For Saint Ignatius seniors Brendan Gulick, Anthony Ruggiero and Chet Lauer, this weekend will cap off a season of perseverance.

Like many players who are members of state-championship caliber teams, Gulick, Ruggiero and Lauer don’t grab the headlines or the leads to game stories and roundups. Heck, they are fortunate to even be mentioned occasionally.

What they do, however, is play their roles when called on by Wildcats head baseball coach Brad Ganor.

At this time last year, Gulick, Ruggiero and Lauer were not part of the school’s baseball program as it was preparing for another Division I state-semifinal encounter with Cincinnati power Archbishop Moeller.

Gulick and Ruggiero were cut from the varsity team in the preseason of 2008 and Lauer took a year off from baseball to concentrate on football. He was a member of the Wildcats’ record 10th Division I state-championship team this past fall.

After honing their games in summer baseball, Gulick and Ruggiero earned their place on Coach Ganor’s roster this spring. Although Lauer spent most of the summer of 2008 conditioning for football, he came out for the baseball team this season and has developed into a key back-up catcher.

Lauer, who catches when standout senior pitcher/catcher Neil Butara is on the mound, or the rare times when Butara is the designated hitter, would probably be the starting catcher for several teams in the area. He just happens to be playing behind one of the most talented and versatile performers in Wildcats baseball history.

Although he was too young at the time to have any memories of the 1993 season, Lauer, 18, smiled when it was mentioned that his dad, Tom ’77, coached Saint Ignatius to the state semifinals that spring. Tom Lauer’s ’93 club, which featured future Wildcats baseball coach Brian Morgan, was only the second baseball team in Saint Ignatius history to advance to the final four and the first since 1954. Friday’s state-semifinal rematch with Archbishop Moeller will mark the 10th time the Wildcats have reached the final four. Coach Morgan guided the ‘Cats to their only state baseball championship in 2002.

“He’s taught me a lot about baseball,’’ said Chet Lauer of his dad, who is still involved in the school’s baseball program as the Wildcats’ junior-varsity coach. “I’ve learned a lot from him, especially tips on hitting. There’s a different way to hit for everyone.’’

While a lot of players would have been discouraged after being cut as juniors, Ruggiero, an infielder, and Gulick, a pinch hitter/catcher, were driven to continue their pursuit of the game they love.

“I worked hard in the off-season, so it paid off in making the team this year,’’ Ruggiero said. “It feels great to be in the playoffs and making it to states. You have the whole school telling us ‘good job.’ I played in the summer for Fielder’s Choice (out of Brecksville), played in a lot of games and got looked at by a lot of colleges.’’

With his sites set on playing college baseball next year, Ruggiero said he has taken a lot from his experiences with Coach Ganor’s program.

“How to handle pressure, just go out there and play your game, and focus on what’s inside the white lines and nothing else,’’ said Ruggiero after Monday’s practice. “I’ll take that with me to college.’’

Whether he’s warming up starters and relievers in the bullpen, stepping to the plate to take on a power pitcher in a key pinch-hitting role or constantly encouraging his teammates from the dugout, Gulick’s passion for his school and the game of baseball is endless.

A young man who started bleeding blue and gold before he was in the second grade, Gulick is the epitome of a “team player.’’

“It started with the 1997 Indians,’’ Gulick said of his love of the game. “They were my cousins. I could tell you the name of every guy on that ’97 roster.

“I loved baseball since I knew what it was,’’ Gulick continued. “My focus has always been on making the Saint Ignatius varsity team. It wasn’t, be a starter, be a captain, it was make the team, be a part of it.

“My dad, Jim, graduated (from Saint Ignatius) in 1977 and was on the record-setting defense for football in ’76 (only 38 points allowed). He’s told me some great stories about the camaraderie he had with the guys and how they would pull together and just play as a team. Keeping that all in mind, this has always been my goal. I started playing summer ball for this week, to live in this moment.’’

Gulick, who as a member of the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Club shared in the experience of the Wildcats’ state-championship football season and successful basketball campaign of 18-5, will be furthering his education at John Carroll University. He will continue his broadcasting aspirations while working for the Blue Streaks’ Sports Information Department.

“Unlike a lot of guys that are very talented on this team, I’m not going to go on and play college ball,’’ Gulick said. “This is kind of my last hurrah. But what better way to go out than on top?

“This school just means everything to me, it’s in my blood. And this baseball team is the most special team I have ever been a part of.’’