For the 28th season, the Wildcats and Explorers will meet on the lacrosse field.
The Saint Ignatius lacrosse program heads east to Hudson on Tuesday after a successful sojourn to Maryland during Easter break.
The Wildcats enjoyed some success during a trip to the Mid-Atlantic last week. The men of Ohio City defeated two tough Maryland programs on Thursday. The Lax Cats downed Whitman, 16-7, and Churchill, 17-5, on a beautiful day in Bethesda, Maryland. The visitors utilized a balanced scoring attack and strong defensive play to protect the net, securing the two big wins.
The trip did not conclude on a positive note, as the Wildcats ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday. The Lax Cats lost to a very tough Georgetown Prep squad, 14-4. Playing with a shot clock, the Wildcats struggled to get things started against a stout Georgetown defense that featured two University of North Carolina recruits and one University of Virginia commit. With Georgetown in the Top 25 (according to Lax Numbers), all three Wildcats' losses have been to top 25 teams in the United States.
The Wildcats have not lost two straight all season, and look to keep it that way on Tuesday. On the flipside, the Explorers lost three in a row early in April, but have won three of five games since. Hudson lost its last contest, an 11-8 road loss to Shaker Heights, last Thursday afternoon.
Saint Ignatius and Hudson have a storied rivalry. The two programs have faced off every season since 1992. The Wildcats own a slim 19-18 series advantage after winning both the regular season and postseason games last year. Hudson won the last game on its home turf, 8-4, in a 2017 matchup. The Wildcats have won three in a row since.
Believe it or not, this matchup signals the fast approaching home stretch. The Wildcats stand at 8-3 with five games left in the regular season. Tonight's contest is the final road game of the regular season. The Wildcats will travel to Columbus on Friday to face St. Xavier, but that will be a neutral site game at Fortress Obetz.
Looking ahead, the SIBN will be broadcasting Friday's anticipated showdown vs. St. Xavier. More details to follow soon.
Varsity Blue update
The Varsity Blue Cats will also be in action on Tuesday, facing Hudson's top JV squad. The Wildcats have a 3-4-1 record on the year.