Greater Cleveland Conference (2023)
- Thread starter Yappi
- Start date
MentorGrad2002
Well-known member
Forgot Shaker Hts and Cleveland Hts
Yappi
Go Buckeyes
Thanks! Voting has been reset for those that already voted. Please vote again.
SVillegrad
Well-known member
Mentor and Medina will again be heads and shoulders above everybody else.
Cleveland Heights has to be at the top of the next tier, but I think Strongsville will be much improved and could battle for that No. 3 spot.
I'm not sure after that, but something like, in order: Brunswick, Solon, Euclid and Shaker Heights.
Cleveland Heights has to be at the top of the next tier, but I think Strongsville will be much improved and could battle for that No. 3 spot.
I'm not sure after that, but something like, in order: Brunswick, Solon, Euclid and Shaker Heights.
cardzfan1234
Well-known member
Thoughts on the league? Most are predicting some combination of Medina, Mentor, and Cleveland Heights in the top three. Makes sense to me.
The bottom half of the league will be competitive with each other, but I think the top three could put most of those games against Euclid, Shaker, Brunswick, and Solon in a running clock.
Strongsville sounds like expectations might put them squarely in the middle.
The bottom half of the league will be competitive with each other, but I think the top three could put most of those games against Euclid, Shaker, Brunswick, and Solon in a running clock.
Strongsville sounds like expectations might put them squarely in the middle.
SVillegrad
Well-known member
Since Yappi started this thread and it's title is about the 2023 GCC season, we should probably move the talk from the Heights joining the GCC thread over here.
But as I mentioned in the other thread, I have pretty high expectations for the overall quality of the league this year.
Going back to May I see I posted that Mentor and Medina were heads and shoulders above the rest. I'm gonna walk that back. The Heights posters have sold me that it's a reload and not a rebuild for them (though losing Fair and Bisker is what 2,000 or so rushing yards). But they have some players coming up where it may not be as big a drop off as I thought a couple months ago.
At this point, I'll put it like this:
Status quo:
Mentor, Medina, Cleveland Heights
Those are the three best teams on paper and all were very good last year. All three have some questions as to why they may not be quite as good this year, but no real red flags about why they could drop off.
On the rise:
Strongsville
They took their licks last year as expected since they were playing underclassmen nearly across the board. They are a year older now but still a bulk of their returnees will be juniors. The lower classes have been pretty good the last couple years so it's more a very bright 2024, but won't rule out some noise this year.
Unknowns:
Brunswick, Solon, Euclid, Shaker
No clue on Brunswick. I think Solon is going to be bad, but it's hard to completely bury the Solon program. Euclid has no where to go but up so they should be improved. No clue on Shaker outside they had a hard time competing last go-around in the GCC, but they may have the best individual prospect in the league in Trey McNutt (a league that probably has a dozen or more high level prospects).
But as I mentioned in the other thread, I have pretty high expectations for the overall quality of the league this year.
Going back to May I see I posted that Mentor and Medina were heads and shoulders above the rest. I'm gonna walk that back. The Heights posters have sold me that it's a reload and not a rebuild for them (though losing Fair and Bisker is what 2,000 or so rushing yards). But they have some players coming up where it may not be as big a drop off as I thought a couple months ago.
At this point, I'll put it like this:
Status quo:
Mentor, Medina, Cleveland Heights
Those are the three best teams on paper and all were very good last year. All three have some questions as to why they may not be quite as good this year, but no real red flags about why they could drop off.
On the rise:
Strongsville
They took their licks last year as expected since they were playing underclassmen nearly across the board. They are a year older now but still a bulk of their returnees will be juniors. The lower classes have been pretty good the last couple years so it's more a very bright 2024, but won't rule out some noise this year.
Unknowns:
Brunswick, Solon, Euclid, Shaker
No clue on Brunswick. I think Solon is going to be bad, but it's hard to completely bury the Solon program. Euclid has no where to go but up so they should be improved. No clue on Shaker outside they had a hard time competing last go-around in the GCC, but they may have the best individual prospect in the league in Trey McNutt (a league that probably has a dozen or more high level prospects).
FirestoneFan
Well-known member
Mentor
Medina
Cleveland Hts
Solon
Brunswick
Strongsville
Shaker Hts
Euclid
Medina
Cleveland Hts
Solon
Brunswick
Strongsville
Shaker Hts
Euclid
1. Heights
2-3. I think that Medina and Mentor will fill these spots. On paper, these teams seem very comperable.
4. Strongsville
5. Brunswick
6. Solon
7. Euclid
8. Shaker Heights
There is a lot of talent in the league and regardless of the team, these kids are going to play their hearts out. Right now, it's my opinion that Cleveland Heights looks best on paper, but the games are played on the field, so we'll just have to see.
2-3. I think that Medina and Mentor will fill these spots. On paper, these teams seem very comperable.
4. Strongsville
5. Brunswick
6. Solon
7. Euclid
8. Shaker Heights
There is a lot of talent in the league and regardless of the team, these kids are going to play their hearts out. Right now, it's my opinion that Cleveland Heights looks best on paper, but the games are played on the field, so we'll just have to see.
Greater Cleveland Conference Approves Ticket Price Increase
Online Home For Greater Cleveland Conference Athletics
gccohio.net
Mr. Red Raider
Well-known member
Scrimmage schedules: (at least from what I found on ArbiterSports):
Mentor
8/4 vs. Austintown Fitch & Kenston (10am)
8/11 vs. Chardon (1pm)
Medina
8/10 at Westerville Central (6pm)
Cleveland Heights
8/5 at Massillon Perry (Noon)
8/11 at Akron Buchtel (4pm)
Euclid
8/10 Lorain (6pm)
Anyone know of any scrimmages for Shaker Heights, Strongsville, or Solon?
Mentor
8/4 vs. Austintown Fitch & Kenston (10am)
8/11 vs. Chardon (1pm)
Medina
8/10 at Westerville Central (6pm)
Cleveland Heights
8/5 at Massillon Perry (Noon)
8/11 at Akron Buchtel (4pm)
Euclid
8/10 Lorain (6pm)
Anyone know of any scrimmages for Shaker Heights, Strongsville, or Solon?
According to Matt Goul Medina and Cleveland Heights are picked in the pre-season OHSAA D1 rankings.
3. Medina (11-2): All-Ohio quarterback Danny Stoddard leads the Bees for his senior year with a trio of receivers who also are back after Medina repeated as Greater Cleveland Conference champion and made it to the Region 1 semifinals. The Bees’ defense boasts versatile pass rusher Nathan Nunn and two of the toughest safeties in the state with Tallen Hulvey and Cooper Josefczyk, both juniors, to make this team the top challenger to St. Edward in Region 1
6. Cleveland Heights (10-2): Now in the Greater Cleveland Conference, Cleveland Heights will find consistent tests from powerhouses Medina and Mentor after four straight Lake Erie League titles. Ninth-year coach Mac Stephens has the pieces to contend on this stage with returning All-Ohio safety Marquise Davis, who is moving up to linebacker with a bigger role expected on offense at running back. Another Power Five prospect, Brandon Caesar, is back for his junior year to lead the defense.
3. Medina (11-2): All-Ohio quarterback Danny Stoddard leads the Bees for his senior year with a trio of receivers who also are back after Medina repeated as Greater Cleveland Conference champion and made it to the Region 1 semifinals. The Bees’ defense boasts versatile pass rusher Nathan Nunn and two of the toughest safeties in the state with Tallen Hulvey and Cooper Josefczyk, both juniors, to make this team the top challenger to St. Edward in Region 1
6. Cleveland Heights (10-2): Now in the Greater Cleveland Conference, Cleveland Heights will find consistent tests from powerhouses Medina and Mentor after four straight Lake Erie League titles. Ninth-year coach Mac Stephens has the pieces to contend on this stage with returning All-Ohio safety Marquise Davis, who is moving up to linebacker with a bigger role expected on offense at running back. Another Power Five prospect, Brandon Caesar, is back for his junior year to lead the defense.
cardzfan1234
Well-known member
I saw that list and it makes some sense. I feel like Medina getting ranked the highest in the league adds up. Mentor not being in the top ten is hard to argue. But I don’t know about Heights being ranked that high. We shall see.
MentorGrad2002
Well-known member
I think Goul is forgetting about how Mentor handled Medina in the playoffs after rounding into form.
I also don't see how Medina is a powerhouse ? They've made two regional finals lately and lost by 35 points each time. I think standards get lowered if you call a team a powerhouse that hasn't even ever won region 1.
Medina and Heights are good opponents and solid but you can't be called a power until you make some deep playoff runs
Fumblerooski
Well-known member
Isn’t Solon in the Suburban this year?
brian1227
Well-known member
brian1227
Well-known member
If medina beat Wadsworth they are the real deal.
Fumblerooski
Well-known member
So what happened with this?
High school sports: Solon set to join Suburban League in 2023-2024 school year
Comets deemed a fit both geographically and with enrollment to be a good addition to the Suburban League National Conference
www.beaconjournal.com
Edit: Ah nevermind. I see they will be in the GCC this year for football only, but SL for all other sports.
Last edited:
MentorGrad2002
Well-known member
For everything except football. League held them to contract for that as it's hard to find opponents with less than a year notice
Auggie
Well-known member
While I like Coach Stephens and what he has done at Heights I just cannot get that '22 Iggy playoff game out of my head. Until they tighten up the attention to detail I have a hard time naming them as one of the team to beat in 2023.
Auggie
Well-known member
In other GCC news us chumps living in Shaker get to see yet another ask for more $s to pump into a good but not great district:
www.cleveland.com
In what world is 9.95 mil worth of levies in a single election cycle needed? Oh yes Shaker Heights where the voters never say no to any tax increase so $s are thrown around like Monopoly money. And by the way this doesn't even include a needed re-do on the High School. In 3 years or so they will probably be looking for another 5 mils for that along with the 3 year cycle of an operating levy of 4 mils. Funny how none of these $s find their way to the athletic department, their facilities are arguably the worst in this conference.
Shaker Schools files 9.95-mill November ballot issue with board of elections
"Segment One" does not include any current or future plans for a new high school, which will be considered at a later date.
www.cleveland.com
In what world is 9.95 mil worth of levies in a single election cycle needed? Oh yes Shaker Heights where the voters never say no to any tax increase so $s are thrown around like Monopoly money. And by the way this doesn't even include a needed re-do on the High School. In 3 years or so they will probably be looking for another 5 mils for that along with the 3 year cycle of an operating levy of 4 mils. Funny how none of these $s find their way to the athletic department, their facilities are arguably the worst in this conference.
and in what world does this have anything to do with high school football?In other GCC news us chumps living in Shaker get to see yet another ask for more $s to pump into a good but not great district:
Shaker Schools files 9.95-mill November ballot issue with board of elections
"Segment One" does not include any current or future plans for a new high school, which will be considered at a later date.
In what world is 9.95 mil worth of levies in a single election cycle needed? Oh yes Shaker Heights where the voters never say no to any tax increase so $s are thrown around like Monopoly money. And by the way this doesn't even include a needed re-do on the High School. In 3 years or so they will probably be looking for another 5 mils for that along with the 3 year cycle of an operating levy of 4 mils. Funny how none of these $s find their way to the athletic department, their facilities are arguably the worst in this conference.
I guess we'll just have to see what happens. I've seen great coaches lose and average coaches picked up by great players. When I made the prediction, I was pretty confident that others might disagree.
They stayed in the GCC for one more year, but I believe that only applies for football.
They join the Suburban in 2024.
Times change. Solon used to play Chardon, West G and Kenston on muddy small school fields back in the day until they outgrew it. Now they are shrinking a bit and seeking their level again. They can still schedule GCC and LEL powers non-league in hoops.
topperbounce
Defend the Hill
That old CVC conference was the best in NE Ohio for MANY years.