The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Browns honor Mentor coach
A group of Cleveland Browns legends were on hand for the Mentor-St. Ignatius game to make special presentations to Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno and St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle.
Bernie Kosar, Kevin Mack, Hanford Dixon and Eric Metcalf were all part of a pregame ceremony in which Trivisonno and Kyle were presented with special commemorative footballs for their contributions to the game of football.
The Browns then presented Trivisonno with a personalized jersey with his name and the No. 23 on it to honor his 23rd and final year as the Mentor football coach.
A short while later, Browns legend Jim Brown arrived at the game and watched a portion of the Cardinals’ 38-31 win over the Wildcats.
“That was pretty cool. I was kind of embarrassed about all that attention,” Trivisonno said. “The Browns to a great job of giving back. Jim Brown, Hanford, all those guys.”
Kyle was thankful for the recognition, as well, and tipped his cap to Trivisonno.
“I’ll miss Steve,” Kyle said. “We worked together a lot on youth football things, and I hope he continues some what with that.
“I didn’t know about (the pregame festivities). I knew they were going to do something, but I didn’t know to what extent. It was nice. Very nice. I appreciate it.”
When the Mentor and St. Ignatius captains went to midfield for the pregame coin toss, Kosar, Mack, Dixson and Metcalf accompanied them and shook hands with everyone.
Mentor senior Luke Floriea said he enjoyed the star power, even if he didn’t see many of them play.
“I don’t remember all of them,” he admitted. “I’ve seen Bernie a little, so I know who he is. But it’s bigtime high school football in Ohio. It’s great they came out to support it.” Because Mentor won the Browns’ Game of the Week, the Cardinals received a $2,500 check. Trivisonno and senior running back Brian Trobel accepted the check prior to the Browns’ opener against the Titans on Sept. 8.
First win
First-year Cardinal coach George Gresko earned his first career victory on Sept. 6 when the Huskies defeated host Pymatuning Valley, 34-14.
The Huskies built a 20-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Joey Soltis threw four touchdown passes, including three to Casey Homer, leading Cardinal to the win.
The win came on the heels of a 54-6 loss to Garrettsville in Week 1.
“My first victory was very emotional in many ways,” Gresko said. “Week 1, there are a ton of different things that the players are thinking about. It’s an emotional roller-coaster for both the players and the coaches.”
Gresko said putting the lopsided loss in the rearview mirror was important.
“We really focused on finishing, finishing — no matter if it was finishing games or finishing practice,” Gresko said. “We will continue to hold our kids accountable for our actions. Our kids have responded and have accepted the challenge.”
Cardinal travels to 2-0 Crestwood in Week 3. It’s a nonconference game, but will be a CVC game in the near future as Crestwood as accepted an invitational to join the league starting in the 2020-21 school year.
From a personal point of view, Gresko said his first coaching win was important to him. He has a long history as an assistant, most recently at Kenston, but being a head coach has long been a goal of his.
“A lot of people have said I could never be a head coach,” he said. “I want to thank everyone who have believed in me to get me to this point.”
Eagles soaring
No ever said it was going to be easy.
The Geneva football team hasn’t started a season 3-0 since before the turn of the century. With a win in Week 3, the Eagles can do that.
All that stands in Geneva’s way is reigning Division VI state champion Kirtland. Gulp.
Geneva is coming off a 22-19 win over Madison in Week 1, coupled with a 54-0 shellacking of Jefferson in Week 2. The two wins have the Eagles confident. But Coach Chip Sorber knows the going only gets tougher from here.
“Kirtland’s coming in. Defending state champs,” he said. “Obviously, this would be a signature win for us, obviously. As the weeks go on, the games get bigger and bigger.”
Geneva had a 28-0 lead over Jefferson after the first quarter and a 47-0 lead at the half — then downshifted into cruise control.
Blake Peet had another big game with a pair of touchdown runs. Charlie Taylor ran for a pair, and first-year starting quarterback Ben Scibona ran for two touchdowns and threw for another.
Sorber said at 2-0, his team can’t rest on its laurels if it wants to contend for a CVC Chagrin title and a Division III playoff berth.
“We know we’re not as good as we can be,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to do. We are at the point where we have to guarantee that we as a team are going to show up ready to go every day, every week.
“I don’t think this (game) will be too big of a moment for them.”
The Eagles lost to Kirtland a year ago, 35-0, but squandered two early opportunities to score when the Hornets gave them a short field with turnovers. Geneva didn’t take advantage, and the Hornets ran over them.
“You never want to get down to them,” Sorber said of the Hornets. “You’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself.”
While Geneva has struggled to start 3-0 in a season, Kirtland routinely does so.
The Hornets are 2-0 with wins over Division IV Cortland Lakeview (35-0) and Division II Riverside (28-7).
With the wins, the Hornets have won 23 regular-season games in a row. Their last regular-season loss was in Week 9 of the 2016 season, 21-0 to Cuyahoga Heights.
Kirtland coach Tiger LaVerde enters the game with a career record of 16117 (.904).