Week 7 High School Football in review

  A look back at games I attended in Week 7:

THURSDAY NIGHT-Mentor at Solon. This was expected to be the game of the year for both teams. It didn't turn out that way. The Cardinals brushed aside the Comets' challenge. So now what? Mentor's last three opponents are Medina, Strongsville, and Twinsburg. None of these teams can be expected to stand in Mentor's way. The Cardinals seem destined for another 10-0 season, just like in 2003, and for a regional final matchup with St. Edward, just like in 2003. St.Ignatius might have something to say about it, but no one else in Region 1, and that includes North, South, and Jeff Rotsky's Cleveland Hts. team will be able to put up much of a fight against either of those juggernauts.

FRIDAY NIGHT-Padua at Benedictine. The Bengals looked to be going down to defeat against a gritty, determined, better-than-their-record Padua team. They've been trailing in seemingly every game this year, though, and have managed to come back time and time again against all but Lake Catholic. The revival of Benedictine football fortunes continues under Ben Malbasa, and the Bengals take on another titanic challenge this week on the road at Walsh Jesuit. In fact, Benedictine's last three regular season games are all on the road. They probably can't afford to lose all three and still make the Division 3 playoffs. They'll be big underdogs against the Warriors this week, and might find themselves behind again at some point in the game. Will they be able to come back? I wouldn't put it past them.

SATURDAY NIGHT-Trinity at VASJ. Vikings won by their largest margin in a while-55-6. A struggling Trinity squad was just what VASJ needed to snap a two-game losing streak and get back over .500 on the season at 4-3. The offense and defense both looked strong and had to gain a lot of confidence. The Vikings have a good shot to make the playoffs in Division 6, provided they can beat Holy Name in Week 9. If they do make the playoffs, the Vikings could do a lot of damage. As good as teams like Berlin Center Western Reserve, Ledgemont, and Mogadore are, they don't play nearly the type of schedule VASJ does. Nor do they play teams that are as athletic or hit as hard as the Vikings.