News-Herald Senior Bowl fast-approaching, and plenty of reasons to be excited | Opinion
May 29—The high school spring sports season is rounding third and heading for home, but that doesn't mean it's time to close the book completely on the 2021-2022 school year.
When baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse and track and field finish their respective seasons by early June, it will be a countdown to June 17.
That means a return of high school football for one last time until next fall.
Here at The News-Herald, we are excited.
Action from Tthe 2019 News-Herald Senior Bowl (Tim Phillis ??
On June 17 at Mayfield's Wildcat Stadium, about 70 of the area's top senior high school football players will take the field and show off their skills in The N-H Senior Bowl. The game took a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19 but football is back in June.
Action from the 2019 News-Herald Senior Bowl (Tim Phillis ??
The teams will practice June 11 to June 16 at Wildcat Stadium from 5 to 7 p.m. for one team, and 7 to 9 p.m. for the other.
There are plenty of reasons to be excited for this year's game, sponsored by Hooley House in Mentor:
—Coaches for the game are Harvyey's Mick Mohner and longtime Kirtland assistant Rossi Santo. Both are considered two of the most promising up-and-coming football coaches in the area.
—Two of the area's top quarterbacks are committed to playing in West Geauga's Danny Stewart and Benedictine's C.J. Yarboro, who was a second-team Division II all-district pick last fall after throwing for 1,859 yards and 18 touchdowns. Stewart threw for 1,342 yards and 16 TDs last fall, and also ran for more than 300 yards.
Harvey QB Rick Coleman Jr. had a breakout season in 2021 for Mohner with more 2,000 offensive yards and 22 total touchdowns and is playing in the Senior Bowl. Just don't look for him at QB, as Coleman will play wide receiver in the game. He was the D-III district offensive player of the year in 2021. Coleman will attend and play football at Cornell, where he's expecting to play defense.
—Both sides will be set at place kicker with Joey DiLalla of West Geauga and Jacob Hite of Lake Catholic. They were All-Ohio selections last fall.
—Benedictine linebacker Derell Bedingfield Jr. is an FBS recruit and headed to play at Toledo. He's committed to the Senior Bowl.
—There will be plenty of playmakers at receiver with Carson Gebeau and J.P. Germano of Kenston and Euclid's Claishon Ivory. Don't forget about Fairport running back Josiah Cooper, who's looking forward to show off his skills, and that he belongs. He rushed for more than 600 yards and eight TDs in 2021.
—Also from the smaller-school division are honking offensive linemen Mike Soltis and John Avalon of Cardinal. Both are multi-sports athletes.
Mason Rus runs to the end zone in Kirtland's 28-7 win over Ottawa-Glandorf in a Division V state semifinal on Nov. 27 in Clyde. (Mark Kempton ??
—Kirtland will also be well-represented. John Carroll football fans will get an early glimpse of potentially what to expect when 2021 Tony Fisher Award winner Mason Rus, a running back, and 6-foot-4 wide receiver Gage Sullivan take the field one last time as high school players. Rus and Sullivan were first-team All-Ohio selections in D-V last fall for good reason.
Rus gained 1,998 yards on the ground and scored 26 touchdowns for the Hornets in 2021, and had 120 tackles as a linebacker, making hime one of the best two-way players in Ohio.
Gage Sullivan had 17 touchdowns receptions last season for Kirtland. (Tim Phillis ??
The addition of Sullivan — whose 6-foot-4 frame is rarely seen at the D-III college level for receivers — has the Blue Streaks' coaching staff excited. Sullivan was another two-standout for Kirtland, as he was a lockdown cornerback. He will play receiver at JCU, and expect him to see him on offense in the Senior Bowl. Last fall, Sullivan had 42 catches for 881 yards and scored 22 total touchowns.
That's just a sampling of what to expect in a few weeks. June 17 at Wildcat Stadium can't come fast enough.
News-Herald Senior Bowl
What: All-Star football game featuring the top area high school seniors
When: 6 p.m., June 17
Where: Mayfield's Wildcat Stadium
