Cleveland Area High School Football Preview

By Logan Dimperio

This article takes a look at Cleveland area high school football teams and how they performed last season and previews the 2022/2023 season. It will highlight how they were ranked according to MaxPreps in their respective divisions. The teams are broken down by divisions in order of their ranking at the end of the season. Each team’s record and conference are listed. Read about your favorite team to see how they will look this year and if they have a shot to win more games!

Division I

St. Ignatius (Cleveland) 

Last season Rank Division I: 8

Record: 7-5

Conference: Freelance

St. Ignatius will attempt to improve this season after an 8-5 season last year. The Wildcats advanced well in the playoffs last season, with wins in a nail biter with Mentor and a blowout of Stow-Munroe Falls. St. Ignatius would eventually fall short against Medina however in the following round. Ignatius is missing a number of key contributors from last season who graduated. With 37 graduates leaving the program, the Wildcats need players to step up in key places—one such position being quarterback. The program lost starter Joey Pfaff and will have to replace him this season. Pfaff was the 96th-ranked recruit out of Ohio with a two-star rating. The Wildcats are also missing another two-star recruit who graduated, Ashton Montgomery. Montgomery was a 6’2, 305 lb. beast of an interior offensive lineman. These are big roles that need to be filled. 

The Wildcats  need some players to step up their games this season to fill the void left by the class of 2022. One such player who could breakout is  three-star recruit, William Robinson. The 6’5 defensive lineman had a great season and will look to make more waves this season. St Ignatius should also have some solid o-line play from two-star recruit Dom Ference. The interior offensive lineman will look to be a force this season leading the line with exceptional play. Ignatius is hoping  to improve this upcoming season despite losing players in key positions. 

 

Cleveland Heights

Last season Rank Division I: 38

Record: 9-3

Conference: Lake Erie

Cleveland Heights finished a very good season with a record of 9-3. The Tigers went undefeated in the Lake Erie Conference with a 5-0 finish. The team started off the season very hot, winning five straight games. However, the team cooled off a little with a close loss to Strongsville and a blowout loss to Aurora. The Tigers did pull it back together in time for the playoffs as they won three straight to finish the regular season. Cleveland Heights won their first playoff game against Elyria 29-22. Unfortunately, the program would fall in the next round to a very tough Medina team 45-14. Cleveland Heights will have to work without 14 seniors who graduated this past year. One key player missing is Marice Hamilton, a three-star recruit who committed to West Virginia to begin his collegiate football career. The Tigers are definitely going to miss his size on the offensive line and will need to find someone to step into the massive shoes left by the 6’4, 345 lb. interior lineman. The biggest question for Cleveland Heights is who will step up?

Compared to other top teams in the area, the Cleveland Heights program is only losing 14 seniors according to MaxPreps. This is a far less substantial amount compared to  other schools. Look out for some potential breakout players this season from the Tigers. One such breakout player could be quarterback Darreon Fair. Fair is a rising senior who could potentially lead this offense even further than last year. We will have to wait and see how the Cleveland Heights team improves this season and if it can go even further in the playoffs this upcoming season. 

 

Euclid

Last season Rank Division I: 61

Record: 0-10

Conference: Greater Cleveland 

 

Euclid finished the season with a disappointing 0-10 record with a last-place finish in the Greater Cleveland conference. Euclid had a tough schedule in Division I  and will look to use the previous season as a learning experience and bounce back this season. This was the first time the school had a losing record since the 2014/2015 season. The Panthers will need to step up on both sides of the ball this upcoming year as they were outscored last season 179 to 446. Euclid will need to use last season as motivation to come back and have a breakout year. They have plenty of talent on the roster to be able to win some games this season. 

The Panthers have some experienced football players returning this season who will look to lead this team to a much improved record. Three major players for Euclid will be running back Leroy Billips, wide receiver Jakobi Laster, and quarterback Deonte Rucker. These three rising seniors will look to lead a Panther team hungry for a winning season. 

 

Shaker Heights

Last season Rank Division I: 62

Record: 3-7

Conference: Lake Erie

Shaker Heights finished last season with a 3-7 record, but finished in the Lake Erie conference with 3-2 record good enough for a fourth-place finish. The Red Raiders were a team of streaks last year, starting the year with a 4 game losing streak, then winning 3 in a row, and then finishing with three straight losses. Shaker Heights’ season ended in the playoffs with a 54-0 loss to Medina. There were many positives to take from the season and the team will look to move forward to next season with plenty of experiences and motivation to improve. The team is a young team with only two seniors who graduated last year. This program of young guns will look to use all that they learned last year to help them this upcoming season. This will be a much more experienced team that could be a surprise with some positive results. Expect to see an improved Red Raider squad that will best last season’s record.

 

Division II

Benedictine (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division II: 11

Record: 8-3

Conference: Freelance

Benedictine finished last season with an 8-3 record in a bounce-back from a disappointing 2020/2021 season. The Bengals improved off their 4-5 record from 2020 and really showed out in last year’s regular season. The team finished with an 8-2 record for the regular season and looked poised for a good playoff run. The team fell short however in their first game of the playoffs with a season ending in a 34-20  loss to Walsh Jesuit. While having a better record this 2021/2022 season, the team actually went further in the playoffs in their 4-5, 2020 season. 

The team will look to build off this past season and use that tough loss in the playoffs as motivation. The team lost about 12 graduating seniors and will need to stay efficient and keep winning games without some key players. One player who could have a huge season is Lucas Kaltenbach. The underclassman quarterback could really put up some big numbers as he grows into the offense. Watch out for this Bengal team, as it could make a real run this season as they grow and make more progress in the offseason. 

 

James Rhodes (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division II: 72

Record: 6-4

Conference: Senate

Rhodes ended last season with a 6-3 record and had a 3-1 record in conference play. Their 3-1 record was good enough for a 3rd place finish in the Senate. On their day last season, the Rams were a tough team to beat. The team’s two regular season losses came against tough opponents: Gilmour Academy and Glenville. The Rams defense last season was very impressive. The team held their opponents to a combined score of only 115 points. Rhodes also had a pretty efficient offense, heading into the playoffs at the end of last season they scored 108 points in their final two games. Their season unfortunately came to an end at the hands of Anthony Wayne High School in a 34-0 playoff loss. The team will look to keep up their tough defense despite losing around 10 seniors who graduated. Watch out for this Rams team as it rolls into 2022 with another strong squad that could continue its rise in the Senate conference. 

  

John Hay (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division II: 93

Record: 4-7

Conference: Senate

John Hay finished last season with a 4-7 record and a fourth-place finish in the Senate conference. The Hornets went 4-2 in conference games, which was good enough for a top-half finish in the Senate. The Hornets got off to a rough start last season, losing their opening four games. They then went on to win their next four games by a combined score of 129-22. The team was dominant over this stretch, keeping three of their opponents scoreless. The Hornets would then lose the last two games of the regular season and lose their playoff game against Nordonia 40-0. 

The John Hay team this season will look to compete and aim to be more consistent than last year. The team will be without 11 graduating seniors, some of whom played in key positions. The Hornets will be missing some key contributors on both offense and defense. John Hay will hope to achieve more consistency this season with a more productive offense. The team will look for quarterback and free safety Lawrence Tre Tinsley to be a key player on both sides of the ball this upcoming year. The Hornets will look to improve upon last season and attempt to move up in the Senate conference. 

 

John Marshall (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division II: 94

Record: 4-4

Conference: Senate 

John Marshall finished with a 4-4 record last season and a second-place finish in the Senate conference. John Marshall went 4-1 in conference games last season, finishing one game behind Glenville for the Senate regular season title. Their only loss in the conference came against John Hay. The Lawyers will look to continue to play hard in the Senate and compete to be conference champions. They will look to accomplish this after losing a large graduating class of 17 seniors. The team does have a decent amount of younger talent on the roster so they could definitely be ready to roll this season and improve. The team has a viable option at quarterback in Jermaine Stennies, who could see even more reps with Ammar Lakes transferring to Cleveland Heights. The team will need to improve its running game this season to go along with the passing game if they really want to make some noise. We will see how John Marshall copes with a chunk of its roster leaving and if it can work hard and get over the .500 mark this year.

Division III 

Cleveland Central Catholic (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division III: 85

Record: 3-7

Conference: Freelance

Cleveland Central Catholic finished last season with a 3-7 overall record. The Ironmen started off hot last season going 2-0 and winning by a combined score of 54-0. These two shutouts to start the season did not last as it ran into a gauntlet of tough opponents.  Losing the next six games before beating Warrensville Heights before the playoffs, the Ironmen would go on to lose the playoff game against Padua Franciscan 34-14. The team will look to use the past season as a learning experience and move into a hopefully improved 2022. Cleveland Central Catholic will be without 12 players from last season as they graduated. 

Some major contributors to this Ironmen team last season will look to guide the team to an improved record. Two key players to look out for are Austyn Adams and Jaynoim Strickland. Adams led the team in tackles last year and will continue to be a major presence in the secondary. Middle Linebacker Jaynoim Strickland led the team in sacks and was second on the team in tackles in 2022. Be on the lookout for these two players and others as the Ironmen look to improve from last season and try and finish above .500. 

 

Collinwood (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division III: 102

Record: 3-5

Conference: Senate

 

Collinwood finished last season with a 3-5 overall record and a sixth place finish in the Senate conference. The team had a 3-4 conference record this past season. The Railroaders had a very up and down season this previous year and will look to build off of this learning year. They will be without 7 graduating seniors this year as they attempt to improve from 2021. The team will look to replace the production of graduating wideout, Damarcus Montgomery. Montgomery led the team in receiving yards and was a major contributor to the Railroaders’ offense. Another player they will look to replace is Demarjae Goggans. Goggans led the team in passing yards and touchdowns last year and the team will look to another player to really take control under center.

Collinwood’s season last year was defined by inconsistency, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The team scored less than 100 points all season and will need a boost on offense. The Railroaders will look to be more consistent in 2022 and hopefully see a major jump in their quality of play. Expect to see three rising seniors really take over this team this season: quarterback Jacob Brown, running back De’Angelo Solomon and lineman Gavin Montgomery. The reins of the offense will most likely be handed over to Brown as he saw a major chunk of game time as a junior. Look to see more of Solomon this season as he continues to lead the Collinwood backfield. Another player to keep your eye on is Gavin Montgomery. Montgomery led the team in pancake blocks so expect the big man to lead the line again this year. We will have to see if Collinwood can improve this season after a very inconsistent 2021. 

 

East Tech (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division III: 104

Record: 2-5

Conference: Senate

 

East Tech finished last season with a 2-5 overall record. They finished at an even 2-2 record in Senate Conference play which was good enough for a 5th place finish. The team’s two wins came against Lincoln West and John F. Kennedy. The team really struggled on offense last season and will need to focus on improving that side of the ball if they want to improve this year. The Scarabs only scored 90 points all season and 54 of those points came against last-place finisher Lincoln West. The Scarabs were outscored by 112 points last season which is a pretty big deficit that needs to be improved upon. East Tech hasn’t had a winning record since the 2016/2017 season so they will need to make some major strides this season if they want to make some noise in the Senate. The Scarabs have shown progress as last season was their best year since 2017/2018, however, they were still ranked in the bottom few teams in Ohio Division III. We hope to see some major improvements in this Scarabs team this upcoming season. 

Division IV

Glenville (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division IV: 7

Record: 9-4

Conference: Senate

Glenville finished with an impressive 9-4 record last season with an undefeated 5-0 conference record to win the Senate. Glenville was a young team last season that did not have many seniors on the team. The Tarblooders were a formidable team that had a rough start last season. They lost three straight games to open the season before really getting going. Glenville then proceeded to rip off 9 straight wins including 2 playoff wins. Over that 9-game span, they dominated teams by outscoring them 347 – 42. They kept 5 of the 9 teams scoreless over that span. This shows how dominant the Tarblooders defense was and expect to see a lot more of that defense this upcoming season. Glenville’s season ended with a close 42-38 loss to Ursuline out of Youngstown. Expect to see a hungry Glenville team coming out this season with high aspirations.

Glenville has a huge part of their squad returning from last season. One standout player from last season was cornerback Malik Davis. Davis a 3-star recruit has not committed his future to a collegiate team for the 2023 college season. Davis helped lead this defense tremendously and will look to continue playing at a high level to attract more college suitors. The major standout and star for this Glenville team is Arvell Reese. The linebacker was the leader of the Tarblooder defense and has gained a lot of attention from recruiters. Reese is the 7th-ranked player out of the state of Ohio and has garnered a lot of attention. The Glenville star has been recruited by The Ohio State University and will most likely be continuing his career for the Buckeyes. Look forward to seeing this Glenville team go all out as they have the talent to compete for a state title. 

 

Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division IV: 13

Record: 7-2

Conference: Crown

 

Villa Angela-St. Joseph finished last season with a 7-2 overall record. They finished 2-1 in conference play which was good enough for a third-place finish in the Crown Conference. The Vikings were pretty dominant during the regular season with a 6-1 record where their only loss came against a tough Walsh Jesuit team. The team would win their first playoff game handily against Hawken before falling to Glenville in the next round. The Vikings had a decent season last year and will look to go even further this year.

Villa Angela-St. Joseph will try to improve off of last season despite losing around 23 graduated seniors. The Vikings do have plenty of younger players coming up through the ranks in the upcoming season. The team has a lot of underclassmen who seem ready to step up alongside the rising seniors to really help this team out. Look out for Kylan Steuball this season for the Vikings. Steuball could potentially have a great sophomore season and really help out this Vikings team. The Vikings had a great season last year, but they should be hungry for even more this season. 

 Shaw (East Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division IV: 95

Record: 2-8

Conference: Lake Erie

Shaw finished last season with a 2-8 record as well as a 7th place finish in the Lake Erie conference. The team went 0-6 in conference play last season and finished last. The Cardinals won 2 games last season, a close one against Warrensville Heights and one against John F Kennedy High School where the Eagles had to forfeit. The team finished the season on a 5 game-losing streak. The Cardinals struggled all season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.  They scored only 70 points all season and were outscored 70-335 on the year. The team had 14 seniors graduate last year, so they will have to cope without some key players this season. The Cardinals will really need some players to step up for them this year if they want to win more games. Two players who could really step up this year are rising seniors Malik Cansler, and Demarco Clark. Cansler led the Cardinals in all passing categories and will look to be more efficient this year. Clark led the team in rushing yards and the Cardinals will need more touchdowns out of him this season because he could be a tremendous help to the offense. Shaw struggled on both sides of the ball last year and we will have to see if they can improve this season. 

 

John Adams (Cleveland)

Last season Rank Division IV: 103

Record: 2-7

Conference: Senate

 

John Adams finished with a 2-7 record last season and finished 8th in the Senate conference. The team will be looking for major improvements, as they have had 7 straight losing seasons. The Rebels will look to go against recent history and try to make major strides this year. The team will attempt to do this without a graduating class of around 10. The Rebels will need some players to step up this season and have some a big year. One such player who could step up and really show out  would be Darion Reed. Reed was a threat in both the passing and running game last season and the rising senior could potentially put up even bigger numbers this year. The Rebels need more than one player to really show out this season if they want a chance of finishing higher in the Senate conference and winning more games. 

Division V

Lutheran East (Cleveland Heights)

Last season Rank Division V: 56

Record: 5-6

Conference: Freelance

Lutheran East finished with a sub .500 record last season and will be looking for improvement this season. The team finished with a 5-6 record with some close games. The Falcons were a streaky team last season who had a lot of ups and downs. The Falcons were able to get off to a hot start last season with a 3-1 record before losing three straight games. The team made the playoffs but lost to a tough Southeast (Ravenna) team 42-22. Lutheran East will look to improve this season on both sides of the ball after being outscored last season 300- 271. The team will look for more consistency and  hopefully improve to an above .500 record finish. They will look to build off of coach Desean Washington’s first season and go into the 2022 season ready and eager to improve. We hope to see this young team continue to get better and compete this year. 

Warrensville Heights (Warrensville)

Last season Rank Division V: 86

Record: 3-6

Conference: Freelance

Warrensville Heights will look to improve this upcoming season and work towards a .500 record. The Tigers have not achieved at least a .500 record since the 2009/2010 season. They will try and build off last season and replace the 10 graduating seniors they lost. The Tigers will be without starting QB Jayvon Shorter this upcoming season as well as top defensive lineman Dakahri Paul. 

This upcoming season Warrensville Heights will need someone to step up in a big way to achieve a better record. One such breakout player could be Josiah Saulters. Saulters led the team last season in touchdowns, rushing yards per game, and was  second in receiving yards per game. With a new Quarterback stepping into the fold this season, expect the Tigers to lean on Saulters and the run game as he and the team enter the 2022/2023 season.