Who's ready for some fun this weekend?
One of the most exciting weekends of the year has arrived. With graduation in the rearview mirror and summer ahead, the Wildcats will look to cap off the 2018-19 school year with a bang this weekend.
Three teams have opportunities to win state championships in Columbus this weekend – track & field, volleyball, and rugby. A fourth team has the chance to earn a spot in the State Tournament next weekend. And top of that, the Saint Ignatius campus will be buzzing all weekend with reunion and then the dedication of the Carfagna Magis Athletic Center.
Here's the lowdown this weekend:
Baseball
A thrilling Regional Semifinal win on Thursday night secured a spot in the Regional Final on Friday.
Brad Ganor's squad will face Sylvania Southview at Tri-C West's Mottl Field on Friday at 5 pm. The SIBN will have a live, audio-only broadcast.
For more on the Baseball Cats, click here.
Rugby
Once again, the Wildcats and Eagles will meet in the RugbyOhio State Championship. If you're keeping track, that's six straight years.
The Rugby Cats will look to make history on Saturday at 3 pm at Fortress Obetz by capturing a third consecutive RugbyOhio crown. Last year's title game also took place at Obetz, with the Wildcats earning a 15-3 win in a low-scoring match.
Saint Ignatius and St. Edward met on the pitch earlier in the year on Wasmer Field. The Wildcats won, 21-15, outscoring the Lakewoodites in the first half, 21-0, before the Eagles awoke and nearly managed a comeback.
The SIBN will have a live video feed of the A-side championship.
The Wildcats and Eagles will also meet for the B-side crown. Dubbed the "JV" Championship by Rugby Ohio, the game between the rival sides will start at 10 am on Field 1.
The Wildcats' Developmental side will have a different foe to battle for the RugbyOhio "Dev" title – Archbishop Moeller. The Wildcats and Crusaders previously met on May 4 on Wasmer Field, with the host Cats tabbing a 25-5 triumph.
Track & Field
Thousands of fan and athletes will pack Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University this weekend. Saint Ignatius fans will have plenty of Wildcats to root for.
As a team, the Wildcats placed third at Regionals, but 9 members of the squad will make the trip to Columbus today: Dan Drellishak (pole vault), John Wetula (110m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 4x100 relay), Dominic Devengencie (4x100), Jack Kennedy (4x100), Henry Cook (4x100), Nick Saul (1600m run, 4x800), John Mayer (4x800), Steve Zucca (4x800), Matt Blouch (4x800), and Steve Zucca (3200m run).
Friday marks the semifinals and the 4x800 relay finals, while Saturday holds the finals and the pole vault for the Wildcats.
The meet starts for the Wildcats on Friday evening at 5 pm with the 4x800 relay. Saul, Mayer, Zucca, and Blouch will rep the Wildcats. The squad enters with the ninth-best seed time at 7:54.52.
Wetula will compete next at 5:25 pm in the 110m hurdles. The second-place finisher at Regionals, Wetula will run in the second heat, rolling in with the second-best seed time – 14.23.
Wildcats fans will then have a lull in the action before the 4x100 relay team takes the track at 6:10 pm. Devengencie, Kennedy, Cook, and Wetula will be in the second heat, carrying a seed time of 42.56. Entering the event, Wildcats stand at the edge of qualifying, with the ninth-best time coming into the race.
Wetula's day, and the Wildcats' day, will finish at 6:45 in the 300m hurdles. The senior will need a big effort to qualify for finals. Running in the first heat, Wetula clocked a seed time of 38.74, placing him 15th out of 18th. But a significant improvement could land him in Saturday's race.
Regardless of the prelim results on Friday, three Wildcats will compete on Saturday – Drellishak, Saul, and Zucca.
Drellishak will be leaping in the pole vault starting at noon. The junior's best jump of 14'06.00" ties him four fourth amongst 18 vaulters. Drellishak will look to be on from the get-go, amidst such a crowded field of great competitors. But if anyone is up to the task, it's Drelly.
Saul races on Saturday at 5:15 pm in the 1600m. The senior will look to cap off an amazing career with a top finish. Saul's seed time stands at 13th out of 18 competitors at 4:19.37, so he'll need a little push to score points.
Zucca will also look to complete his breakout season with style. The junior will maneuver the 3200m (two-mile) at 6:20 pm, the last race of the day for the Cats. Zucca has a solid chance at scoring, as his seed time of 9:20.06 places him at eighth.
Be sure to follow the track & field team on Twitter at @IgnatiusXCTF for up-to-the-minute results on Friday and Saturday.
Volleyball
For the 12th straight season, the Wildcats will be making an appearance at the OHSBVA State Tournament.
This year, Archbishop Moeller stands in the Wildcats' way in the opening round. The quarterfinal contest will begin at 1:30 pm at Capital University on Saturday.
Earlier in the year, the Wildcats met the Crusaders at the Centerville Elite 8 Tournament. The Volleyball Cats lost in four sets, 3-1, but did keep it close. A battle for the ages could be in store.
All-State players Phil Catanzaro and Andrew Boeckman lead a talented front line for the Wildcats. Vince Holzheimer and Matthew Rogers will play important roles at setter and libero, respectively. But at the end of the day, it will come down to serving. How the Wildcats perform at the service line will decide the outcome.
With a win, the Wildcats would live to fight another day. The winner of Saint Ignatius vs. Moeller will battle the victor of Lakota East vs. Mount Vernon. The State Semifinal will take place at noon on Sunday at Capital, and the title game will be at 4 pm on Sunday.
The entire tournament will be broadcasted online here.
Reunion Weekend
As is tradition, alumni will gather at the corner of West 30th and Lorain this weekend.
This year brings alumni from the classes ending in 4 and 9, with the class of 1969 celebrating its 50th reunion. Chuck Kyle will be enjoying his 50th reunion, along with many other prestigious Cats.
Friday marks Stag Night and Saturday will be the Golden Cats celeration. For more information on Reunion Weekend, click here. Walkup registrations are welcome!
Carfagna Family Magis Athletic Center Dedication
On Sunday, a new chapter will be written in Saint Ignatius Athletics history, opening the Carfagna Family Magis Athletic Center.
The festivities start with Mass at 11 am, followed by a ribbon cutting and a prayer at noon. A reception and tours will follow at 12:30 pm.
For more information, read the full article on the MAC here.
We hope to see you in either Ohio City or Columbus this weekend!