Posted: Sep 17, 2009
BEREA, OHIO - - John Carroll University football coach Regis Scaife referred to the annual Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy game as the unofficial 'College Football Championship Game of Cleveland'. Heading into Saturday's tilt with JCU, Willoughby South High graduate and B-W senior defensive tackle Kyle Menn is taking that same approach as he prepares to battle the Blue Streaks.
"Playing JCU is a special game for me," said Menn, 6'3" and 230 pounds and a three-year varsity letterman. "I know some of the players at John Carroll. This is our big rivalry game and I know personally that I never want to lose to my rival."
B-W and JCU returned as rivals when JCU rejoined the Ohio Athletic Conference in 1989. To add some flavor to the east-west rivalry, B-W's then Alumni Director, Ted Theodore, a resident and former City Manager in Euclid, a graduate of B-W and a former teacher at Berea High School, created the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy which annually goes to the victor.
"We wanted to elevate this game back to becoming an important rivalry that joined the east and west in Cuyahoga County," said Theodore, who was a track standout at B-W and is now retired and is an excellent amatuer golfer. "The young men at both B-W and JCU have responded as we had hoped. Both schools take great pride in the game and in taking home the trophy."
In the 20 years since the rivalry was renewed, B-W leads the Gold Bowl Trophy series, 11-9, and the overall series, 23-21-4, including a thrilling 21-17 win in Berea a year ago. In that game, B-W threw a 'flea-flicker' pass for a touchdown to overcome a JCU advantage. The previous season, JCU won, 20-17, on a field goal in overtime.
During Menn's three years at B-W, the Jackets hold a 2-1 advantage against the Blue Streaks, including a 24-8 win in Berea when he was a freshman.
"All three games so far were excellent," said Menn, who had two tackles and two quarterback hurries in B-W's 38-31 season-opening loss to 19th-ranked Franklin College of Indiana. "We have prepared all week to play a close game against JCU. We are excited to beplaying them and our goal is to take the Gold Bowl Trophy to JCU on Saturday afternoon and bring it back with us on Saturday night."
Menn, a sport management major, chose B-W four years ago after visiting a number of other schools.
"The first thing I noticed on my visit was how nice the campus appeared," said Menn. "I thought it was the nicest campus that I visited."
Being familiar with B-W and the approval of Menn's parents also played a large role in the decision-making process.
"I was familiar with Coach Howard [former Defensive Coordinator Adam Howard]," said Menn. "I met him at a football camp when I was in high school. Also, one of my high school coaches [former Yellow Jacket safety Jeff Fox '04 who also is a Willoughby South graduate] graduated from B-W and gave me helpful information on what I could expect from BW if that was where I chose to go to school.
"My parents also were an influential part of coming to B-W," continued Menn. "They liked the idea of me coming here because it was a short trip from home so they would be able to come and watch my games. They also liked the campus and enviroment."
Menn enters the JCU contest with 40 career tackles, 1.5 QB sacks, five tackles for lost yardage and has recovered two fumbles. While at South, Menn played four years of football (three letters) and baseball (two letters) and one season of basketball. He was a two-time All-Premier Athletic Conference and All-News-Herald selection who also was named All-District and Special Mention All-Ohio as a senior.
So, what are Menn's goals for the season?
"I do not set individual goals for myself," said Menn. "How many tackles and sacks I get means absolutely nothing to me. I am focused on making sure I do whatever I can so that we win every Saturday. Our two main team goals are to win the OAC title and to win the NCAA Division III National Championship. In addition, winning the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy and our Homecoming game also are important."
So, what does Menn think about his experience at the College?
"I have had a great four years at B-W," said Menn. "It has been a real blessing coming here, getting to play football for a school with an outstanding tradition and becoming friends with a lot of people who I can stay connected to for the rest of my adult life. I have no doubt that I made the right decision to come to B-W.
"I have made a lot of great friends," said Menn and mentioning fellow senior teammates Ryan Clokey and Brandon Fast.
"Ryan and I have been roommates since our sophomore year," said Menn. "One of the many reasons why I like Ryan is because he likes a lot of things that I not too familiar with like hunting and other outdoor activities, so it's cool to listen to some of the stories he has to tell.
"Brandon and I are the only two senior defensive linemen and over the years it has been a pleasure playing with him. Brandon always makes sure that we are having fun with whatever we are doing. He has a great sense of humor and loves joking around."
So, what does Menn plan to do following his final season of football and graduation next spring.
"I would like to utilize my sport management degree and be a Director at a YMCA or facility similar," said Menn. "I also would like to coach football."
"Kyle is a very hard-working young man with talent and ability and with great discipline," said eighth-year Head Coach John Snell. "He has worked hard for four years to utilize all of his talents to become a very solid Division III defensive lineman. Not many young men get the opportunity to play four years of varsity football, so that is a tribute to Kyle's work, dedication and determination. We want him to have a great senior season and one that he can remember for a lifetime."
Menn feels the same way as Snell.
"Coach Snell has had a big influence during my four years at B-W," said Menn. "I have great respect for him. He always has a positive attitude and no matter what is going on, he has keeps his head held high.
"Coach Snell also puts his everything into all that he does for the his family, the school and our football team," said Menn. "It makes it easier for me when you know that your coach is doing everything he can to help us win on Saturday's. He is a great coach and I have been happy to play for him the past four years."
First-year Defensive Coordinator Jim Meyer feels the same way as Snell.
"Kyle is already having a great year," said Meyer, who joined the B-W staff from Wayne State (Mich.) and previously coached in Ohio at Division I Akron and Div. II Ashland as well as making stops at smaller schools like Malone, Kenyon and Bethany (W.Va.). "He is the leader on the defensive line. We are counting on Kyle to make plays. He has improved tremendously over the spring and summer."
Game time at Don Shula Stadium is 7:00 p.m. It will be a great day for college football in Cleveland with Ohio State playing Toledo at Browns Stadium at 12:00 noon and both the BW and JCU and Case Western Reserve University versus Oberlin College games starting at 7:00 p.m.
Fans also can watch the B-W versus JCU game on SportsTime Ohio on Saturday night at 11 pm and it will be replayed on Sunday at 12 noon.
