Kirtland City Council heard a presentation from a cannabis dispensary during its July 1 regular meeting.
Representatives of Italian Herbs, a cannabis dispensary in Ashtabula, introduced themselves to council, expressing interest in potentially bringing their business to Kirtland.
Jessica Laurello, owner of Italian Herbs, and her uncle, Larry Laurello, told council why they believed Kirtland would benefit from a dispensary in its community.
“We’ve created an industry that is cannabis in our community (Ashtabula) and is going to be a billion-dollar business in Ohio,” Jessica said, adding their business could be a good investment for Kirtland.
“If you don’t participate now, you could miss out and lose people in your community going to neighboring communities who want to work and process dispensary operations,” she said.
Century Home Antiques Owner Honors
By donna roBinSon editor@Karlovecmedia com
When people drive down state Route 306 and see a sign that says Century Homes Antiques, many may not know it was formerly a
House History
June Kleinsorge, owner of CHA at 9959 Chillicothe Road, said according to her research, Joseph and Elizabeth Gildersleeve came from Massachusetts by covered wagon to Kirtland on the Oregon trail. Settling near a sandstone stream, Joseph, a stone mason by trade, started the old quarry that
is in Chapin Forest today.
His family flourished over the centuries in Kirtland.
Named after his family, Gildersleeve Mountain, across from the old house, is in the Chapin Forest Reservation and is referred to as
See House• Page 7
Kirtland Celebrates 64 Years of Strawberry Festival
alliSon
WilSon editor@Karlovecmedia com
With a blazing summer sun and cloudless blue sky for three days last month, the people of Kirtland took to the 64th Kiwanis Strawberry Festival like strawberries to shortcake.
“We don’t keep track of attendance,” said Kirtland Kiwanis President Jerry Bartels in an interview July 5. “But we know that it was, from the volume of the receipts, it was one of our best years.”
The food tent sold out of almost everything with a few hours to go on (June 15),” he said.
“People look forward to this all year round,” Bartels said. “It’s just amazing. I had people tell me, ‘We come every year.’”
This year’s festival, which ran June 13-15, was packed with events and famous strawberry-themed products, like shortcake and sundaes. Other activities included DJs, live music, a car smash, a dunk tank
See Festival• Page 6
440-487-8984 or JSmolic@ kirtlandohio.com
See pages 6-7 for more
A Note from the Mayor
On June 26, Kirtland lost a great friend in Hubert (Junior) Orick. Junior, as he was best known, was a mainstay in our city for over 60 years and served as our city’s classic, small town barber shop owner in six dif ferent decades.
Junior’s friendliness and spirit was unmatched, and his service to our community can’t be appreciat ed or recognized enough. Junior leaves behind his wife, Virginia, as well as his children and grandchil dren. Our hearts go out to Junior’s family and it is with fond remem brance that we recognize the mark he made on so many lives here in Kirtland.
I want to thank the Kirtland Kiwanis for another tremendous Strawberry Festival. We lucked out with beautiful weather and it was terrific to see so many people and families enjoy the food, music and fun. The festival always takes an “all hands-on deck” approach and this year required every bit of attention and effort to make sure that the event and parade went off without a hitch and that all festivalgoers felt and remained safe.
city was presented with a generous framed and signed Steve Young jersey, as well as a photo that appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1988. Shown in the cover picture, the elite quarterback of the 80s and 90s wore a “Kirtland, City of Faith and Beauty” T-shirt. It truly was a remarkable event and gift to the city.
I know I remark on this quite often, but we are so lucky to have such great partnerships and participation with our many churches and civic organizations here in town.
In that spirit, I’d like to thank Divine Word Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for what has become annual and very generous contributions toward the beautiful hanging flower baskets throughout the city.
The Kirtland Heritage Run was also a huge success on festival weekend and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, once again, exemplified its ability to organize and give back to our community. The event was capped off by a video appearance by church member and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young. The monologue presentation of Mr. Young spoke of the church’s proud partnership and storied history with and in the City of Kirtland. In addition to Young’s kind words, the
In closing, I want to thank the recently retired City of Kirtland Finance Director Mary Kovalchik. I’d also like to thank former Mayor Doug Davidson for bringing Mary aboard in the final year of his term as mayor. Mary’s hard work and knowledge of municipal financing paved the way for a keener look at how we approach spending and financial reporting. In addition to Ms. Kovalchik’s deliberate and watchful eye over your tax dollars, Mary quickly became a true friend and confidant for me in my earliest days as mayor. Her tremendous wit and unmatched sense for municipal governance was precisely what I needed coming into the office. Mary is one of the hardest working and most intelligent mentors I can think of and I owe her much gratitude for her work and guidance.
Thank you, Mayor Potter
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Mayor Kevin Potter
JUNE 13-15
PHOTOS BY CHUCK BICKART AND ALLISON WILSON / KMG
2024 Kirtland
and a robotics demonstration inside the high school gym. A magician provided entertain ment the first day, a festival parade the sec ond day and a balloon twister and animal edu cation performer Jungle Terry the third day.
Each day also featured a strawberry short cake eating contest, a popular event that has run since 1977, Bartels said.
This year marks the third in a row Kirt land Mayor Kevin Potter has invited other mayors from around western Lake County to compete against him.
“The event is obviously a ton of fun and I look forward to it every year,” Potter said in an email July 3.
This year’s mayoral contest began with host Andy Gardner, former mayor of Wil loughby Hills and two-time winner, welcom ing the gathering crowd to “the greatest eating event this side of the Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest in New Jersey.”
The event saw four newcomers — Willo wick Mayor Michael Vanni, Lakeland Com munity College President Sunil Ahuja (sub stituting for Willoughby’s mayor), Willoughby Hills Mayor Chris Hallum and Eastlake May or David Spotton.
Levels of confidence varied amongst the newbies.
“I’m ready to go. I haven’t eaten for like a day I think,” said Vanni.
Not everyone shared Vanni’s conviction.
“I have a strategy to lose,” Ahuja said when asked about his plan.
Veterans of the event were Potter and Wickliffe Mayor Joe Sakacs.
A divide emerged between contestants based on strategy — some saw using their hands as the best method, while others used spoons.
“I can tell you the two-time winner, I’m
“It was great,” Sakacs said afterward. “This is a good thing, good festival. You guys have an awesome mayor and I’m just glad that he invited us to be here and take home the belt to Wickliffe.”
While Gardner may favor the spoon technique, Sakacs was a believer in hands.
“It’s way better if you use your hands. You have to use your hands,” he said. “It’s that biscuit, right? Eat the biscuit, take a sip of water, just remember that because it gets you.”
This year’s festival saw heightened security, with the Kirtland Police Department putting out a statement on Facebook June 13.
land should be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.”
Other new rules listed in the statement included all festival-goers and bags being subject to search prior to entry. Event organizers also reserved the right to deny entry or eject a person in violation of the rules from the event.
During the opening ceremony, Potter took a moment to thank the police department.
“We’re really working to make this as fun and great and safe of a festival as we’ve ever had here in Kirtland,” he said. Despite concerns, the event went smoothly.
dren in the local community.
“Every dime goes to things that involve the kids,” Bartels said. “Whether it’s sports and helping the sports teams with uniforms, or we have all of the different clubs in the high school and the grade schools.”
Bartels thanked the community for their work in making the festival a successful event.
“The (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) participates in a major way. And just all the different clubs in the community, the kids, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, everybody helps out in some way to make that a successful event,” he said. “It’s not just Kiwanis.”
Kiwanis Corner
By Kathy talty
The Kirtland Kiwanis had a very busy month. The Strawberry Festival was a great success. The weather was perfect and everyone had a wonderful time between the music, the parade, the strawberry eating competition, the Miss Kirtland Contest, the rides and the spectacular creativity at the Chalk Art Contest.
And boy did we go through the food with 225 gallons of ice cream consumed, 3,000 biscuits, 25 cases of whipped cream and 1,800 chocolate strawberries. We can’t wait
to give the proceeds from the Strawberry Festival back to the community in so many helpful ways.
We remember our good friend and longtime fellow Kiwanian, Junior Orick, who just passed this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
We hoped everyone had a lovely Father’s Day celebration and look forward to seeing the skies lit up on the Fourth of July.
And here is a cowboy quote from our Kirtland Kiwanis president, Jerry Bartels, “A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be.”
from page 1
the scenic overlook. The old house that Joseph built from the trees he cleared is post and beam construction, all hand-built, Kleinsorge said.
In an article by E.T. Broderick, the house had an 18th-century fireplace, 6-feet thick from the basement to the rooftop. The fireplace originally had an old crane used for cooking. Two other fireplaces were in the house to provide warmth during the winter.
The Gildersleeves passed the house down to relatives throughout the years, including the Hunkin family.
“The last relative to live in the house was Lucille Barnard (maiden name Hunkin),” Kleinsorge said. “After she passed, her son took over the property, putting it up for sale. When a relative (Robert Barnard, son of Lucille Barnard) asked me to take a look at the old house, I fell in love with the place and bought it.
“I knew I should keep the place as original as possible,” she added. “So, since Lucille Barnard had a love for antiques, I turned the house into an antiques store and I hope to keep the house going into the future. It really is a gem in Kirtland.”
Barb Amato, Lucille’s granddaughter who currently lives in Huntsburg, said her family moved from Chagrin Falls into the Kirtland house when she was 2 years old.
Then, the house had four bedrooms, but Lucille turned the parlor into her bedroom, making it five, she recalled.
“You had to walk through one bedroom to
Cannabis from page 1
the dispensary in the southern part of Kirtland.
“One of the reasons why we like Kirtland is you do have more authority and because of that, there aren’t going to be that many (dispensaries]) here,” Larry added. “If we can satisfy you and you decide to go this route, we will be one of the only ones in this area.”
Kirtland council agreed to continue discussion on the dispensary and cannabis in future meetings.
In other council business, Police Chief Brian McCallister addressed the recent resignation of two officers, who left Kirtland to join the Willoughby Police Department starting July 8, and discussed how it would affect the Kirtland Police Department moving forward.
SUBMITTED
Pictured are the Hunkin family, the last relatives of the Gildersleeve family to own the house that is now Century Home Antiques, which was built around 1791. Standing, from left, is Lizzie Hunkin and James Hunkin. Seated is Hattie Hunkin and her children, from left, Rose, Lucille and Lawrence.
get to the other. One was eventually turned into the bathroom,” she said. “There was an outhouse and a 5-gallon pail in the dirt floor basement with a thing that went over it with a toilet seat. I would help Nana get those pails out of the basement and to the back to dump … not sure how I did it …Yuck!”
There were two kitchens, one large, one small, she said, adding the larger one was a shed that was pulled up to the main house by horses and attached to it. There was a shallow well outside with a pump and eventually a water line was put in.
“Food storage, as I remember, was nor-
“We’re going to be making some shift adjustments as we work through the summer,” he said. “We will modify the schedule to have a floater car during every shift. If an officer is off, the officer will float from one shift to fill that void at any time. We are doing everything we can to keep safety and security in the city and make sure that the department operates smoothly.”
McCallister also addressed the increase of sirens on state Route 306 during evening hours.
“The policy of the police department is if you're running to an emergency call, to operate lights and sirens, which is based on state code,” the chief said. “I was speaking to Chief (Wayne) Hudson of Shaker Heights and he advised that there has been an increase in ambulance traffic in the community with Cleveland Clinic driving through. Route 306 is a direct route for the ambulance services going forward, so that could contribute to some of the noise you are hearing at night.”
Central Station for family and friends — everybody always had to eat something.
“My mom and dad and four of us kids were born there before my dad built our new house where three more were born,” Amato said. “My Uncle Bob and his wife lived there and a friend from the Navy … so there were 10 people in that little house.”
After Amato’s parents’ new house was built, she still visited Lucille often, she recalled.
“She taught me the piano, though I can't play it today … I didn't keep up with it,” she said. “She would take me to the barn so I could ride. My uncle, her son, had the horses. She refinished antique furniture and gave them to me. I learned to strip furniture from her.”
mom’s old clothes.
“I still have two trunks full of them,” she said. “Nana passed at my uncle’s house in Pierpont when she was 92. He sold the old house to June Kleinsorge, who turned it into the antique store.”
As Amato looked back on her time in Kirtland, including the fond memories of her grandma, she shared that Lucille taught her how to be kind to people and work hard.
“My best years were spent with Nana in that old house,” she said. “I was her favorite, even though she loved all of us. I smile when I think of my youth in that house. Nana was a blessing to a lot of people.”
For information about Century Home Antiques, visit www.centuryhomeantiques.com or call 440-256-3778.
FarmFest Returns to Lake Metroparks Farmpark July 13
FarmFest is set to return to Lake Metroparks Farmpark on Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission.
This year’s festival will celebrate Farmpark’s 34th anniversary as a family-oriented farm and educational center devoted to fostering a better understanding of our agricultural roots.
FarmFest marks a special opportunity for families to enjoy Farmpark and its most popular activities and attractions at no cost — this includes animal encounters, wagon rides and other fun farm activities. Educational programs, varying from cheese-making demonstrations to farm-to-table culinary tastings, will be featured throughout the course of the event. Pony rides ($6) will also be offered,
weather permitting.
“With free admission to this event, it is a great opportunity to experience Farmpark and explore our agriculturally themed programs while enjoying live music. Food trucks will be onsite selling a variety of favorites and guests can also purchase beer from a local brewery and wine from a local winery,” said Andy McGovern, Lake Metroparks Farmpark event manager.
He added, “Visitors of all ages can enjoy spending time with our farm animals and taking a wagon ride through the park."
The event also features craft vendors, horse shows and much more.
For event information and a full schedule of offerings, visit goto.lakemetroparks.com/ farmfest. Lake Metroparks Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid Chardon Road in Kirtland.
Staff report
Kirtland Schools
While the school year has come to an end, our district and individual students continue to be recognized for their accomplishments. Kirtland High School was named as a ServeOhio Community Impact Award winner. Over 2,550 high school students throughout the state of Ohio are being honored for their service through ServeOhio. Kirtland High School (KHS) is one of the 50 schools that has students being honored for their service 2023-2024 school year.
Elementary School Principal Takes New Position
Board of Education Hires Missy Godina in Her Stead taff report
Kirtland Elementary School will have a new principal at its helm, after Principal Katy Nagaj recently accepted a curriculum director position with a neighboring district, said Superintendent Chad VanArnhem in a press release July 10.
tration,” VanArnhem said. “Missy has been an elementary school principal, high school assistant principal, instructional coach and a special education coordinator.”
Godina has also led a variety of professional development, including Kirtland Schools’ newly-adopted CKLA reading program, he said.
By Chad VanArnhem, Superintendent
Recipients will receive a certificate and letter of appreciation. This award is based on the vast amount of community service that our high school students participate in. Congratulations to Naomi Blankenship for winning the Cooley Innovation Award at the National Invention Convention. They are a law firm that will help her file for a patent!
During the summer months, time is spent cleaning and renovating our facilities. When Kirtland Elementary School students return in August, they will be greeted with a renovated playground featuring a new rubber surface and updated equipment.
Our kindergarten and first-grade classrooms are also being upgraded with new carpet and flexible furniture. Over the past nine years, every classroom in grades kindergarten-12 has been renovated with new carpet, flexible furniture, and instructional technology.
At Kirtland Middle School, we have removed a few temporary walls to expand several smaller classrooms, creating a more spacious learning environment. These newly enlarged areas are also being fitted with new carpet. Additionally, the stage (while not being used for concerts) is being converted into a fitness area equipped
with various exercise equipment, providing students with more opportunities for physical activity and movement breaks.
Two new scoreboards are being installed in the Kirtland High School gym. The cost is being covered by the generosity of alumnus John Wilson, Jr. Thank you Mr. Wilson for your continued support!
The district has completed the hiring of very highly qualified staff for the 20242025 school year. Three Kirtland High School alumni were hired: Kim Ruggeri to teach business, Julia Loncar to be the district Occupational Therapist and Marissa Formichelli to be the district nurse.
Steven Milazzatto will be the computer science teacher, Tim Florjancic will be the grade 5-12 band teacher and marching band instructor, Caitlyn Henderson will teach grade three and Ryan Beeler will be the KHS Math teacher. We are excited to have them working with our students!
Thank you for your continued support.
“Mrs. Nagaj has always had a passion for curriculum and instruction, which was evident in all the successful programs that she implemented at her time at KES,” he said in a statement. “We are sad to see her go, but excited for her and this opportunity that she was presented with. I want to publicly thank Mrs. Nagaj for her dedication to KES over the past four years. She led the building through the pandemic and many new initiatives. I can say that she left the building in a much better place than when she got there.”
Nagaj said it has been her “pleasure and honor” to serve as KES principal.
“I am grateful to have been surrounded by the dedicated and hardworking staff, as well as the supportive families, as we all worked together to help our Hornets grow and achieve,” she said in a statement. “I’m beyond proud of the work we accomplished together. I wish everybody well in the upcoming 24–25 school year.”
Nagaj’s position was recently posted and 25 people applied, VanArnhem said.
“Six candidates went through initial screenings and two finalists were brought before a panel of parents, staff and administrators,” he said.
Kirtland Schools Board of Education voted July 9 to hire Missy Godina for the post, he said in the press release.
“Mrs. Godina has excelled in a variety of roles in education over the past 20 years. She originally started as an intervention specialist teacher before moving into adminis-
“She has established herself as a strong instructional leader, which will be very beneficial to KES and our district,” the superintendent said, adding Godina has used data to drive instruction and support students, and believes in establishing strong relationships with her students, staff, families and the community.
"I am so grateful for the opportunity to take on the role as principal at Kirtland Elementary School,” Godina said in a statement.
“I am committed to collaborating with students, staff and families to foster the minds of Kirtland’s youngest learners. I am thrilled to become a Kirtland Hornet and I look forward to our journey together."
Godina
The Kirtland Public Library is located at 9267 Chillicothe Road. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about any of these programs or to register, please call the library at 440-256-7323 or visit www.kirtland.lib.oh.us
Used Book Sale
Aug. 3 • from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Friends of the Kirtland Public Library have their quarterly used book sale. Start your treasure hunt by heading to the back door of the library to access the Book Cellar. Small bags are $4 and large bags are $7. Cash only for the sale.
S ummer Concerts
All concerts, held at Kirtland Municipal Center Gazebo, are sponsored by the Friends of the Kirtland Public Library, the City of Kirtland and a grant from NOPEC.
Blue Evolution
July 17 • 7 p.m.
Blue Evolution Band will make their Kirtland Municipal Center Gazebo debut for Faith night. Bring your friends and enjoy this British Invasion-inspired band. The fun starts
Kirtland Library
at 6 p.m. Grab dinner from Down the Block at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo. Information tables from local churches will be set up for you for this faith night event.
Perfect Choice Band
July 24 • 7 p.m.
Perfect Choice is coming back. Bring a chair and listen to a great variety of popular songs. We will fire up the grill at 6 p.m. with hotdogs and hamburgers for a donation.
Adult Events
The Great Library Olympus Games
July 29 • 6 p.m.
Test your skills as a librarian with these fun library-themed games. Sign up now to enjoy an evening of gold medal-worthy games. Registration required.
Culinary Class: French Cuisine
July 30 • 6 p.m.
Travel to Paris with us for the evening and sample some traditional French delights in honor of the Summer Olympics. Registration required. Cost: $10; payment can be made in cash at the door.
Adult Summer Reading: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Sign up for summer reading on the Read Squared App.
We have lots of great prizes, thank to our local businesses. The program ends July 20.
Adult Clubs
Cookbook Club: Dips
July 16 • 6:15pm
Find a fun dip to make and share with the group. Be as creative as you like! Don’t forget your place setting and beverage. Sign up for more information.
No Pressure Book Discussion
July 22 • 1:30 p.m.
Join us in the Community Room to talk about any books you’ve read recently that you want to recommend to others.
Youth Programs
Summer Reading
Use the READsquared app to register for Summer Reading, ending July 20. Summer Reading is for all ages.
Log the minutes you read on the app and use those points to try for some great prizes. Youth will earn 50 points for each event they register for and attend in July.
Youth Events
LEAF: Gear up for Your Future
July 12 • 10:30 a.m.
LEAF (Lake/Geauga Educational Assistance Foundation) will address kids in grades 8th through 12th. Learn how to prepare for your next steps, get the most out of your high school experiences and find a good fit for your future. Kids will receive 50 points toward Summer Reading. Please register every adult and every child attending.
LEGO Club
July 13 • 10:30 a.m.
Families, spend an hour creating with the library’s LEGO brick collection. Once you have completed your creation with our bricks, we will place it in on display for all to see until LEGO Club next month.
Earn 50 points towards your Summer Reading goal after attending this event. Please register.
Adventures with Flashlights
July 15 • 6:30 p.m.
Families, bring a flashlight for each child
and try different activities, games and crafts by exploring light and dark.
Earn 50 points towards your Summer Reading goal after attending this event. Please register.
Stories and More: Olympics
July 19 • 10:30 a.m.
Families with children aged 5 and under, meet on our beautiful courtyard as we have story time. This month, we will then have Olympic activities.
In case of inclement weather, we will meet indoors. Earn 50 points towards your Summer Reading goal by attending this event. Please register.
NOPEC Energy Bike
July 26 • 10:30 a.m.
Families, come out to ride the NOPEC Energy Bike. Participants will generate electricity to power two types of light bulbs — incandescent and LED — to determine which bulb is most energy efficient.
Participants can also enjoy energy activities, like the circuit stick and hand-crank flashlights, take home an activity booklet, and win prizes. Please register every adult and every child attending.
NOPEC Energy Exploration
July 31 • 5 p.m.
Come out to experience NOPEC’s Energy Explorers program! In this hands-on program.
Kids in grades kindergarten through third grade will be able to learn how circuits work, where energy comes from, and how people use energy in their homes.
Participants will also be able to ride the Energy Bike. Please register every adult and every child attending. Please call the library at 440-256-7323 or visit www.kirtland.lib. oh.us. if you have any questions.
Weekly Events Lapsit
Tuesdays • 10 a.m.
Bounces, rhymes, one book, scarves and shakers, geared for families with children under the age of 3. Meet outdoors on the courtyard, weather permitting. No need to register.
Storytime
Wednesdays • 10 a.m.
Enjoy great books, rhymes, songs, and surprises with your child. This storytime is geared for families with children aged 5 and under. Meet outdoors on the courtyard, weather permitting. No need to register.
Kirtland Football Competes in 7-on-7s
By alan KornSpan SportS@Karlovecmedia com
The Kirtland Hornets football team has had a busy month of training and competition as it prepares for its upcoming season.
On June 18, the Hornets participated in a 7-on-7 at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School, and returned to the playing field the very next day for another 7-on-7 with the Chardon Hilltoppers, West Geauga Wolverines and Madison Blue Streaks.
Then, less than a week later on June 23, the Hornets traveled to the University of Pittsburgh's UPMC Rooney Sports Performance Complex to participate in Pitt’s Team Passing Camp and Big Man Challenge with other local athletes from West Geauga and Massillon.
Passing Camp consisted of a 7-on-7 round robin followed by playoffs.
In the Big Man Challenge, linemen could compete against linemen from other schools in strength, agility and endurance competitions.
Just a day after that trip, Kirtland traveled to Oil City for yet another 7-on-7.
Although the Hornets are competing against other teams during the summer, Hornets Head Coach Tiger LaVerde said that the players' emphasis during the summer months is on improving themselves mentally so that there is less chance of making mental mistakes during the season.
“If you don't make mental mistakes, you give yourself a chance,” LaVerde said. “We come to these things mostly for mental reps, so we don't in a game make mental mistakes and blow a coverage.”
In particular, Coach LaVerde emphasized that strategically, the coaching staff is focused on helping the defensive players understand zones.
“All these teams these days are running the spread, so we are really focused on seeing as many routes and combos as we can, and just getting into our zones and seeing who can play man coverage,” LaVerde said. “Teaching these kids what zone they have to get into, and when, is very important.”
Coach LaVerde also said his Hornets are in the process of replacing nine senior starters that graduated in 2024. Thus, there's plenty of competition amongst players to earn a starting position.
Junior quarterback Jake LaVerde discussed how summer training and 7-on-7s have been going.
He believed the team had improved a lot in the Chardon 7-on-7.
Specifically, the offense struggled at NDCL, but the timing had improved at Chardon, he added.
At Chardon, Jake LaVerde said that the
team was focused on improving timing in the passing game and getting the ball to the receivers.
A main receiver that Kirtland's quarterbacks were working on getting the ball to was Evan Koprowski.
After the 7-on-7 at Chardon, Koprowski also believed the team had shown improvement.
“We came out here, played as a team, and played better together,” Koprowski said.
The main thing he was working on at the 7-on-7 at Chardon, he said, was route running.
Senior Danny Alfieri also sensed that improvement.
“I think we all got better today learning the coverages, just getting a good practice in for our big tournament this weekend at Pitt,” Alfieri said.
The Hornets are scheduled to compete in five more 7-on-7s in July, including three during the week of July 8.
The Hornets will compete at Berea Midpark (July 9), at Hawken (July 11), and in the Euclid Build the Bridge Tournament (July 13).
The team's final two 7-on-7s of the summer will be at home, hosting Edgewood and Edison on July 15 then Shaker Heights on July 17.
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ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG
Kirtland’s Evan Koprowski catches a TD during a 7-on-7 scrimmage with the Chardon Hilltoppers.
