By Eddie Dwyer
Ohio City - Head Coach Regan Sweeney's Freshmen Blue Cats will carry a record of 13-3 and a six-game winning streak into The Sullivan Showdown Presidents' Day Championship Game matchup with the 12-4 Archbishop Hoban Knights. The tipoff from legendary Father Sullivan Gymnasium will be 1:45 PM.
The Knights advanced to a title-game encounter with the host Wildcats by wearing down Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 65-39, in Sunday afternoon's other semifinal at Sullivan Gym.
HERE IS A CORNER'S VIEW ON WHAT WAS ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE BY THE TALENTED, BUT SELFLESS BLUE CATS OF COACH SWEENEY '11 AND HIS SAVVY ASSISTANTS, T.J. DiSANTO '06 AND MARK HESTER.
The 1-2 punch of post Henry Raynor and forward Chris Snyder were more than the Warriors could deal with during a pleasant Sunday afternoon on the campus of Cleveland's Jesuit Preparatory School.
From Father Sullivan Gymnasium - Shorty after Saint Ignatius' Freshmen Blue Cats soundly defeated their Jesuit Brothers from Walsh Jesuit, 66-37 in the semifinals of The Sullivan Showdown, Wildcats Assistant Coach Mark Hester told the Blue Cats that collectively, Sunday's efforts against the Walsh Warriors were probably the best four quarters they have put together all season.
No one among the solid and knowledgeable crowd in Sullivan Gym could argue with that, although the Saint Ignatius faithful are hoping their young Blue Cats have one more performance just like it left in the tank for what will be the season finale on Monday - the 1:45 PM Championship Game versus Archbishop Hoban in the storied Sullivan Showdown.
The Blue Cats came out and made a strong statement from the get-go on Sunday.
Behind the play of endless energy forward Chris Snyder, tough as nails guard Jack Dunstan and ever-present forward Luke Roggenburk, the Blue Cats stormed to a 9-1 lead that forced Walsh Jesuit to call an early timeout.
The right-out-of-the-gate highlights for Saint Ignatius were two free throws from Snyder, a basket by Dunstan, an athletic and authoritative block by Roggenburk, a 3-pointer from Snyder and a beautifully executed Roggenburk to Snyder layup. Roggenburk is continuing a rich family tradition at Saint Ignatius.
Following the Warriors' timeout, Blue Cats guard Peter Mattimore extended Saint Ignatius' lead to 12-1 with a kiss the sky 3-pointer.
Walsh Jesuit (9-7) answered with two consecutive baskets and, after Blue Cats gifted post Henry Raynor scored the first two of his game-high 20 points, the Warriors closed to 14-7 entering the second quarter.
Long, lean and athletic, the 6-foot-5 Raynor then produced a strong offensive rebound and a free throw, a defensive rebound that saw him go coast-to-coast for a layup and an assist that resulted in a transition layup for Roggenburk.
Behind the free-throw shooting of Snyder and Dunstan, a basket from active forward Will Yontek off the exceptional court vision of Snyder, and a 3-ponter by guard Andrew Chime that was followed by Andrew's offensive rebound and layup, Saint Ignatius took a 31-16 lead into the halftime break.
"We always talk about setting the tone offensively and defensively," said Coach Sweeney. "You always want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season, but you also want to keep striving to get better."
The Blue Cats strived to do just that entering the second half, and it was mission accomplished.
First it was Snyder dialing long distance again beyond the 3-point arc, then it was a steal by Raynor that Henry converted into another nearly length of the floor layup. Following two free throws from Raynor, Saint Ignatius was ahead by 19 points with 5:14 remaining in the third quarter.
Walsh Jesuit made a little noise near the end of the third quarter, but thanks to a visit to Slam City by Raynor and a basket down low from Yontek, the Blue Cats took a 15-point advantage into the final seven minutes.
With Coach Sweeney employing his deep rotations in the early stages of the fourth quarter, the Walsh Warriors cut the deficit to 11 points.
The Blue Cats' starters, or mainstays if you will, re-entered the game and, before you could reach for that extra kernel of popcorn, it was Katy Bar The Door.
Roggenburk scored off a perfect inbounds pass from Snyder under the Saint Ignatius basket, a Dunstan to Snyder combo followed, and a Mattimore 3-pointer, a basket by Raynor off a Mattimore assist, a power-up down low from Raynor and a Snyder layup off a turnover had the Saint Ignatius faithful preparing for Monday afternoon.
The Blue Cats added a couple of baskets from backup guard Anthony Jenkins, the second one coming off a Chime assist, and two free throws from guard Mitchell Kpack.
Snyder finished with 16 points, giving him a total of 31 points in the first two games of The Sullivan Showdown.
A TRUE MAN FOR OTHERS: John Marshall High School's Athletic Director Joe Gilbert shared with this corner on Sunday afternoon that he was presented with $200 from Terry McCarthy, father of Saint Ignatius Freshmen Blue Basketball player John McCarthy, and told to use the money to take his young players out to dinner on Saturday and Sunday. John Marshall's Freshmen Lawyers were competing in The Sullivan Showdown.
There is no substitution for class, my friends. Nor is there one for a big heart.
SWITCHING GEARS A BIT: Saint Ignatius' Varsity Football standout defensive back Jett Elad '19 shared with this corner that he has received scholarship offers from Kent State, Indiana State and the University of Buffalo.
We'll see you at Father Sullivan Gymnasium tomorrow afternoon (Monday). Again, it is a 1:45 tipoff.