On a night celebrating eight seniors, the Saint Ignatius wrestling program delivered another win in the last home match of the 2016-17 season.
The Mat Cats improve to 12-2 on the season following tonight’s 71-0 victory over the Highland Hornets. The Wildcats conclude with an 8-1 record at Sullivan Gym this season.
The Wildcats also picked up a hard-earned 41-27 victory over Lake Catholic last night on the road. The Mat Cats battled hard for the win as head coach Mark Sullivan returned to his alma mater.
Before the start of the recap, congratulations and thanks are in order for the seniors celebrated tonight – Andrew Benisek, Matthew French, Tommy Gallagher, Joe Gibbons, Cal Miller, Quade Rasmussen, and Kaden Russell. All of these young men have a lot to be proud of.
Saint Ignatius vs. Highland
Johnny Novak started things off well for the Wildcats. Novak notched a 6-3 decision at 106 pounds. Novak held the advantage for much of the match before slamming his foe to the mat with 1:15 left in the third to seal it with a takedown. Matthew Whipkey claimed a forfeit at 113 pounds to make it 9-0 Wildcats.
Patrick McGraw kept the good times rolling at 120 pounds. McGraw built a 11-0 lead with a minute left before clinching the victory at the end of the period via tech fall. Matthew French then charged to a win in his final home match, pinning his 126-pound adversary with 53 seconds left in the first period.
Anthony Delsanter ran into a tough opponent at 132 pounds in Brandon Yu. Delsanter battled Yu for three periods before earning the victory, 13-4, for a major decision.
The 138-pound match featured another battled of titans, as Tommy Gallagher fought Bradley Staron in a chess match. Gallagher struck with the quickness of a cobra in the closing seconds of the third period, setting his lead at 3-0, courtesy of a quick takedown. Gallagher held on in the third for the decision for three points for the Wildcats. A forfeit win claimed by Student-Athlete of the Week Quade Rasmussen at 145 pounds set the score at 32-0 Wildcats.
Najee Lockett exhibited his trademark agility and strength at 152 pounds, piling up a 7-1 lead by the end of the second period by controlling the match’s tempo. The freshman wore out his opponent by the end of the match, eventually clinching an 11-4 victory.
At 160 pounds, Logan Toth turned a negative into a positive. Taken down by his opponent, Toth flipped his foe before pinning him to the mat with 58 seconds left in the first. Toth’s pin increased the Wildcats’ advantage to 41-0. Cal Miller then pinned his foe in impressive fashion to earn six points for the Wildcats.
The rest of the match rolled through quickly, with forfeits at 182, 220, and 285 pounds. Kaden Russell earned one last win at 195 pounds within the friendly confines of Sullivan Gym, pinning his opponent early in the match.
Russell’s win placed an exclamation point on a special night for the Wildcats.
Saint Ignatius vs. Lake Catholic
In a matchup of top-notch schools, the Wildcats and Cougars duked it out on Thursday evening in Lake County.
At the end of a tight contest, the Wildcats emerged as the winner, 41-27.
Johnny Novak began the match with a victory at 106 pounds. Novak earned the decision win, 9-5, fending off a late comeback attempt. A Cougar pin at 113 pounds then allowed Lake Catholic to take a 6-3 lead. Patrick McGraw followed up by tying the contest with a 14-4 win at 120 pounds.
Matt French pinned his foe at 126 pounds before Anthony Delsanter fell in a tough 9-5 decision loss. An 11-3 Lake Catholic win at 138 pounds allowed the Cougars to knot the score at 12 before the hosts claimed a 15-12 lead with a victory at 145.
At 152 pounds, Najee Lockett notched another win to reclaim the lead for the Wildcats, 18-15. A third period pin at 160 pounds for Lake Catholic sent the lead back to the Cougars. Once again, Lake Catholic did not hold the lead for long, as Cal Miller secured a pin, good for six points at a crucial moment. Then, Kaden Russell showed why he’s the rock of the Wildcats, rolling to a quick first period pin.
Then, with an upcoming forfeit at 285 pounds and a 30-21 lead, the Wildcats knew the 195-pound match would be an opportunity to clinch the victory.
As usual, Michael Drobnick came up in the clutch. The junior fell behind early but roared back in the third period. Drobnick secured a 5-point victory to eliminate the possibility of a Cougars comeback, giving the Wildcats an insurmountable 35-21 advantage.
Aidan Gill earned a second period pin at 220 pounds before the Wildcats accepted six lost points at 285 pounds, setting the final score at 41-27.
Following wins over Lake Catholic and Highland, the Wildcats will return to the mat next weekend for the Beachwood Quad.
Once again, congratulations to the Saint Ignatius wrestling seniors and the Mat Cats on an incredible season thus far.