By Mr. Eddie Dwyer

Cleveland, Ohio - It is an honor and a privilege to inform our readers that this week's Saint Ignatius Student-Athletes of the Week are the 2016 OHSAA Division I State Champion and record-setting Soccer Cats of nationally acclaimed Head Coach Mike McLaughlin '85.

On Sunday, November 13th at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, the Soccer Cats defeated St. Charles Prep, 2-1, in the OHSAA State Championship Match and brought home the program's eighth state championship. The 'Cats added to the record seventh state title they won in 2015.

With the victory over a very skilled St. Charles Prep team (21-1-1), Coach McLaughlin's gifted young men became the first OHSAA Boys Soccer Team to win three consecutive State Titles.

Along with their accomplishments on the state level, the Soccer Cats also clinched their second consecutive and fourth overall National Championship.

Saint Ignatius, which finished 21-0-2 versus one of the most demanding schedules in the nation, finished No. 1 in both the highly respected USA Today Super 25 National Rankings and the Top Drawer Soccer SIMA Fab 50.

In what is a remarkable accomplishment, especially when you consider the level of competition the Soccer Cats face year in and year out, Coach McLaughlin's 'Cats will enter the 2017 season on a 59-match unbeaten streak.

This corner would again like to congratulate a very special group of young men, Coach McLaughlin and his outstanding staff of Dan Crew '99, Mark Blades '06, Jim Brennan '85, Joe Popelka '84 and Dr. Darrin Keefe '87.

Gentlemen, your field of dreams continues to become a very rare reality. May God Bless You, now and in the future.