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Sports

Solon Football 2011: Streaking Comets Poised for Another Big Season

Solon has the speed and skills to make a run in Division I

There are several reason why the 2011 Solon Comets are being hailed as one of the top football teams in Northeast Ohio.

After all, Solon has won 24 of 26 games the past two seasons with back-to-back 10 regular season marks. The Comets also own an 18-game home winning streak in the friendly confines of Stewart Field, where the team has a gaudy 40-3 record since 2003.

The two-time defending Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division champs have made the playoffs in each of the past 11 seasons. Head coach Jim McQuaide owns an impressive 74-20 record in his eight seasons and has coached 20 All-Ohio players during that period of time.

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"I don't remember a year we weren't expected to do well," said McQuaide. "That's the deal here."

And here's the deal for the Comets this season — plenty of speed and athleticism will make the team a threat for another unbeaten season and a deep run in the Division I, Region I playoffs.

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"We can run, catch and throw," said McQuaide. "We are extremely athletic and are confident in what we can do but we have a long way to go before we are a finished product."

Solon graduated three players who are now in the MAC — Kyle Hammonds (Ohio U), Chris Humphrey (Kent State) and Jovon Johnson (Ohio U). But the Comets have plenty of talent on the roster again this season.

Senior Patrick Kramer will direct the Multiple-I offense and has a talented wide receiver corps including seniors Tres Barksdale, Anthony Restifo and Cory Stuart and juniors Darian Hicks and Drew Barksdale. Junior Khoury Crenshaw will line up at tailback for the Comets while seniors Ryan Schwenke and Nick Davidson and junior C.J. Hannah will all see action at fullback.

"Those guys are all capable of being great players," said McQuaide. "The key to our team will be the play of the offensive line and which players will be able to come in and play there."

Seniors Austin Stock, Reggie Jagers, Sean Stybel and Brennan Williams bring experience to that line while junior Sandip Janda and sophomore Nick Spitaleri will also be counted on. 

Defense has long been a strength of Solon football and the Comets are solid on that side of the ball again. Seniors Nate Hoff and Nick Davidson and junior Ryan Pastor are three standouts and senior Kalin Etheridge will bolster the line. The secondary is back intact from last season with Hicks, Stuart, Schwenke and senior Justin Kresevic. Crenshaw, senior Cameron Bell and Restifo add depth to that experienced defensive backfield.

"We've always tried to start everything with our defense," said McQuaide. "For us to be successful, our veteran guys will have to play even better than they have in the past."

The Comets will once again play a schedule worthy of one of the region's top teams. Solon opens at Shaker Heights Saturday afternoon and follows that up with a long road trip to Worthington Kilbourne before the home opener against 2010 Division III state runner-up Akron Buchtel.

The NOC Valley slate will be another minefield. The Comets get Mentor, Brunswick and Strongsville at home and make their shortest road trip of the season when they visit crosstown rival Twinsburg.

McQuaide is well aware that Solon will get everybody's best shot this season. The team has already scrimmaged St. Ignatius, Warren Harding and Brush in preparation for the regular season.

"We've played well at times and at other times we have cruised through and that's not what championship teams do," he said. "We have to play our best and that will be the key starting Saturday."

Come back to Solon Patch Thursday for part two of our football preview, where we take a deeper look at each side of the ball, identify players to keep an eye on and preview the season's biggest games.

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