CANTON – From the starters, to every young man who wore the blue and gold on Saturday night, the sentiment was the same.

It was an expression of thanks, an appreciation for being a member of a team that was far more than just physically gifted.

The 2008 Saint Ignatius Wildcats had it all together, as players, teammates, friends and representatives of their families and their school.

And to a player, they realized to be part of that was truly something special, something that again came to the fore in a 28-20 victory over Cincinnati Elder in the Division I state championship game at legendary Fawcett Stadium.

''We set a goal at the beginning of the year, and we accomplished it tonight. It feels so good,’’ said standout senior quarterback Andrew Holland, after his 208 yards passing and three touchdown passes helped lead the Wildcats to an Ohio-best 10th big-school state football championship. ''Everyone was just all together on our main goal.’’

Saint Ignatius (14-1), which closed its special season with a 14-game winning streak, had it all together from the get-go Saturday night.

Taking the opening kickoff, the Wildcats marched 80 yards and grabbed a 7-0 lead on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Holland to junior tight end Brendan Carozzoni and the ensuing extra-point kick by senior Seamus Hennessey. Senior tailback Mike Anter helped key the drive by accounting for 40 of the 80 yards with his hard-nosed running.

Holland, a first-team All-Ohio selection who earned a share of the state’s Division I Offensive Player of the Year Award, ended his Wildcats career in a tie for second place with Bryan Panteck on Saint Ignatius’ all-time list for touchdown passes in a season. Panteck fired his 28 TD strikes in the 2000 season.

Elder (13-2), which was making its first appearance in the state championship game since winning back-to-back titles in 2002 and ’03, saw its early threat wiped out by a leaping interception by Wildcats All-Ohio junior linebacker Scott McVey at the Saint Ignatius 24.

Riding the momentum of McVey’s pick, Saint Ignatius turned to its rock-steady offensive line, the running of Anter and the receiving of Carozzoni and sure-handed senior wideouts Joey Parris and Connor Ryan.

On a third-and-6 from the Elder 21, Ryan ran a perfect route and hauled in a perfectly thrown ball by Holland for another 21-yard score. Hennessey’s extra point was high and true, and the Wildcats led, 14-0, with just seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

''Since July 31st, we had our pads on doing two-a-days (practices),’’ said Ryan, a Ball State recruit who ended his outstanding high school career in a tie for first place with Matt Miller on the all-time Saint Ignatius list for touchdown receptions in a season. Miller hauled in his 14 TD catches during the Wildcats’ 2001 state-championship campaign.

''We had a goal to be here, to be state champs and be the 10th team to do it,’’ added Ryan.

After a nifty punt return by senior all-purpose back Frank DeSico, Saint Ignatius turned a short field into a 2-yard touchdown run by senior All-Ohio safety/running back Pat Hinkel with 8 minutes, 56 seconds left in the first half. Hinkel has accepted a scholarship from Miami (Ohio).

Elder would, as Wildcats coach Chuck Kyle emphasized, make some sound adjustments and close to 21-7 by halftime. The Panthers’ first score came on a 9-yard touchdown pass from All-Ohio junior quarterback Mark Miller to 6-4 junior wideout Tim O’Conner.

However, as it did throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, the Wildcats’ dynamic defense stood tall all night.

Along with McVey’s interception, the first half saw All-Ohio senior safety and Notre Dame recruit Dan Fox make a leaping interception in the right flat at the Saint Ignatius 1-yard line. Fox’s big-time play came after Elder drove inside the Wildcats’ 7.

There were plenty of big plays to go around for the ‘Cats D, as helping lead the way to nine sacks were multitalented senior linebackers Seamus Siefring and Kolin Sullivan, the active and aggressive secondary that included senior corners Tommy Hunt and Sean Fitzgerald, senior safeties Sean Fisher and Steve Siemborski and junior corner Kory Gillissie, and the most underrated defensive line in Ohio.

Leading that charge up front were junior end Gerry Ramella, senior end Ted Kraft, junior end/tackle Pat Dowd and the best nose tackle this corner has seen in years – senior Ryan Carr.

The offense also had more big-time fuel left, as Holland and Ryan combined on a 51-yard touchdown pass that gave Saint Ignatius a three-score lead with 6:07 to go in the third quarter.

''Andrew and I, we audible on that,’’ Ryan said of the 51-yard strike, an effort that saw Ryan catch the ball inside the Elder 38, spin away from a would-be tackle and race down the right sideline. ''I had to make a catch and make a play somehow. We needed points on the board.’’

After Miller connected with Panthers 6-4 All-Ohio senior wideout Josh Jones on a 45-yard touchdown pass, Saint Ignatius thought it put more points on the board with 6:46 remaining to be played.

McVey, who was a force all night, sacked Miller inside the Panthers’ 8-yard line and jarred the ball loose. The ball rolled near the goal line, where Dowd recovered it and took it in the end zone for an apparent touchdown. However, an official somehow ruled the play as an incomplete pass and Elder still had life.

The Panthers closed to 28-20 on a 2-yard pass from backup quarterback Joe Hetzer to O’Conner and the ensuing extra point by All-Ohio junior kicker Tony Miliano with 1:22 left. Hetzer entered the game after Miller was shaken up on the previous play.

Saint Ignatius wouldn't be denied, however, as the Wildcats sealed the deal when junior linebacker Jake Ryan, Connor’s brother, recovered an onside kick.

''This was a fun group of guys, they loved to practice and they loved being together,’’ said Coach Kyle (’69), who closed his 26th season as head coach of the Wildcats by guiding his alma mater to its 21st consecutive appearance in the Division I playoffs, which also is a state record, and picking up his 262nd career victory along the way. Coach Kyle has a remarkable playoff record of 55-11.

While we're on the subject of remarkable accomplishments, reporters covering Saturday night’s game and seeing McVey play for the first time couldn’t say enough about his performance, which included five-plus sacks.

Again, this corner will take the liberty to say Scott McVey is the best linebacker to roam the fields of Northeast Ohio since the great Chris Spielman did it for the Massillon Tigers in the early 1980s. And when you use the word great in reference to Spielman, it is no exaggeration.

''It’s a whole complete team effort on defense, everyone steps up,’’ said McVey, who plays with some of that familiar Spielman savvy. “It’s awesome.’’

And so were the 2008 Saint Ignatius Wildcats.