Cleveland, Ohio - Along with a full plate of basketball (see the corner's preview story below), another challenging winter weekend also awaits Saint Ignatius' other varsity sports teams.
Coach Pat O'Rourke's Ice Cats, ranked No. 1 in the coaches' state poll, will take a record of 20-3-5 into Friday's Great Lakes Hockey League match up with eighth-ranked St. Edward. The puck will drop at 8 PM in the Brooklyn Ice Arena.
Time Warner Cable Sports Channel will be televising the game from Brooklyn on a tape-delay basis with Tom Linder on the play-by-play and Patrick Pierson, the man for all seasons, providing the color commentary. The game will be shown at 11 AM on Monday Jan. 27.
It will be the third match up of the season between the Ice Cats and the Eagles, as the corner provided game coverage on the first GLHL meeting this winter between the longtime rivals, a game Saint Ignatius won, 3-0, on St. Edward's home ice at Winterhurst. Thanks to the cooperation of Coach O'Rourke '90, the corner was also able to provide recaps on all of last weekend's games at the 18th annual Meadville (Pa.) Hockey Invitational in the DeArment Ice Arena. Saint Ignatius came away with its fifth consecutive Meadville championship and eighth overall by defeating none other than St. Edward, 6-5, in overtime on a power play goal by savvy sophomore center Aidan Spellacy. The Eagles led, 5-4, entering the third period.
Another big GLHL game awaits the Ice Cats on Tuesday evening, as Coach Bill Beard's Preppers from University School, Ohio's third-ranked team, will play a visit to the Brooklyn Ice Arena for a 5 PM faceoff. The corner is already excited about covering Tuesday's match up, as this old-timer had the privilege of reporting on the inaugural game of the newly formed GLHL during opening weekend in Quicken Loans Arena. It matched the Preppers and the Wildcats and University School prevailed in a dramatic shootout. However, under the National Federation, OHSAA and GLHL rules, the game was determined to be a tie.
In wrestling, Coach Mark Sullivan's men of the mats will host a double dual in Sullivan Gymnasium on Friday night at 7, with Mentor, Walsh Jesuit and Bedford paying a visit to Ohio City.
The corner again wishes to express its congratulations to standout senior and captain Anthony McLaughlin, who, as we reported over the weekend, came away with the 182-pound championship at the annual Catholic Invitational in Cleveland State University. Anthony defeated Dakota Sizemore of Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller in the championship match. Sizemore was Ohio's 160-pound champion last season.
Coach Sullivan told the corner on Wednesday that Anthony was visiting the Air Force Academy and that it appears the Falcons have a spot for Anthony.
Okay Wildcats swimmers, what are you going to do for an encore?
In what was one of the most dramatic finishes in the history of Saint Ignatius' swimming and diving program, the Wildcats, down by 2 points, defeated host Hawken School, 87-83, on Tuesday evening as standout Nathan Christian rallied from a full body-length behind and out-touched the Hawken anchor by 0.15 seconds in the 400 free relay.
The cardiac 'Cats will be back at it this weekend as they swim against Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep and Normandy on Friday evening at Cleveland State University (6 PM warm up and 7 PM start) and compete in the Hathaway Brown Invitational on Saturday (11 AM warm up and noon start).
Coach John Kastanis' Alley Cats, coming off an impressive all-around performance against Lutheran West last weekend, are scheduled to bowl against Holy Name on Saturday at Buckeye Lanes. The Alley Cats (6-3 on the season), who appear to have sharpened their game, will be gearing up for the postseason conference and league competition and of course the annual OHSAA tournament.
Have a great and safe weekend.