Wyler, Mustangs start year strong
Boys cross country squad looking to for repeat state trip
Tyler Housum
Senior Brian Wyler has gotten off to a tremendous start for Strongsville’s boys cross country team, which has done pretty well as a group as the midway point approaches. Wyler has a pair of runner-up finishes in the Mustangs’ first three meets, while the team is ahead of a typical pace.
Last week at the Pat Ritchie Invitational at Walsh Jesuit, the Mustangs’ average time was 16:47, which coach Mike Knapik said his team never had done by that point in the season.
The Mustangs won the Ritchie Invitational, totaling 60 points to finish comfortably ahead of runner-up Cuyahoga Falls. Following Wyler were senior Joe Juda (eighth), sophomore Tyler Housum (ninth), senior Jared Housum (17th) and junior Matt Malloy (24th).
A week earlier the Mustangs finished fourth at the Mentor Cardinal Classic. State powers Medina (42 points) and St. Ignatius (50) finished ahead of Mentor (109) and Strongsville (129) in the 25-team field. Behind Wyler’s second-place finish, Tyler Housum finished 29th to lead a tight pack that included Jared Housum (31st), Juda (35th), junior Jack Mott (37th), Malloy (40th) and junior Neil Mazzone (45th).
“Once we get a No. 2 runner to minimize the gap, I think the others will follow suit,” Knapik said. “Then we will have something really special. We are pretty healthy at this early point of the season.”
Strongsville started the year with a ninth-place finish in the GlenOak Golden Eagle Invitational as part of a very strong 20-team field. Wyler placed fifth to lead the Mustangs in that one.
Despite the strong showings, and a team appearance at state last year, the Mustangs were nowhere to be found in the state rankings as of Sept. 7.
“We usually fly under the radar in early season, so we are used to few people noticing us or giving us any respect or votes in state polls,” Knapik said. “There were three teams that beat us in Week 3 last year by over 100 points, and we actually beat them later in the regional. I like my guys’ chances again this year.”
Girls cross country
The Mustangs finished sixth at Mentor, getting a strong seventh-place finish from senior Jocelyn Knaus. Running without Knaus at the Ritchie Meet, the Mustangs still placed fifth among 14 teams. Sophomore Megan Vapenik was Strongsville’s top placer, finishing eighth. The Mustangs opened the season with a seventh-place finish in the GlenOak meet. Freshman Marquis Globakar was the team’s best finisher, placing 16th.
Football
The Mustangs bounced back from their first loss with a convincing 44-13 victory over defending Division V state champion Canton Central Catholic. Folks who arrived late Sept. 8 missed most of the game, as the Mustangs took a 27-7 lead after one quarter, which stretched to 37-7 by halftime. That leads them into the three-game Greater Cleveland Conference stretch that head coach Lou Cirino said prior to the season would define things. They begin that march with a Sept. 15 home game against Mentor, followed by a Sept. 22 trip to Solon, and then a home game against Euclid. All three teams were 2-1 heading into GCC play.
Girls soccer
The Mustangs upped their record to 5-0-1 with a 4-3 road win at Dublin Jerome, getting two goals from Shelby Sallee, one from Sabrina Ortenzi and a header for the game-winner by reigning Post Player of the Year Lauren Rakytiak. Brianna Thompson had a pair of assists. Vanessa Dinardo and Ortenzi also had assists. The Mustangs were set to play at Brunswick on Sept. 13 before traveling to North Royalton on Sept. 16. Their key Greater Cleveland Conference showdown at Medina looms on Sept. 27.
Last week at the Pat Ritchie Invitational at Walsh Jesuit, the Mustangs’ average time was 16:47, which coach Mike Knapik said his team never had done by that point in the season.
The Mustangs won the Ritchie Invitational, totaling 60 points to finish comfortably ahead of runner-up Cuyahoga Falls. Following Wyler were senior Joe Juda (eighth), sophomore Tyler Housum (ninth), senior Jared Housum (17th) and junior Matt Malloy (24th).
A week earlier the Mustangs finished fourth at the Mentor Cardinal Classic. State powers Medina (42 points) and St. Ignatius (50) finished ahead of Mentor (109) and Strongsville (129) in the 25-team field. Behind Wyler’s second-place finish, Tyler Housum finished 29th to lead a tight pack that included Jared Housum (31st), Juda (35th), junior Jack Mott (37th), Malloy (40th) and junior Neil Mazzone (45th).
“Once we get a No. 2 runner to minimize the gap, I think the others will follow suit,” Knapik said. “Then we will have something really special. We are pretty healthy at this early point of the season.”
Strongsville started the year with a ninth-place finish in the GlenOak Golden Eagle Invitational as part of a very strong 20-team field. Wyler placed fifth to lead the Mustangs in that one.
Despite the strong showings, and a team appearance at state last year, the Mustangs were nowhere to be found in the state rankings as of Sept. 7.
“We usually fly under the radar in early season, so we are used to few people noticing us or giving us any respect or votes in state polls,” Knapik said. “There were three teams that beat us in Week 3 last year by over 100 points, and we actually beat them later in the regional. I like my guys’ chances again this year.”
Girls cross country
The Mustangs finished sixth at Mentor, getting a strong seventh-place finish from senior Jocelyn Knaus. Running without Knaus at the Ritchie Meet, the Mustangs still placed fifth among 14 teams. Sophomore Megan Vapenik was Strongsville’s top placer, finishing eighth. The Mustangs opened the season with a seventh-place finish in the GlenOak meet. Freshman Marquis Globakar was the team’s best finisher, placing 16th.
Football
The Mustangs bounced back from their first loss with a convincing 44-13 victory over defending Division V state champion Canton Central Catholic. Folks who arrived late Sept. 8 missed most of the game, as the Mustangs took a 27-7 lead after one quarter, which stretched to 37-7 by halftime. That leads them into the three-game Greater Cleveland Conference stretch that head coach Lou Cirino said prior to the season would define things. They begin that march with a Sept. 15 home game against Mentor, followed by a Sept. 22 trip to Solon, and then a home game against Euclid. All three teams were 2-1 heading into GCC play.
Girls soccer
The Mustangs upped their record to 5-0-1 with a 4-3 road win at Dublin Jerome, getting two goals from Shelby Sallee, one from Sabrina Ortenzi and a header for the game-winner by reigning Post Player of the Year Lauren Rakytiak. Brianna Thompson had a pair of assists. Vanessa Dinardo and Ortenzi also had assists. The Mustangs were set to play at Brunswick on Sept. 13 before traveling to North Royalton on Sept. 16. Their key Greater Cleveland Conference showdown at Medina looms on Sept. 27.