By Steve Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
The Buckeye State squads involved in this weekend's Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge appear to be ready to defend their home turf.
Although many of the event "visitors" have yet to play a game, all 11 Ohio teams opened their 2007 seasons Friday or Saturday, going a collective 10-1.
The Challenge enters its third season Saturday with the deepest and arguably most star-studded lineup thus far.
Saturday's marquee game features Independence High School of Charlotte, N.C., challenging Elder of Cincinnati. Despite some injuries sustained in the preseason, Independence, No. 23 in the MaxPreps Preseason National Rankings, rolled Friday, trouncing Olympic, 36-0.
St. Xavier (Ohio) and DeMatha Catholic (Md.) will meet in Sunday's most highly-anticipated contest. Both teams are consensus top 10 teams nationally, with St. X checking in at No. 2 by MaxPreps and DeMatha at No. 7.
The Bombers opened up with a lopsided win over Winton Woods, topping the Warriors 35-7.
DeMatha, under the direction of Bill McGregor, won't have the luxury of a tune-up before Sunday.
Here is a rundown of all 11 contests:
Grove City vs. Buford (Ga.)
Saturday, Sept. 1
11:30 a.m., Fawcett Stadium, Canton
Buford has yet to play a game this season, but finished 12-1 last year in a state very rich in football talent. The Wolves are among the favorites to win the Class AA state title, and feature a talented squad, despite losing five Division I players to graduation.
Twoey Hosch will be back behind the center this year, and will pose a threat to a Grove City defense that was torched for four touchdowns last weekend by Worthington Kilbourne`s option offense. Look for the Greyhounds to rebound and play a competitive game again Buford.
Glenville vs. Long Beach Poly (Calif.)
Saturday, Sept. 1
2:15 p.m., Fawcett Stadium, Canton
A pair of teams known for speed and athleticism will go head-to-head in this game. Glenville opened up in Indiana, with a 38-36 win in a shootout against traditional Hoosier State power Warren Central. The team's strong point could be its mammoth offensive line.
Not surprisingly, the Jackrabbits will challenge Glenville's line. Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey is a 6-foot-1, 280-pound monster on the defensive side of the ball. He is a playmaker, and Long Beach Poly's most sought-after talent.
Cardinal Mooney vs. Gateway (Pa.)
Saturday, Sept. 1, 5 p.m.
Fawcett Stadium, Canton
In a weekend stacked with top shelf talent, this game might boast the most impressive collection of individual stars.
Cardinal Mooney features quarterback/safety Dan McCarthy. The future Golden Domer is a dynamic force on both sides of the ball. He is helped by running back/linebacker Brandon Beachum, another blue chip recruit heading to Penn State next season.
At Gateway, it all starts with linebacker Shayne Hale, who some consider the best linebacker in the nation. His 6-3 frame and 4.5 speed have made him very attractive to many top programs. Teammate Cameron Saddler, a 5-6 athlete with stunning speed, is also attracting the attention of top college programs.
Canton McKinley vs. Tulsa Union (Okla.)
Saturday, Sept. 1, 7:45 p.m.
Fawcett Stadium, Canton
One of Ohio's proudest football programs is once again the favorite to win the Federal League, despite losing many talented players due to graduation. McKinley's secondary will be a strength, as it returns three starters. However, it will be without budding star Jewone Snow, who will miss the season due to injury. Snow established himself last year as a freshman, and looked to be the team's top linebacker. With head coach Brian Cross still in charge, McKinley will be disciplined and well coached. They opened with an impressive 66-6 win over Detroit Pershing (Mich.).
Union looks to start its season with a victory, before taking on Oklahoma rival Jenks in the Backyard Bowl. The Redkins finished last year with an uncharacteristic 7-4 record. Head coach Kirk Fridrich takes over for Kevin Wright. He will rely on quarterback Brandon Rogers to return the team to the 6A title game with which it is so familiar. Junior running back Jeremy Smith has improved since last year, and has had an impressive summer.
La Salle vs. Cathedral (Ind.)
Saturday, Sept. 1, 11:30 a.m.
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
La Salle's disappointing 5-5 record last season does not tell the whole story. Three of those five defeats came at the hands of Elder, Moeller, and St. Xavier, traditional parochial powers. Quarterback Brendan Jones and running back Tim Edmund will try to lead the Lancers to a winning record. After a 34-7 victory against Covington Catholic, it certainly looks promising.
Cathedral, one of Indiana's top programs, is coming off a 13-2 campaign which included a 4A state championship. Thus far in 2007, the team is 1-1, losing on opening night to Carmel, a 5A power. They should be right back in the title mix this year. Look for 6-4 linebacker Robert Maci to provide senior leadership. With Warren Central already having lost to Ohio's Glenville earlier this season, Cathedral will be looking to solidify the reputation of Indiana football against another tough Ohio team.
Colerain vs. Hoover (Ala.)
Saturday Sept. 1, 2:15 p.m.
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Colerain opened with a 19-7 victory over Wayne, and would love to continue its success against the storied Alabama football program. Last season, title hopes were cut short when Davidson pulled off a playoff upset. The 2004 Colerain team was the first and only Cardinals team to win a championship. New head coach Tom Bolden will rely on quarterback Doug Reynolds, running back Dominque Scherrer, and 11 other returning starters.
Hoover finished 13-2 last year, including a championship game loss to fellow Alabama powerhouse Prattville. The Bucs were 1-1 in out-of-state competition, beating Tulsa (Okla.) and losing to John Curtis (La.). They feature talented wide receiver Brandon Harris and quarterback Tyler Ray. Hoover is not used to looking up in the rankings, but most people believe that Prattville is the Class 6A favorite this season. Before even thinking of a rematch with Pratville, the Bucs will first have to weather the storm against one of Ohio's best.
Moeller vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Saturday Sept. 1, 5 p.m.
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Moeller has experience in the Herbstreit Challenge. Last year, the Crusaders nearly knocked off a highly-touted Byrnes team from South Carolina. The Cincinnati school is another Ohio program with a storied history of state titles and national rankings. The team will be playing with heavy hearts, after star Jordan Bessey was killed in a car accident over the summer. Moeller came out fired up in its opener, beating Mason 24-7. They should be even more energized for this showdown with Mission Viejo.
The Diablos endured a bit of rebuilding year in 2006, after dominating campaigns in 2004 and 2005. In addition to the Moeller game, Mission Viejo has big games early on against De La Salle and La Costa Canyon. A strong start could catapult Bob Johnson's squad into the discussion of top teams in California, if not the entire country.
Elder vs. Independence (N.C.)
Saturday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Elder faced De La Salle last year, the team who owns the streak Independence is chasing. Elder lost a 56-38 shootout. This year, the Panthers will rely on senior Kyle Rudolph to lead the team to an upset against another out-of-state power. Rudolph, a Notre Dame commitment plays tight end and also punts. Nick Gramke will have to have a great day on the ground if the Panthers want to come away with a win.
Independence is currently riding the nation's longest winning streak. The Patriots stretched the streak to 109 consecutive wins after a season opening shut out of Olympic. In the post game huddle, the team triumphantly shouted "109!". With a showdown against Butler looming in November, the Elder game will be a huge hurdle early in the season for Independence. Safety Devonte Holloman is one of the best juniors in the country, and senior Rob Chisholm is an imposing running back. Independence has three victories over teams outside the state of North Carolina during the streak.
St. Xavier vs. DeMatha (Md.)
Sunday, Sept. 2, Noon
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Steve Specht's St. Xavier squad is the deepest team in Ohio. Last year at the Herbstreit Challenge, the Bombers took Florida powerhouse Lakeland to the wire. With a chance to win the game in overtime, St. X. was intercepted, giving the Dreadnaughts the victory. This time around, the Bombers are the favorites. Running back Darius Ashley is the featured weapon offensively, but defense should be the calling card of this year's team, led by the versatile Fred Craig.
Kenny Tate leads DeMatha, though he is far from their only weapon. Rodney McCleod, an ACC-caliber wide receiver, is another target for quarterback Tom Chroniger. The Stags were undefeated last season and are 33-2 over the past three seasons. A win against St. Xavier, and another perfect campaign, would go a long way towards establishing national championship credentials.
Northmont vs. Central Catholic (Pa.)
Sunday, Sept. 2, 3:30 p.m.,
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Northmont looks to replace Clay Belton, last year's quarterback, who is now at Miami (Ohio). Younger brother, Chase, and senior John Nussman will look to fill the void. At running back, Kevin and Korey Ringer to each take snaps. The position will also be shared with junior Mark Mays. After a 9-3 season last year, Northmont opened up this season with a 25-12 win over Chaminade-Julienne.
Traditional Pennsylvania powerhouse Central Catholic is loaded once again. Quarterback Tino Sunseri is the latest in the long line of gifted signal callers in school history; both Dan Marino and Marc Bulger graduated from the Pittsburgh school. Sunseri's father Sal also played at Central Catholic, before going on to become an All-American linebacker at Pitt. After getting knocked off by Penn Hills last season, the Vikings are hungry for a statement win in Ohio.
Trotwood-Madison vs. Highlands (Ky.)
Sunday, Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
6-5 dual threat quarterback Domonick Britt sets the tone for the Trotwood-Madison offense. In the season-opening victory against Marion-Franklin, Britt was methodical at picking apart the defense, completing 13 of 17 passes and throwing for three touchdowns. The team is stocked with other talented players, including running back Michael Shaw, a Penn State commitment, and tight end Brandon Moore, who will be a Michigan Wolverine. The Rams played Colerain close in a preseason scrimmage, so confidence shouldn't be an issue.
Highlands has also looked good thus far, knocking off a quality Ryle squad, 49-21. The Bluebirds gained 330 yards on the ground, including 227 from junior Josh Connor. Highlands has a track record of success, and this year should be no different. With many starters returning, the team could add to its incredible collection of 16 state titles.