CLEVELAND, Ohio — The top 14 teams remained unchanged in this week’s cleveland.com high school football Top 25.
That could change come next week, as top-ranked Mentor visits No. 4 Euclid on Friday and No. 2 St. Edward entertains third-ranked Archbishop Hoban on Saturday. It’s another big week in Northeast Ohio after many of the area’s top teams did little to dissuade their position from the preseason rankings.
Read the full Top 25 below:
1. Mentor (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 1, won at Medina 37-19
This week: Friday at No. 4 Euclid
The skinny: Twenty-three unanswered points allowed the Cardinals to take their season opener on the road, following an early sting from the Bees at soggy Ken Dukes Stadium. Coach Matt Gray received the game ball for his first career victory since taking over for Steve Trivisonno. There are no breaks for last year’s Division I state semifinalists, who travel Friday for another Greater Cleveland Conference showdown vs. No. 4 Euclid.
2. St. Edward (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 2, won at Massillon 24-23
This week: Saturday vs. No. 3 Archbishop Hoban
The skinny: Joel Castleberry’s 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown led to a back-and-forth classic with Division II state title favorite Massillon. The Tigers led 20-10 at halftime before junior quarterback Christian Ramos and Co. went to work. Senior linebacker C.J. Hankins racked up a game-high 15 tackles, and St. Edward came back with a trick play in which Ramos lateralled to Justin Slattery, who found senior Josh Kerekes on a 72-yard touchdown pass.
3. Archbishop Hoban (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 3, beat Columbus Reigning Sports Academy 49-0
This week: Saturday at No. 4 St. Edward
The skinny: Senior running back Victor Dawson and Dublin Coffman transfer A.J. Kirk got Hoban going last week at home in a mercy-rule win. The competition picks up this week with Saturday’s trip to St. Edward. The programs last met in 2016, when St. Edward emerged with a 10-7 win at Hoban.
4. Euclid (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 4, won at Brunswick 14-7
This week: Friday vs. No. 1 Mentor
The skinny: Malachi Davis found Kentucky commit Armond Scott on a 51-yard TD pass and Cam Smith’s interception led to Atiba Fitz’s short-yardage run to propel the Panthers on the road vs. Brunswick. Euclid has not beaten Mentor since 2016 and will try to end that three-year skid Friday at home.
5. Solon (0-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 5, idle
This week: Idle
The skinny: In Phase 1 workouts the last two weeks, Solon puts on the pads this week and begins full practices. The Comets plan to open their season Week 4 at St. Vincent-St. Mary.
6. Avon (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 6, won at Avon Lake 33-30 (2OT)
This week: Friday at No. 15 Olmsted Falls
The skinny: Avon’s Southwestern Conference gantlet continues at Olmsted Falls. Niko Pappas’ fourth-down touchdown run Saturday at Avon Lake in the final two minutes of regulation forced overtime, where he found Kam Erskine on a walk-off, 20-yard pass.
7. Avon Lake (0-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 7, lost to Avon 33-30 (2OT)
This week: Friday at Berea-Midpark
The skinny: Saturday’s SWC rivalry game showed how little separates Avon and Avon Lake on the football field. The Shoremen can hope for a Division II playoff rematch, but they will first look to get healthier after finishing Week 1 without leading running backs Mason Wheeler and Gage Duesler as options in the backfield.
8. St. Ignatius (0-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 8, idle
This week: Idle
The skinny: St. Ignatius is hopeful it can play a Week 3 opponent and is searching for one. The Wildcats are set for a rivalry matchup Week 4 vs. St. Edward.
9. Benedictine (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 9, won at Warren Harding 24-17
This week: Friday at No. 19 St. Vincent-St. Mary
The skinny: Ronnie Schultz’s arm and Marvin Conkle’s hands and legs saved Benedictine, which held off Harding in Warren. The Bengals will remain road warriors on Friday before playing host to Benedictine in Week 3 at Euclid. Considering it is their first year playing home games at Euclid since moving from Bedford, the Bengals could still consider it a road game.
10. Brecksville (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 10, won at Aurora 35-21
This week: Friday vs. No. 11 Hudson
The skinny: Garret Kubitz’s three touchdown runs and 111 yards rushing set the tone Friday for the Bees on the road. They now get Hudson in a rematch of defending Suburban League co-champions. Brecksville won last year, 35-28.
11. Hudson (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 11, beat Nordonia 50-27
This week: Friday at No. 10 Brecksville
The skinny: The Explorers did their part in setting up this week’s Suburban League showdown by using Drew Lightner and quarterback Jacob Paltani for a combined 240 yards rushing against the Knights.
12. Chardon (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 12, beat Eastlake North 42-7
This week: Friday vs. Willoughby South
The skinny: Chardon began its bid for another deep Division III playoff run by chopping down a big North squad with one of the area’s biggest offensive lines. They now face a Willoughby South gained little-to-no traction against Western Reserve Conference-rival Riverside.
13. Kirtland (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 13, won at Lake Catholic 31-15
This week: Saturday at Shaker Heights
The skinny: Senior running back Mason Sullivan rushed 23 times for 110 yards and a TD against Lake Catholic at Mentor’s Jerome T. Osborne Stadium. The defending Division V state champs take their show to the road again, but Saturday afternoon vs. D-I Shaker Heights.
14. Stow (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 14, won at Barberton 16-8
This week: Friday vs. No. 16 Wadsworth
The skinny: Storms pushed the second half of Friday’s game to Saturday afternoon with the Bulldogs holding a 2-0 lead. The pace could change this week against a Wadsworth squad that put up 54 points at North Royalton.
15. Olmsted Falls (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 16, beat Midview 34-7
This week: Friday vs. No. 6 Avon
The skinny: The Bulldogs’ defense slowed junior quarterback Ethan Surdock and spoiled Luke Beal’s first game as Midview coach. They looked the part of last year’s Division II playoff team, which will be tested by defending SWC champ Avon. The Eagles beat the Bulldogs last year, 24-14.
16. Wadsworth (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 17, at North Royalton
This week: Friday at No. 14 Stow
The skinny: Wadsworth quarterback Mitch Evans completed 15-of-24 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns, showing he can do more than catch passes with that 6-foot-7 frame that is bound next year for Notre Dame.
17. Medina (0-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 15, lost to Mentor 37-19
This week: Friday at No. 20 Brunswick
The skinny: Medina took a 19-14 lead Friday on top-ranked Mentor, which stormed back to take their opener. The Bees trailed 23-19 at halftime, but lost starting quarterback Drew Allar to an ankle injury at halftime and didn’t recover. They must brush off the loss for a Medina County rivalry game this week against the Blue Devils, who also suffered a tough, 14-7 loss at home to Euclid.
18. Streetsboro (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 21, beat Coventry 61-13
This week: Friday at Mogadore Field
The skinny: The Rockets rushed for 452 yards in their season opener with junior quarterback Maysun Klimak putting up 161 yards, Donovan Washington gaining 95 yards with four TDs and Akron East transfer Richtell McCallister adding another 89 yards.
19. St. Vincent-St. Mary (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 23, beat Maple Heights 35-8
This week: Friday vs. No. 9 Benedictine
The skinny: Junior George Linberger paced STVM’s win Saturday vs. Maple Heights with 118 yards and two TDs, leading to a bigger home test this week against the Bengals.
20. Brunswick (0-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 18, lost to Euclid 14-7
This week: Friday vs. No. 17 Medina
The skinny: Defensive stops worried Brunswick coach Mark Pinzone following Friday’s loss, despite giving up just 14 points to the Panthers. Regardless if they face junior quarterback Drew Allar or senior Ryan Gillespie this week, Medina’s offense will be ready to try and stretch the Blue Devils.
21. Riverside (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 24, beat Willoughby South 30-0
This week: Idle
The skinny: Riverside’s defense put up the most impressive performance of the week, stopping South’s offense in its tracks and limiting junior Ira Sampson — one of the area’s top running backs — to just 37 yards. The Beavers seek opponents for the next two weeks.
22. Perry (1-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 22, beat Ashtabula Edgewood 50-0
This week: Friday at Harvey
The skinny: Freshman quarterback Brayden Richards’ debut proved to be a smashing success for the Pirates. Richards completed 11-of-14 passes for 190 yards and three TDs with no interceptions.
23. Aurora (0-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 20, lost to Brecksville 35-21
This week: Friday at Revere
The skinny: Brecksville outmuscled the Greenmen on Friday, and they aren’t used to that. They now travel to Revere with the advantage of a game’s experience vs. the Minutemen, who will be playing their first, but are big up front with Ohio State commit Ben Christman leading the way.
24. Amherst (1-0)
Last week: Not ranked, beat North Ridgeville 35-0
This week: Friday at Midview
The skinny: The Comets passed their first test with a defense that gave up just 41 yards while getting 201 yards rushing from the combination of senior Jonathan West and junior Torre Weatherspoon.
25. Padua (1-0)
Last week: Not ranked, beat Bedford 31-7
This week: Friday at Lakewood
The skinny: After having their Week 1 game pushed to Saturday, the Bruins didn’t miss a beat as senior quarterback Drew Butler threw for 216 yards and three TD passes. A schedule shakeup for the next two weeks involving some former North Coast League teams has Padua now playing Lakewood this week before a matchup with Walsh Jesuit, the Bruins’ previous Week 2 opponent.
DROPPED OUT
Nordonia (0-1, was No. 19), Maple Heights (0-1, was No. 25)
ON THE CUSP
Cleveland Heights (0-0), Mayfield (0-0), Mogadore (1-0), Revere (0-0), Strongsville (0-0)
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).