As Regional Champions, it should come as no surprise that the Saint Ignatius lacrosse team did well in the All-Region awards.
Twelve Wildcats earned All-Region honors, with four Lax Cats drawing Position Player of the Year honors. Michael Boehm led the way as the Region 2 Player of the Year.
Boehm and the Wildcats have showcased their dominance in Region 2 over the last few weeks, including a 14-8 victory over Shaker Heights on Friday in the Regional Final. Another difficult challenge faces the Wildcats on Tuesday in the State Semifinal, as Dublin Coffman confronts the Cats for the right to play in the title bout.
Boehm is a major reason the Wildcats have reached this point. The junior completed the regular season with 47 goals and 32 assists, adding plenty more in the postseason. The Region 2 Attacker of the Year notched 5 goals and 2 assists against the Red Raiders on Friday and will be a key part of the offense on Tuesday. Boehm has recorded crazy numbers in his first three seasons at Saint Ignatius.
Connor Cmiel has also played a huge role in the offense. A talented two-way player, Cmiel garnered Midfielder of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Region first team. Cmiel completed the regular season with 36 goals, third on the team, adding 15 assists. The three-sport athlete has wowed fans with his speed and stick skills this season in a breakout campaign.
John Coughlin has burst onto the scene in 2019, as evidenced by his placement as the LSM of the Year for Region 2. Tallying nearly 100 ground balls, Coughlin has been a Hoover for the Wildcats this season, vacuuming every ball in his vicinity. His defense and ability to spring clears have been huge.
Speaking of vacuums, Joey Morford has been unstoppable on faceoffs. The junior was named the Faceoff Specialist of the Year for the region, thanks in part to his dominance in winning 60% of faceoffs against in-state foes. Morford's ability at X has allowed the Cats to control possession for long stretches.
Merick Hartley, Jack Moriarity, Jack Welcsh also drew first-team honors. The junior-senior duo of Hartley and Mort has been deadly on offense this year. Hartley's low-to-high shot from the slot and Mort's wraparounds from X have been impossible for opponents to stop. These two will be crucial moving forward. Welcsh has played a similarly critical role on defense. The junior two-sport stud has stopped opponents in their tracks all season.
Nate Conry, Grant Geary, all Charlie Minerd received second-team All-Region stats. Conry, the 2018-19 Wirtz Athlete of the Year, has been a linchpin for a successful Saint Ignatius offense. Conry is a dynamic, multi-talented attack middie, able to fill a variety of roles. Geary has cemented the defense with brilliant efficiency. Minerd has become the Baker Mayfield of the defense, orchestrating strategies from his spot in the net. Minerd has been outstanding all season.
Rounding out the team's reps are Charlie Kinzel and Ryan Grace in honorable mention spots. Kinzel has been an important attack for the Wildcats this year and Grace has been a vital piece of the defense. Each has been a valued member of the squad all year.