchdown passes in a 59-42 win against Mercyhurst. The Falcons finished 3-8, and Wallace scored 15 touchdowns.
A two-game improvement the next season — its first as a member of the Mountain East Conference — coincided with the creation of Mueller Field, which eliminated the stress of practicing and playing off campus.
“When we got our own field, it was a completely different atmosphere,” said Wallace.
The memories, though, and the bond that was formed during that time driving back and forth from practices at Hawken aren’t forgotten. That included wake-up calls at 5 a.m., dark drives down Mayfield Road to Hawken for 6 a.m. practice, then high-tailing it back to campus for 8 a.m. classes.
“Those are some of the best memories I have during that time,” said Wallace. “It was a big challenge, but when you don’t have a home as a team, you need to make every place your home. That’s what we did, and you made the best of it, and it helped keep your head on straight.”
That work on the fly also helped pave the way to the program’s first winning season in 2014 at 7-4.
As a senior, Russ was the nation’s leader in D-II in touchdown passes with 36. The big moment that season was a 35-34 win over top 10 opponent Shepherd — the biggest win in program history until this season.
“To have our first winning year as a senior, that made all the hard work and the pain worth it,” said Russ.
In 2015, NDC took a step back at 5-6 before current coach Mike Jacobs took over for the departed Howard, now the athletic director at Berea-Midpark. In 2016, the Falcons were 9-2, then 8-3 in 2017. They head into their playoff game Nov. 24 vs. Hillsdale undefeated.
When Russ graduated in the spring of 2015, he returned the next fall as a graduate assistant coach, but is now settled in as a salesman in the area. He was on the sideline this season during NDC’s win over Charleston victory to clinch program’s first conference championship.
“It was emotional for me, and so exciting,” said Russ. “A very proud moment for the program, and it makes what’s going on with the so much sweeter. To go from being the new kids on the block, and underdogs to where we are now is a great feeling.”
Wallace lives in Willoughby with his brother and works in finance in Beachwood. He’s been back for a few games this fall, and has kept tabs on his Falcons.
“It means a lot that I come from a program that’s succeeding,” said Wallace. “To see it coming together, it’s a great experience knowing I was part of it. It was nice to help lay that foundation.”
Nov. 24 will be extra special as Russ, Wallace and others from those early NDC teams. They plan to meet for a tailgate then watch their Falcons try to make history on the same ground that nearly a decade ago was just a grassy area.
“Surreal is the word I would use to best describe it,” said Russ. “Absolutely.”