Northeast Ohio: Five up, Five down
With nearly a month in the books, we have a better idea of which teams are on the rise and which are not. Here’s a quick check in across Northeast Ohio. Five up North Olmsted: While the talented senior class…
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Continue ReadingWith nearly a month in the books, we have a better idea of which teams are on the rise and which are not. Here’s a quick check in across Northeast Ohio.
Five up
North Olmsted: While the talented senior class figured to make this a a big year for the Eagles, a 7-0 start might be better than expected. The key has been the emergence of Paris Villanueva, who has taken pressure off of Cleveland State commit Andy Lucien.
Shaker Heights: This young Raiders team is starting to find its stride, as they beat Warrensville Heights and Elyria so far this season. Jeramie Burge has been one of those young players to develop quickly for Shaker Heights.
Garfield Heights: What’s higher than No. 1? While it might seem difficult to be on the way up after being the preseason No. 1, the Bulldogs have looked so impressive early on that they might be considered state title favorites. Seniors Frankie Hughes and Willie Jackson are at elite levels.
Cleveland Heights: Don’t look now, but this Cleveland Heights team is about to go on a roll. They just beat Cleveland Central Catholic and now have two weeks off to rest up before they play again. The Tigers will be feared after the new year.
St. Edward: There was some reason to doubt St. Edward before the season with Kipper Nichols and Derek Funderburk gone, but now the Eagles are once again looking like one of the area’s best teams. The backcourt of Sean Flannery and Tommy Schmock is playing as well as you can.
Five down
Walsh Jesuit: The Warriors blew their first chance to pick up a signature win by falling at home to rival Archbishop Hoban. Right now, the team is struggling to find scoring behind Mitch Peterson.
Mentor: The Cardinals just haven’t quite found their groove and nearly lost at home to Strongsville last weekend. A trip to Tennessee over the holidays could either bring this team together or send them back to the drawing board.
Holy Name: Outside of a terrific sophomore season from Dwayne Cohill, the Green Wave are having some major trouble right now. The team has lost four games in a row, including a home defeat to Rocky River.
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin: This seemed like it would be the long-awaited breakout year for NDCL, but an ugly effort on the road against Lake Catholic has the Lions searching for answers. Talented big man Mark Kostelac did not play in that game with a sprained ankle.
Stow: There were high hopes around Stow this season with its terrific young core, but a road loss to Nordonia has brought in some doubts. Still, this might be a team that gets hot once the season gets rolling.