The fall sports season officially kicked off on Monday as Chagrin Valley Conference football teams began preparing for Week 1 on August 17.
Here’s an early look at the top returning teams and players in the CVC, which expanded to four divisions after adding Conneaut, Jefferson, and Madison to the league.
CHAGRIN DIVISION
The 2023 CVC Chagrin Division includes Chagrin Falls, Hawken, Lutheran West, Orange, Perry, and West Geauga.
Defending champion Kirtland returned to the Valley Division while Edgewood, Geneva, and Lakeside moved into the newly formed Lake Division.
Perry finished second in the Chagrin Division last fall with a 6-1 record while Chagrin Falls finished 2-5, West Geauga was 1-6, and Orange went 0-7. Lutheran West moved into the Chagrin Division after winning the Metro Division with a 5-0 mark last fall. Hawken earned a share of the Valley Division title last season.
The Pirates enter the season with four returning all-conference performers including Chagrin Division Offensive MVP Brayden Richards. The Pirates also return four All-Ohioans including Richards, Owen McKoon, Walter Moses, and Jayden Studio.
Lutheran West hopes to enter the conference title discussion with 12 returning all-conference players, including Metro Division Defensive Player of the Year Di’Marion Gill, and Hawken has nine. West Geauga returns six all-conference performers.
Listed below are the returning all-conference performers from each team:
- Chagrin Falls: none
- Hawken (Valley Division): Luke Mangini (1st team), Jordan Johnson (1st team), Julian Javoris (1st team), Jackson Hedin (2nd team), Louie Justice (2nd team), Lucas Brandt (2nd team), Jack Bellar (2nd team), Manan Raina (honorable mention), Paxon Lashinger (honorable mention)
- Lutheran West (Metro Division): Eric Willard (1st team), Erik Morales (1st team), Di’Marion Gill (1st team), JoJo Ravenal (1st team), Greg Fuentes (1st team), Da’Quarius Bradley (1st team), Bryce Groppe (1st team), Jayden Theodore (2nd team), Nick Hurt (2nd team), Clay Noble (2nd team), Ja’Marrion Banks (2nd team), Jamyan Theodore (honorable mention)
- Orange: Austin Thomas (honorable mention), C.J. Gissentaner (honorable mention)
- Perry: Brayden Richards (1st team), Walter Moses (1st team), Jayden Studio (1st team), Owen McKoon (1st team)
- West Geauga: Andrew Marino (2nd team), Elijah Milner (2nd team), Shawn Leonard (2nd team), Carson Weisman (2nd team), Niko Kless (honorable mention), Cejay Baker (honorable mention)
LAKE DIVISION
The newly formed Lake Division includes all three of the new schools to the CVC in Conneaut, Jefferson, and Madison, as well as former Chagrin Division residents Edgewood, Geneva, and Lakeside.
Geneva finished in third place in the Chagrin Division with a 5-2 record while Edgewood was 4-3 and Lakeside finished 3-4. Conneaut finished 8-3 overall but competed as an independent in football. Jefferson finished 3-3 in the Northeast 8 Athletic Conference but went on a run to the Division IV state semifinals, eventually falling to state champion Glenville. Madison finished 2-8 in the Western Reserve Conference.
Listed below are the returning all-conference performers from each team:
- Conneaut (Independent): No all-conference; Wyatt Payne (3rd team All-Ohio), Jaydon Anderson (honorable mention All-Ohio)
- Edgewood (Chagrin Division): Jacob Ernst (2nd team), Nick Barger (2nd team), Tony Hall (2nd team), Seth Enos (2nd team), Hunter Braat (2nd team), Zeke Lucas (honorable mention), Mason Thorr (2nd team)
- Geneva (Chagrin Division): Luke Smith (1st team), Giavonni Rice (1st team), Jason Thrower (2nd team), Hayden Diemer (2nd team), Bryce Peet (2nd team), Owen Pfeifer (2nd team), Matt Wright (honorable mention), Logan Queen (honorable mention)
- Jefferson (NE8): Jensen Yarosh (1st team/3rd team All-Ohio)
- Lakeside (Chagrin Division): Grayson Petros (1st team), Hasani Sy (1st team), Jimmy Timonere (2nd team), Nate Bartone (2nd team), Abi Ortiz (2nd team), Gavin Grant (honorable mention), Alex DiSalvatore (honorable mention)
- Madison (WRC): Not available
METRO DIVISION
With the departure of defending champion Lutheran West to the Chagrin Division, the Metro Division now includes Beachwood, Brooklyn, Cuyahoga Heights, Independence, Trinity, and Wickliffe.
Cuyahoga Heights finished second in the Metro Division last fall with a 4-1 record. Trinity was 3-2, Independence finished 2-3, Brooklyn was 1-4, and Wickliffe went 0-5. Beachwood went 0-5 in the Valley Division.
Listed below are each school’s returning all-conference performers:
- Beachwood (Valley Division): Abdou Dieye (1st team), Martez Pinkney (2nd team)
- Brooklyn: Jon Treska (2nd team), Dylan Smith (2nd team)
- Cuyahoga Heights: Francis Connors (1st team), Nick Novak (1st team, 2nd team All-Ohio), Devon Dzik (1st team, honorable mention All-Ohio), Rocco Perconti (2nd team), Anthony Coutouzis (2nd team), Eddie Barrett (honorable mention)
- Independence: Tommy Erdman (1st team), Cy Jolliffe (2nd team), Jack Korinek (2nd team), Beck Crist (honorable mention), Dominic Narduzzi (honorable mention)
- Trinity: Damonte McKenzie (2nd team), Zavion Biggs (honorable mention)
- Wickliffe: Ryan Quinn (1st team), Chase Bonadio (honorable mention), Ralph Jackson (honorable mention)
VALLEY DIVISION
Kirtland moves back to the Valley Division after sweeping the Chagrin Division title with a 7-0 record. The Hornets will be challenged for the Valley Division crown by Berkshire, Cardinal, Crestwood, Grand Valley, and Harvey.
The Hornets return nine all-conference performers from last season’s run to the Chagrin Division title. Five of those returning all-conference performers were named All-Ohio.
Berkshire and Harvey finished in a three-way tie with Hawken for first place last season. The Badgers finished league play with a 5-1 mark while the Red Raiders were 4-1. Cardinal placed fourth with a 3-3 mark, Crestwood was 2-4, and Grand Valley was 1-5.
Listed below are the returning all-conference performers for each school:
- Berkshire: Miles Miller (1st team, 1st team All-Ohio), Jason Brent (2nd team, 3rd team All-Ohio), Justin Phillips (2nd team), Mason Mendolera (honorable mention)
- Cardinal: Max Soltis (1st team, 2nd team All-Ohio), Troy Domen (1st team), Neil Lucariello (2nd team), Kyle Sinclair (2nd team)
- Crestwood: Cody Brugmann (1st team, honorable mention All-Ohio), Nate Blasiole (2nd team, honorable mention All-Ohio), Tristan Addis (2nd team), Gavin McIntyre (honorable mention)
- Grand Valley: Robert Roberts (1st team, 3rd team All-Ohio), Kam Cottrell (honorable mention)
- Harvey: Zhavier Nurse (1st team), Amarey Bouldin (1st team), Davon Badley (Defensive MVP, 1st team, 1st team All-Ohio), Antonio Soto-Rodriguez (1st team), Tyshawn Vance (2nd team), Shahn Alston (2nd team), Cavon Wise (honorable mention), Alexis Rivas (honorable mention)
- Kirtland: Gino Blasini (1st team, 2nd team All-Ohio), Rocco Alfieri (1st team, 3rd team All-Ohio), Macguire Boyd (1st team), Will Sayle (1st team, 1st team All-Ohio), Nick Barisic (1st team), Matthew Kahley (2nd team, 3rd team All-Ohio), Will Bates (2nd team, 3rd team All-Ohio), Danny Alfieri (honorable mention), Will Beers (honorable mention)
