HINCKLEY, Oh - On a cool Monday morning at Pine Hills Country Club, the Golf Cats of Saint Ignatius again showed people that they are serious contenders to repeat as State Champions. 

Just as in sectionals, the lineup consisted of seniors Michael O’Leary, Nick Piesen, Connor Malicki and juniors Bradley Chill and Julian Dugan, with Braedan Hildritch as an alternate. 

Despite the more challenging terrain, the Cats remained unfazed as they shot 289 as a team. In particular, The Jim Skerl Award-winning captain O’Leary put together one of his best performances as a Wildcat. 

Even after a challenging eighteenth hole, he finished the day shooting 70 (on a par-72 course). This performance helped guide the Cats to their third first-place finish in the district championship in just four years, making it one of the most dominant stretches in program history. 

The Golf Cats have repeated as District Champions for the first time since completing that feat in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. 

The season will all come down to Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22, at the Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University in Columbus. The Wildcats will look to repeat as State Champions, something the program has not done since the 2001 and 2002 seasons. 

The Wildcats will have another tough match, matching up against formidable opponents such as Archbishop Hoban, Mason, Lakota West, and more Division I contenders. But if there’s one thing to note about these guys, they aren’t afraid of competition. The Golf Cats will practice on the Scarlet Course before the tournament play begins on October 21.