New Coventry High head football coach Neal Kopp says it’s all he’s ever known. “If you do the math, I was born in ’67 and dad was coaching in 1968, that’s all I’ve known pretty much my whole life,” Kopp said.
The Comets’ first-year coach shared his story and early indoctrination to Northeast Ohio football. He and his father, John, who was the head coach at Youngstown Wilson for 14 years, have coached together before and are reunited at Coventry.
But the Kopps won’t be the only father-son coaching tandem on the CHS sideline. Bruce Hodgkinson and his son, Jerami, also will work together on Kopp’s staff.
“I sold Jerami on the idea of getting to work with four guys who have been head coaches,” Kopp said.
This Coventry staff is stocked with coaching experience, including athletic director Jim Vivo, who will coordinate the offense. Vivo guided Youngstown Ursuline to a state title in 2000 and later coached at Green, as did Jerami Hodgkinson.
Kopp is realistic about the challenge awaiting him at Coventry. The Comets have fallen on hard times since a playoff berth in 2006 and retention will be vital going forward.
“Our top priority is to have a ninth grade team,” Kopp said. “I’ve never been a proponent of ninth graders playing at the varsity level.”
Keith Shinn, the only assistant retained from Jay Newcome’s staff, will be head coach of the freshmen.
“I’ve heard Coventry youth football has had great numbers in the past, but the kids reach seventh and eighth grade and are pulled away,” Kopp said. “We expect to build a solid program from the bottom up.”
But the construction doesn’t end there. “We also need to build a fence around Coventry,” he said, when asked about keeping boys in the home district.
Kopp said he would be pleased if grades nine through 12 maintained 60-to-70 players and seventh and eighth grade fielded 50-to-60 boys.
As head coach at Austintown Fitch from 2003-06, Kopp’s teams were 24-16, including a Federal League title and playoff appearance in 2004. Fitch lost to a stacked Glenville squad 29-21 in the regional quarterfinals.
He was the defensive coordinator at Fitch from 1999-02, after serving in a similar capacity at Cardinal Mooney, under legendary coach Don Bucci, from 1992-98.
An injury halted his playing career at Bethany College in West Virginia, but the 1985 Boardman High graduate became a student assistant coach and later served as a graduate assistant at the University of Toledo under Nick Saban.
“We’re not going to try to trick people,” said Kopp about his plan for the Comets. “We’ll work to become more physical, more fundamental, and more disciplined.”
He anticipates the Comets having a more traditional look on offense, lined up under center, and striving to establish the run. Kopp will coordinate the defense and envisions an “Eagle or offset 50” scheme, one he has coached for many years and based on read and react. He doesn’t see the Comets being a high-risk, blitzing defense.
Green girls see bright future
One Green High team expecting to make a longer run in the playoffs next season is girls’ lacrosse.
With two seniors on their roster, the Bulldogs finished 12-9, and played impressively in two playoff games. Green rallied to knock out Stow 15-11 in the first round, and then lost at Thomas Worthington 17-11 on May 18.
“We represented ourselves very well,” said coach Ken Orihel, when asked about the loss in central Ohio. “We played a good second half again and brought it back to within four goals with 12:30 left. They went into stall at that point and I think it showed some respect for our program.”
Worthington was the first girls’ lacrosse team in the state of Ohio 34 years ago, according to Orihel, and has an established middle school program. The Bulldogs just completed their first varsity season and fifth overall. Seventeen first-time players greeted Orihel when the team began drills on Feb. 23.
“The Worthington coach thanked us for coming down and commented on the speed and athleticism of our team. I think we caught them by surprise a little bit,” Orihel said.
The Bulldogs plan to build on their athletic ability and at the same time continue to improve their technique and tactics.
In the Stow win, Green exploded in the second half and put together a total game. The Bulldogs trailed 7-5 after two quarters.
“It was our most complete game,” Orihel said. “We moved the ball really well and played tremendous defense. Our intensity was at a season high.”
Stow had beaten Green 16-13 earlier in the season.
“The second half was as good as we’ve played all season,” coach said.
The team’s seniors were Kayla Quiros and Laura Orihel.
LCCS Diamond Update
When I caught up last Thursday with Lake Center Christian head baseball coach Mark Kremer, he was getting ready for a regional semifinal game in Lorain.
LCCS defeated Central Christian 8-0 and Mapleton 8-2 to secure the school’s first district championship in any sport. Lake Center graduated its first senior class in 2007.
“We began our season playing games in Myrtle Beach, then at Kent State University, district games at Canal Park, and now the Pipe Yard in Lorain. The experiences our players have had this year are truly incredible,” Kremer said.
The Tigers believe a state title is possible, as Kremer acknowledged, “We’re confident in our abilities, but you need to have some luck, too.”
There are 12 players on Lake Center’s roster, including six seniors. Shane Byler, Jesse Coblentz, and Erick Locker have been senior leaders. Locker hurled a no-hitter in the district tourney.
In previewing the regional and eyeing a potential berth in the state semifinals, Kremer said, “We don’t have to be the best team in Division IV. We just have to be the best team on that day.”
Unhappy Panthers
It didn’t quite come together for a talented Manchester High softball team (19-10). After reaching the regional finals in 2008, the Panthers dreamed of playing in the 2009 OHSAA tournament at Firestone Stadium.
Midway through its campaign, MHS celebrated the 30th anniversary of its 1979 state title team, the first of three OHSAA fastpitch titles the school has won. But the magic wasn’t there for a playoff run this year. Manchester lost a sectional final 4-2 at Garrettsville Garfield on May 15 in the Division III Creston District bracket.
