Solon Freshman Football

Metacomet

Metacomet

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In case you missed it, and most of you did, Solon's freshmen won their season opener, 18-8 over Twinsburg last Thursday at Stewart Field. Solon scored TDs on a swing pass to fullback Travis Wilkerson and runs by tailback Christian Jackson and quarterback Chris Humphries. I believe I've got those names right; I'm still learning who's who on this team.

Solon held T-burg scoreless until the Tigers scored on the last play of the game and added a walk-off two point conversion. This was achieved against Solon's reserves.

I counted heads as best I could. I've got the roster at 38 players. This Solon team went undefeated as eighth-graders, with only a tie to Twinsburg to mar the slate. Hopefully, Thursday's easy victory is a sign of progress.

The frosh team looks to have decent size in the lines, two mobile QBs and two quick, tough TBs. Wilkerson is a tough FB and a hard-hitting MLB. The defense is quick and active at all positions. I'm especially impressed with the two tall, fast DEs.

From what I could see, the passing game is virtually nonexistent. These Comets travel strictly by ground.

I'll file reports for each home game. If one of our student posters can file something for the road games, I'd really appreciate it.
 
 
Solon's freshmen improved to 2-0 with an easy 18-0 win over Shaker Heights at Stewart Field. This game must have been hastily scheduled. At this time last week, the Solon frosh were supposed to have a week off. One of the Shaker parents told me that this group of Red Raiders went 7-2 as eighth-graders and had won their opening freshman game against Chardon.

If memory serves, Shaker only crossed midfield twice; on one occasion, it was because a Solon punt failed to reach the 50. The Comets smothered the Raider offense on nearly every play. Solon got great pass rushing from defensive ends #'s 81, 86, and 89. I wish I knew their names. #89 is especially impressive. He's already about 6-3 and has a strong build; not skin-and-bones. He's an absolute beast and he makes something happen on nearly every play.

Solon's offense today revolved around the running of #32 whose name is, I believe, Christian Jackson. He got a lot of help from his line, who kept giving him five yards of cushion. Jackson scored two first-half TDs.

The Comets added a fourth-quarter TD on a pass of about 18 yards from Goudy the QB to Humphrey the WR. Solon might have scored at least two other TDs, but the Comets seemed very reluctant to pass down close and instead, were stopped after going to the run too often. The QB seems to have a decent arm. The receivers have caught so few passes, it's hard to tell how good they are, but they seem pretty athletic. Hopefully, Solon can develop a passing game as the season wears on.

A couple of Shaker's coaches and parents standing on the sideline were pretty vocal about what a bad team Solon was, and how Shaker's subs were better than the Comet starters. I guess the score doesn't count for much these days.;)
 
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Not well, EB. They were trailing Mentor, 26-6 with four minutes left when I took off. Athletically, the Comets were just as talented as Mentor. But Mentor executed better to the nth degree. The Cards run the same spread that their varsity does, and burned Solon with the pass all day long. And Mentor suckered Solon with running counter plays several times. The Comets were caught off balance too often. Mentor's QB looked like a younger version of Tanski. He hit his receivers between the numbers 30 yards downfield.

Solon, in comparison, looked like Neanderthals. By that I mean the Comets didn't complete a single pass to a Solon player. Mentor, however picked off a couple. Oddly enough, Solon ran the ball very well for the most part. The Comets got plenty of promising drives going. Unfortunately, each time, someone would commit a holding penalty or a Solon player would get tackled for a loss to short-circuit the drive. It's hard to convert 3rd and long when you can't pass. Christian Jackson does look like a future star at TB. Kyle Hammonds also looks like a promising RB. He got Solon's TD today on a nice 22-yard run.
 
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Here is Solon's freshman roster. The guys listed with a position are the ones who get the bulk of the playing time.

2--Jovon Johnson, WR/DB
3--Travis Wilkerson, FB/MLB
4--Jacob Domoracki
5--Matt Haddon
6--Chris Humphrey, QB/WR/DB
7--Zach Kruse, WR
11--Brett Goudy, QB/DB
14--Kristian Jones
18--Josh Farrell
23--Elliot Wood, OLB
24--Keith LePorte, OLB
25--Marcellus Payne
26--Kyle Hammonds, TB/DB
27--Stewart Lee, FB/DB
28--David Edelman
29--Percy Christian
30--Ryan Gilbert, P
32--Christian Jackson, TB/DB
50--Alex Heffernan, G/DT
54--A.J. Hicks, G
55--Justin Peterson, G/DT
57--Tony Alemagno, DT
58--Nick Palumbo
60--Brandon Alves
66--Thomas Davis, OT
68--David Corrigan
70--Mitchell Augusta
72--Jerrod Fair
75--Sam Caminier, OT
76--Aaron Piscitello, C
79--Brian Gerstenslager, OT
80--Cody Marcantonio, WR/DB
81--Dan McMahon, TE/OLB
86--Ryan Wurst, DE
83--Mike Lazio
84--Victor Freeman
89--Chris Dowdy, TE/DE
 
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I didn't make it to this week's freshman game at Mayfield. The contest was moved to Wednesday because of Rosh Hashonah (sp?). I'm told, from a Mayfield source, that Solon won, 37-7. I doubt the validity of this score because the Comet frosh don't have a kicker, and cannot tally an odd number of points.

If I learn the correct score and find out any details, I'll post the information in this thread.

I believe next week's game vs. Hudson is also on Wednesday. I might not be able to attend.

GO COMETS!!!
 
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Check that inscrutable source for the "How" for an odd number points.

Maybe they found a soccer player without practice.
 
Final 30-7. I wasn't there, but through 2nd + 3rd hand information, I heard Mayfield was not very talented, and eventually, Solon's athletes won out.
 
alum said:
Final 30-7. I wasn't there, but through 2nd + 3rd hand information, I heard Mayfield was not very talented, and eventually, Solon's athletes won out.
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Well, there goes any hope that Solon has found a kicker. On the other hand, the Comets probably converted a couple of two-pointers. If so, they would be the first of the year.

In addition, the JV team has failed to convert a two-point try after three games. They have scored two TDs and 12 points in each contest. If Solon's JV had had a kicker, they probably would have beaten Mentor last week.
 
JV Kicker

Meta,

You know Solon has a JV kicker. They just chose not to use him or let him kick XP or field goals.

Kevin Hicks is a fine kicker......just give him some chances to show how he can kick. The varsity team is going to need a kicker next year, why are we not gettin Hicks prepared for next year?
 
BUCKS45 said:
Meta,

You know Solon has a JV kicker. They just chose not to use him or let him kick XP or field goals.

Kevin Hicks is a fine kicker......just give him some chances to show how he can kick. The varsity team is going to need a kicker next year, why are we not gettin Hicks prepared for next year?
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You're right, BUCKS. Solon does have a JV kicker. But the Comets don't have a JV extra point and field goal kicker. Kevin Hicks is a very good punt and kickoff specialist. It's readily clear that he has a strong leg.

Why isn't he allowed to kick placements? I don't know. It's a mystery, wrapped up in a riddle, inside an enigma. It's something that only the coaches know.

I'd like to see him try some place kicks. I know I'm not the only one who would. What could it hurt? What if Jacob gets injured this year? What would Solon do? Shouldn't we have a contingency plan?

But I hear that Solon doesn't even let Hicks try extra points in practice. :mad:
 
From a pretty good source...

A 16-0 win over Hudson. The offense sputtered for most of the game after a good first drive that put the Comets up 8-0. The second TD was scored on an INT returned for a TD by Chris Humphrey. I was also told Humphrey had an earlier pick to stop a drive, and Hammonds also had 2, the second one late in the game.

Apparently, the Comets have two very good TBs (Jackson and Hammonds - a lot of speed), and a playmaker in Humphrey at both QB and WR (and DB). Hammonds plays with a cast on his hand (broken thumb) and from what I'm told, a banged up shoulder...so it's pretty impressive that he's even playing.

The defense is solid, but not spectacular. There are some pretty good athletes and decent size, so the future for them seems pretty good.
 
That's a pretty good assessment, alum. Humphrey is a very good player at three different positions. He's not a passer however; neither of Solon's quarterbacks are. Jackson and Hammonds are very good tailbacks and they add to Solon's program-wide depth at the position. Jackson is the bigger of the two kids. These two will be fine varsity players some day soon.

I think your appraisal of the defense is a bit conservative. They're a first-rate unit. In the front seven, the best players are end Chris Dowdy and MLB Travis Wilkerson. The other end, Ryan Wurst, is a standout, too.

Hammonds, Humphrey, and Jackson are all playmakers in the secondary.
 
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You may be right about the defense being better than what I give it credit for. I have seen them play only once, so I really rely on the assessment of others. And they have shut down Twinsburg, Shaker, Mayfield, and Hudson...Mentor did score at least 20. Of the guys that you mentioned defensively, if Wurst is the guy I'm thinking of (DE?), then man, is he fast. He also looks like he's over 6'0 (just like the other DE...Dowdy?). These guys look like they can be pretty good players down the road.
 
Wurst and Dowdy are both over six feet tall. I think Dowdy is at least 6-2, and probably about 190. He's fast and relentless, too. Wurst is just a hair smaller. Solon is in great shape at DE for the next three years with this pair, plus Rosenberg and Baldwin in the sophomore class.

One of these guys will play tight end, but who? They're all so outstanding on defense, you almost hate to make a fulltime tight end out of one of them.
 
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Solon's freshmen beat Lakewood, 34-0 on Thursday. I wasn't there, so I don't know any details. If I hear anything more about the game, I'll post it.
 
Solon's Freshmen beat Brunswick 18-8 on Thursday. Solon's playmakers - Hammonds, Jackson, and Humphrey - all scored TD's (Jackson 10 yard run, Hammonds 1 yard run, Humphrey 20 yard TD reception). What was certainly noticable was that Solon was much more physical and fast than Brunswick. The offensive line pushed around a pretty solid defense, and the defensive line was all over the place. Brunswick got their only score after a botched Solon punt gave then the ball at the 15 yard line.

There were some big hits out there, bigger than I remember a typical freshman game having. Wilkerson played very well at LB and at FB, and he made more than one of those big hits. It was a pretty impressive win.
 
alum said:
Solon's Freshmen beat Brunswick 18-8 on Thursday. Solon's playmakers - Hammonds, Jackson, and Humphrey - all scored TD's (Jackson 10 yard run, Hammonds 1 yard run, Humphrey 20 yard TD reception). What was certainly noticable was that Solon was much more physical and fast than Brunswick. The offensive line pushed around a pretty solid defense, and the defensive line was all over the place. Brunswick got their only score after a botched Solon punt gave then the ball at the 15 yard line.

There were some big hits out there, bigger than I remember a typical freshman game having. Wilkerson played very well at LB and at FB, and he made more than one of those big hits. It was a pretty impressive win.
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Great writeup, alum. At tonight's varsity game, someone told me it was 16-8, but I'm sure you're right, since you are giving us an eyewitness account.

Travis Wilkerson had been a big-time hitter all year. He's one of three or four kids on the freshman team who could get extensive varsity time next year.

Two of the others are the DEs that I like so well, Chris Dowdy and Ryan Wurst. How did they look?

Chris Dowdy is one of the kids who sells game programs at each home game. I've spoken to him several times. He's the nicest kid you'd ever want to meet; his personality belies his fierce demeanor on the field.

Brunswick is notorious for going undefeated at both the freshman and JV levels. The Blue Devils haven't lost a lower level game for at least three years. Brunswick is very much a product of its system. It's not surprising to hear that Solon won the game because of superior speed or skill. Brunswick wins by executing its spread offense. Its varsity wins the same way.
 
The defensive ends made some nice plays, including a few sacks. I also like Solon's defensive tackle. I'm not sure what his name is, but his number is in the 50's. He is very difficult to block, and he had some QB pressures, one sack, and I believe an INT off of a deflected pass. He also plays O-Line.

The team has a nice core of players. I wouldn't rely on any of them really doing anything at the varsity level next season, but I suppose some have a chance...I just think it's unique for a sophomore to significantly contribute.

I have no idea what Brunswick's record was...they were a solid team with a good running back, but Solon was more physical up front, and their 3 playmakers had way too much speed. The two TBs can turn what looks like a 2-3 yard gain and make it a 20-25 yard run. Humphrey can run, too, and he caught two deep balls against the Brunswick secondary.
 
alum said:
The team has a nice core of players. I wouldn't rely on any of them really doing anything at the varsity level next season, but I suppose some have a chance...I just think it's unique for a sophomore to significantly contribute.
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Take my word for it, alum. At least a few sophomores contribute EVERY year. And it's a rare year for Solon if at least one sophomore doesn't start. Darryl Baldwin is a semi-regular this year. Meyerson started the first couple of games at WR and Voigt and Lemus are getting key varsity minutes. Last year, it was Joe Janasek who started a couple of games at LB and in 2005, Ricky Tonelli was a co-regular at FB. Even on the 2000 team, Phil Hallman started at DE and guys like Nick McCauley, Kevin McCoy, and Tim Watson played important minutes as reserves.

Solon is not like St. Ignatius. We need our sophomores because we're never as deep as the teams that have an endless supply of players.

As far as some of this season's frosh playing as sophomores, yes, I believe you'll see some kids get some minutes. Time will tell if any start; that may hinge on some personnel decisions at a few positions.

I believe that Christian Jackson has the talent to challenge Juan Lemus at tailback. Dowdy could start at defensive end if Rosenberg winds up playing TE. Dowdy will probably battle with Josh Cobble for the spot opposite Baldwiin. Travis Wilkerson could be in the mix to be next year's starting MLB, though it will probably be an upset if he wins it.

Greer's departure will leave a huge hole at the position, and Solon doesn't have a true, varsity-ready MLB in line to step up. Tony Davidson is the JV MLB but at his size, he might be better-suited for OLB at the varsity level. Or, Solon could convert someone like Cobble into a MLB. So Wilkerson has a chance to start next year. He's the truest MLB Solon has coming back.
 
I didn't realize that some of those guys played (on very good teams) as sophomores. I suppose it is possible. They will have to dedicate themselves in the offseason...the game gets much faster, intense, and more mentally demanding.

I also like Hammonds. That kid has great balance and power for a kid who isn't that big.
 
Solon's freshmen manhandled Elyria today, 42-24. The Comets improved to 7-1. Elyria fell to 2-6.

This one was over early. The Comets led, 36-0 at intermission. Reserves played the entire second half. Oddly enough, Solon hardly had the ball in the first half. The Comets kept scoring on defense and special teams. After Jovon Johnson opened the scoring with a 15-yard TD reception, Chris Humphrey added a pair of scores. The first came when he stripped the ball from an Elyria back and took it the next 75 or so yards. Moments later, Humphrey scored on a twisting, 80-yard punt return.

Christian Jackson took an interception back for a 70-yard score in the second period. Kyle Hammonds exploded for a 75-yard TD run just before the half. Marcellus Payne scored Solon's final TD in the fourth period.

Solon just overwhelmed Elyria with speed and big-play ability. Humphrey had a monster game. He added an INT to his two scores and laid out a couple of big hits at safety. Jackson had two INTs. Solon's defense pressured Elyria's QB into numberous bad passes. Alex Heffernan was effective at tackle. Chris Dowdy and Ryan Wurst were their usual disruptive selves at end. Dan McMahon had a nice game at OLB. Travis Wilkerson dished out big hits in the middle.

Hard to comment on Solon's starting offense. The Comets spent the day kicking off and playing defense. Elyria managed to go through and around Solon's reserves in the second half; the dropoff between Solon's first and second string is pretty dramatic. Elyria only suited up about 25 guys. But the Pioneers were huge and they did have some talent. Elyria had a quick TB and a couple of nice linemen. The TB ran pretty effectively against Solon's first team defense.
 
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alum said:
I also like Hammonds. That kid has great balance and power for a kid who isn't that big.
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I've got to admit that I favored Jackson at first. He's a bigger, stronger-looking kid than Hammonds. But I'm really coming around on Hammonds. He might be the fastest kid on the team and he has a knack for making big plays.

Solon is fortunate to have two outstanding tailbacks in one class.
 
It sounds like the big playmakers struck again. I wouldn't be surprised if Hammonds also didn't make a big play either on offense or defense in his limited action.

The two TB's are very good. You're right, Metacomet, with Lemus only a sophomore, TB looks like a definite position of strength in the next few years.

Humphrey scored on a fumble? Geez, I think he has scored every single way possible, minus returning a kick for a TD (he's passed for TD's, he's caught a few, he's run from scrimmage for a few, he's returned an INT for a TD, and now he's returned a punt and a fumble for a TD). The coaches need to put him back there for the kick return!

I'm coming around on the defense. Again, you're right Metacomet, they have some nice players, but what is really impressive is the overall team speed (plus a few legitimate speedsters in Jackson, Hammonds, and Humphrey). I swear, those DE's are as fast as most RB's!
 
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