No. 1 St. Edward is next big test for No. 3 Mentor: Week 3’s top HS football games

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A sign of normalcy is present at Mentor.

The Cardinals are once again playing St. Ignatius and St. Edward in back-to-back weeks.

Following last week’s win against the Wildcats in Mentor, they visit the Eagles on Saturday in Lakewood for a matchup between top three-ranked teams in this week’s cleveland.com high school football Top 25. Can Mentor take down No. 1-ranked St. Edward?

The Cardinals impressed in Week 1 at Canton McKinley for a 49-7 win before last week’s 28-26 victory against St. Ignatius.

“That’s the beauty of this schedule,” Mentor coach Matt Gray said Friday night. “It’s a tough schedule, and that’s what gets exciting because these games are so much fun.”

Their Saturday night matchup is among five games this week pitting ranked teams against each other. Read about them among the 15 biggest games in the area for Week 3 of the high school football season.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Byers Field in Parma

What to know: This is a potential Great Lakes Conference championship preview for Week 10, as the Pirates visit Valley Forge on Thursday night at Byers Field. The expanded GLC is broken into two divisions, with River in the west and Valley Forge in the east. The Patriots, however, are coming off a 21-20 loss Friday at North Ridgeville in which they rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns before Rangers quarterback Jacob Madis running in the winner with 59 seconds left. The Pirates, who opened with convincing wins against Midview and Firelands, beat Valley Forge last year in a matchup after the playoffs, 33-20. Senior Tommy Bebie ran for four TDs and 137 yards in last week’s 45-14 win against Firelands.

cleveland.com pick: Rocky River

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: George Daniel Field in Lorain

What to know: First-year Lorain coach Damion Creel leads the Titans for their first home game in more than a year after not having football last year. Elyria is making the most of this year, already, with home wins against Elyria Catholic and Bedford. The Pioneers are getting it done with the rushing game. Junior Lance Glover rushed for 122 yards and two TDs in Week 1. Last week, Jasir Lucky and Jaden Gilbert ran for first-half TDs in a 14-6 win to carry the load against the Bearcats.

cleveland.com pick: Elyria

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Pat Catan Stadium at Strongsville High School

What to know: Strongsville controlled the line of scrimmage last week, rushing for 366 yards against Midview to bounce back from a Week 1 loss at Avon Lake. Brecksville is coming off a tougher loss Friday to the Shoremen, who took to the air in similar fashion for a 41-14 win as they did in a 24-10 opener against the Mustangs. Brecksville played both junior Logan Doskocil and sophomore Colin Seibert at quarterback, while Strongsville is settled in with returning starter and senior Maddux Beard (98 yards rushing, two TDs last week).

cleveland.com pick: Strongsville

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Mollenkoff Stadium at Warren G. Harding High School

What to know: Garfield hopes to challenge Kirtland in Division V, Region 17, while JFK looks to make another run to the D-VII state title game. This should be a case of iron sharpening iron in Warren. The G-Men have rushed for 654 yards in their first two games with senior Anthony Demma leading the pack, running for 313 yards and six TDs in blowouts of Cardinal and Cortland Lakeview.

cleveland.com pick: Garfield

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Harry E. Winters Stadium at Willoughby South High School

What to know: Maple Heights could not play its Week 2 game vs. Uniontown Lake because of coronavirus protocols and now renews its nonconference rivalry with Willoughby South, which opened with 44-14 and 39-0 wins at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin and vs. Twinsburg. This is a Region 5 matchup in Division II, meaning these teams could meet again in the playoffs. Junior running backs should be in the spotlight with Maple’s Edward Robinson III (99 yards and a TD on just two carries in Week 1) and South’s Tyrone Singleton, who ran for 91 yards and two TDs last week against Twinsburg.

cleveland.com pick: Maple Heights

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium at Brunswick High School

What to know: The game of the week in Medina County sees Highland riding high after holding off North Royalton and Brunswick coming off its first win with a second-half comeback at Olmsted Falls. The host Blue Devils will be focused on Highland senior quarterback Aaron Filips, who is moving the football with his arm and legs (116 yards rushing, 148 passing and three total TDs last week), plus junior Lukas Stiles at running back and linebacker. Brunswick slowed Olmsted Falls’ potent running game in the second half of a 28-21 win, as linebacker Dante Ramicone and Luke Petrowski led the way. Can they keep it going?

cleveland.com pick: Brunswick

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Rudy Sharkey Stadium at Barberton High School

What to know: Former Barberton offensive coordinator Bobby Nickole returns with his STVM squad, which is looking to bounce back from a 31-14 loss to Aurora. The Magics also are coming off a loss, 37-22, against a Stow team that controlled the line of scrimmage. The Fighting Irish will look to do the same with an offensive line led by Marshall commit Tariq Montgomery and defensive line headed by tackle David Robinson. Barberton has the talent to match up front, led by All-Ohio defender and Kent State commit John Jackson and junior end Roosevelt Andrews.

cleveland.com pick: St. Vincent-St. Mary

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Euclid Community Stadium at Euclid High School

What to know: Euclid showed it still has plenty of firepower, answering a 63-16 opening loss at Aurora by pushing Division II powerhouse Hudson until the final play. The Explorers prevailed, 40-34, but not without a hearty performance from first-year coach Rick Lytle’s squad. Junior Jakobi Laster had 112 yards on five receptions as junior quarterback Deonte Rucker’s favorite target. Expect Cleveland Heights senior cornerback Jumel Lewis to match up with him or Division I college recruit Claishon Ivory as the matchup to watch in this game. Lewis had an acrobatic interception near the goal line in Heights’ 53-15 win last week vs. Garfield Heights and ran back an 85-yard kickoff for a TD.

cleveland.com pick: Cleveland Heights

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet Stadium at Avon Early Learning Center

What to know: Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr. visited Avon last year to speak with the Eagles after the Cleveland city school district sidelined its athletics. Avon coach Mike Elder invited the Tarblooders back this summer as part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for three days of practices and off-the-field activities with John Hay and North Olmsted. Now, with both Avon and Glenville looking to bounce back from Week 2 losses, they meet in one of Week 3′s prime Friday night games with speed to burn. Avon comes with senior cornerback Colin Kaufmann, a state track and field qualifier last spring in the 100 (he placed fourth), receivers Tim Conwell and Ryan Ptacek. Glenville, of course, showed off what it can do with sophomore cornerback and punt returner Bryce West (already with scholarship offers from Michigan State and Kentucky) in Week 1 against Chardon with a 70-yard punt return that dodged at least eight defenders. The difference could be at quarterback, where Avon has settled in with junior Sam DeTillio and Glenville is rotating a trio, including junior Ashton Pugh with sophomores D’Shawntae Jones and Damarion Witten. In last week’s 7-6 loss at Olentangy Liberty, Witten engineered a drive in the final minute to the 14-yard line before a holding penalty thwarted the effort. Avon impressed in a 38-0 Week 1 win at Brunswick before falling short last week, 34-17, at Medina to snap a 25-game winning streak in the regular season. This serves as a final tuneup before the conference schedule picks up for Glenville in the Senate League and Avon in the Southwestern Conference.

cleveland.com pick: Avon

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Hudson Memorial Stadium at Hudson High School

What to know: Expect a closer encounter in this rematch from last year’s Division II, Region 5 semifinals with an improved Warren Harding squad returning to Hudson after last year’s 35-6 loss to the Explorers. Hudson looked sharp in its opener, a 49-35 win at Solon in which it built a 49-20 lead, before escaping Euclid on Jagger Pallay’s last-second pass to Colin Pierce. Harding challenged Medina in Week 1, forcing a 14-all tie at halftime before the Bees pulled away and bounced back last week with a 55-0 win vs. Youngstown East. There will be a handful of Division I college recruits in this one, including Hudson running back and Air Force commit Aiden Lal (362 yards, six TDs). The Raiders counter with Syracuse commit Dom Foster at quarterback and receiver Tyirq Ivory. Hudson also has sophomore tackle Tommy Ricard, who should become a D-I recruit and moved this year to left tackle in place of graduated Kevin Toth Jr. (now at Rutgers). Harding has never beaten Hudson, according to Warren’s David Baugh. Could that change? Pallay has thrown for 512 yards and five TDs in two games, while Foster has five TDs in a variety of ways including on defense.

cleveland.com pick: Harding

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Dowed Field in Akron

What to know: Hoban shut out polarizing prep program Bishop Sycamore in a Week 1 matchup that didn’t count toward OHSAA playoff points, but is coming off a running clock loss to New Jersey powerhouse Bergen Catholic. The Knights will not face a team like Bergen Catholic the rest of the season, but they face their first traditional Ohio high school and a familiar one in that with Walsh Jesuit coming to town. The Warriors threatened last year with an upset bid on a Thursday night in Cuyahoga Falls before Hoban’s senior-laden squad emerged with a 27-14 win. Walsh Jesuit brings back a more experienced squad this year, led by senior receiver Christian Ochei, linebacker Kasey Kish and versatile defender Jack Romanini. The Warriors, however, are smaller and Hoban has one of the biggest offensive lines in Northeast Ohio. They also are experienced with four returning starters from last year’s Division II state title run. The lessons of Bergen Catholic could prove pivotal for Hoban, as its first-year starters catch up. The Knights follow this up with a trip to Kettering Archbishop Alter and St. Ignatius.

cleveland.com pick: Hoban

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Bulldog Stadium at Stow-Munroe Falls High School

What to know: Stow plays the first of two Greater Cleveland Conference opponents in back-to-back weeks, starting with a familiar foe in Solon before next week’s showdown with Medina. The Comets are coming off a 33-20 win at Shaker Heights, while Stow returns home following its 37-22 victory at Barberton. Senior quarterback and Bowling Green commit Owen Bainbridge gives Stow a fourth-year starter at the position, while Solon is rotating two first-year starters in junior Charlie Bubonics and senior Andrew Mulvaney. The Comets will need their balance, including junior running back E.J. Taylor (175 yards in Week 1 against Hudson), to limit Stow’s possessions with Bainbridge and Co.

cleveland.com pick: Stow

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Byers Field in Parma

What to know: Coming off two, close road losses to Division I state title contenders, can some home cooking help St. Ignatius? The Wildcats welcome Mount St. Joseph from Maryland, where it began its season Saturday with a 14-10 win vs. St. Mary’s Ryken. The Gaels rallied in the final minutes to take that one and clinched it with an interception by Charles Wilson. St. Ignatius is coming off a 28-26 loss at Mentor in which it rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and had a chance to tie the score in the fourth quarter with a two-point conversion attempt. Senior running back Marty Lenehan rushed for 114 yards and two TDs on 19 carries. If the Wildcats can establish the ground game with him, it could make the difference.

cleveland.com pick: St. Ignatius

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: Weber Stadium at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills

What to know: Gilmour sophomore Andy Kavic threw four TD passes and ran for another, finishing with 244 yards of total offense, in Gilmour’s 42-0 win last week against Warrensville Heights. Him and sophomore brother Jake Kavic have been bright spots for the Lancers entering their rivalry game with Hawken, which is coming off a 42-28 loss to Doylestown Chippewa. Junior Dominic Johnson rushed for 88 yards after compiling 271 yards from scrimmage in a Week 1 win against Trinity. Senior quarterback Terrence Robinson II, who threw for 145 yards and rushed for 123 yards against Trinity, was slowed by Chippewa. Hawken played just four games last year, opening with a 41-22 loss to the Lancers. However, this Gilmour team has a new look with the Kavic brothers leading the way.

cleveland.com pick: Gilmour

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: First Federal Lakewood Stadium at Lakewood High School

What to know: St. Edward and Mentor have put together classic matchups in recent years, including two one-point wins in 2019, the last time they played the Eagles in Lakewood. St. Edward avenged those losses with a 28-24 win last year, but Medina spoiled a potential playoff rematch. Evan Harper provided the electricity Friday last week to beat St. Ignatius with a 98-yard kickoff return in the final minutes. St. Edward made quick work of Rock Creek Christian from Maryland with a 56-18 romp. Senior quarterback Christian Ramos threw for 146 yards with two TDs. The defense scored three times for St. Edward with two from senior safety Dontez Howard Jr.

cleveland.com pick: St. Edward

All times are 7 p.m., unless noted.

Thursday, Sept. 2

Great Lakes Conference

Rocky River vs. Valley Forge at Byers Field

Friday, Sept. 3

Great Lakes Conference

Fairview at Lakewood

Nonconference

North Olmsted at Amherst

Walsh Jesuit at Archbishop Hoban

Villa Angela-St. Joseph at Ashtabula Lakeside

Akron Springfield at Ashtabula St. John

Twinsburg at Aurora

Glenville at Avon

St. Vincent-St. Mary at Barberton

Alliance at Bedford

Trinity at Berkshire

Revere at Beloit West Branch

Columbus St. Francis DeSales at Berea-Midpark

Oberlin at Brooklyn

Chagrin Falls at Brookside

Highland at Brunswick

Sylvania Southview at Brush

Copley at Buckeye

Cleveland JFK at Canfield

Youngstown Ursuline vs. Chardon at West Geauga

Benedictine at Cleveland Central Catholic, 4:30 p.m.

Black River at Cloverleaf

West Salem Northwestern at Columbia

Norton at Crestwood

Akron North at Cuyahoga Falls

Woodridge at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy

Shaker Heights at Dublin Jerome

Cleveland Heights at Euclid

Cardinal at Fairport Harding

Rootstown at Field

Vermilion at Firelands

Ellet at Girard

Garfield Heights at Green

Wickliffe at Harvey

Shaw at Hubbard

Warren Harding at Hudson

East Tech at Independence

Toledo Woodward at John Adams

Eastlake North at Lake Catholic

Keystone at Leavittsburg LaBrae

Elyria at Lorain

Lutheran East at Lutheran West

Mogadore at Manchester

North Royalton at Massillon Perry

Nordonia at Mayfield

Wadsworth at Medina

Elyria Catholic at Midview

Wellington at New London

Buchtel at New Philadelphia

Windham at North Jackson Jackson-Milton

Olmsted Falls at Norwalk

Kenston at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin

John Hay at Orange

Firestone at Padua

West Geauga vs. Parma at Byers Field

Madison at Perry

Kent Roosevelt at Ravenna

Warren Champion at Ravenna Southeast

Holy Name at Riverside

Solon at Stow

Brecksville at Strongsville

Streetsboro at Struthers

Coventry at Tallmadge

Avon Lake at Tiffin Columbian

Akron East at Uniontown Lake

Westlake at Warrensville Heights

Garrettsville Garfield at Warren JFK

Kirtland at Westinghouse (Pa.)

Maple Heights at Willoughby South

Saturday, Sept. 4

Nonconference

Hawken at Gilmour, 2 p.m.

Cuyahoga Heights at John Marshall, noon

Rhodes at Kenmore-Garfield, 1 p.m.

North Ridgeville vs. Normandy at Byers Field, noon

Mentor vs. St. Edward at Lakewood

Mount St. Joseph (Md.) vs. St. Ignatius at Byers Field, 1 p.m.

Bay at University School, 2 p.m.

ontact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).