Brooklyn, Ohio – Attention all area gym rats!

We have the perfect way for you to get into a New Year’s frame of mind.

It will most likely be the only high school game in Northeast Ohio, if not the entire state, that day, but oh my, what a game it should turn out to be.

On the afternoon of Dec. 31, the Saint Ignatius Wildcats’ varsity basketball team, which has a veteran big game nucleus returning, will travel to the new LeBron James Arena to face the talent laden St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish. SVSM finished its 2012-13 season as the Division II state runner-up after being turned back by Columbus Bishop Watterson, 55-52, in the title game.

Along with an array of gifted players, the ‘Cats-Irish match up will feature two of the premier coaches in Ohio – Saint Ignatius’ Sean O’Toole ’87 and Saint Vincent-St. Mary’s Dru Joyce.

Action will get under way with a junior varsity game at 1:30 PM, followed by the highly anticipated varsity encounter at 3 PM.

Coach O’Toole’s team will open its season on Dec. 7 at Shaw, with noon being the tip for the junior varsity game and the varsity game to follow at 2 PM. The Wildcats’ home opener is slated for the night of Dec. 14 against John Adams and that will be followed by home games versus John Hay on the night of Dec. 20 and the history rich “Pups” from Canton McKinley on the night of Dec. 21.

Our friends from Warren Harding will pay a visit to Fr. Sullivan Gymnasium on the night of Dec. 28. For a complete look at Saint Ignatius’ 2013-14 schedule, go to ignatius.edu, click on athletics and click on basketball.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE CORNER GO OUT TO DANNY BOVA, as the Wildcats' senior point guard and captain has decided to further his education and basketball career next year for Coach Mike Moran's John Carroll University Blue Streaks. As for his decision, Danny said his focus was on John Carroll all of the way.

ON THE ICE: In whetting your appetite for the corner’s preview on the Wildcats’ 2013-14 varsity hockey season, which will be posted the week of Nov. 18, we thought we would share with you the new Great Lakes Hockey League’s preseason all-league players and the coaches’ preseason poll for the GLHL.

Here are the coaches’ preseason All-GLHL selections. The total points a player received follows the name of his school.

FIRST TEAM: Forward Tyler Harkins, St. Edward 28; Forward Joe Meehan, Holy Name 27; Forward Evan Krueger, University School 23; Defense Clarke Jones, University School 18; Defense Colin Lippincott, Walsh Jesuit 15; Goalie Jamie Studer, Walsh Jesuit 13.

SECOND TEAM: Forward Benny Clark, Gilmour Academy 15; Forward Jamie Bucell, Holy Name 13; Forward Ryan Curtin, Gilmour Academy 9; Defense Kevin Spellacy, Saint Ignatius 11; Defense Alex Sabitsch, St. Edward 10; Goalie Charlie Denner, Lake Catholic 4.

Here is the GLHL preseason coaches poll.

1. Saint Ignatius 53 points (4 first-place votes); 2. Holy Name 43 (3 first-place votes); 3. Gilmour Academy 39; 4. University School 35; 5. St. Edward 30; 6. Walsh Jesuit 24; 7. Lake Catholic 21; 8. Padua 7.

****JUST A REMINDER AGAIN THAT YOU CAN READ AN IN-DEPTH PREVIEW OF THIS SATURDAY’S SAINT IGNATIUS VERSUS CANTON MCKINLEY DIVISION I, REGION 1 OHSAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF GAME IN THE CORNER’S STORY THAT WAS POSTED ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE KICKOFF FROM CANTON’S FAWCETT STADIUM WILL BE 7 PM.

THE PREVIEW ALSO INCLUDES A LITTLE TASTE OF THE FOOTBALL HISTORY BETWEEN THE ‘CATS AND THE BULLDOGS. NO, THEY ARE NOT GRIDIRON STRANGERS, AS SOME WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. SAINT IGNATIUS, WHICH HAS PLAYED MCKINLEY IN CANTON’S PRESEASON JAMBOREE THE PAST FEW YEARS AND LAST MET THE BULLDOGS IN A GAME THAT COUNTS IN 2003, LEADS ITS ALL-TIME SERIES WITH MCKINLEY, 10-6, INCLUDING A 10-4 MARK UNDER COACH CHUCK KYLE ’69.

IN THE OHSAA POSTSEASON PLAYOFFS, THE WILDCATS AND THE BULLDOGS HAVE MET FOUR TIMES PREVIOUSLY (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998) WITH ALL FOUR BEING STATE-SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS. SAINT IGNATIUS PREVAILED IN 1994 AND 1996 AND, IN WHAT IS PART OF OUR “BLASTS FROM THE PAST” IN WEDNESDAY’S PREVIEW, MCKINLEY WAS VICTORIOUS IN 1997 AND 1998.

IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM OUR FRIEND AND LOYAL READER JACK OF "NOTHING COULD BE FINER THAN LIVING IN MEDINER (MEDINA)," AS HE PUTS IT, IF SAINT IGNATIUS AND HUDSON DO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE REGION 1 PLAYOFFS (NOV. 16), IT WOULD MARK ONLY THE SECOND MEEETING BETWEEN THE WILDCATS AND THE EXPLORERS ON THE GRIDIRON. IN SAINT IGNATIUS' STATE RUNNER-UP SEASON OF 1996, THE 'CATS DEFEATED HUDSON, 53-12, IN A REGIONAL-FINAL MATCH UP.

SEE YOU AT ONE OF THE FINEST FOOTBALL FACILITIES IN THE NATION ON SATURDAY NIGHT – STORIED AND ATMOSPHERE-RICH FAWCETT STADIUM, OR, AS SAINT IGNATIUS' FAITHFUL LIKE TO REFER TO IT, "OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME."

IT IS ONLY FITTING WHEN TALKING ABOUT CANTON MCKINLEY AND FAWCETT STADIUM TO BORROW THE MEMORABLE STORY SIGN-OFF LINE FROM THE LATE, GREAT PLAIN DEALER STARK COUNTY SPORTS COLUMNIST, MR. HYMIE WILLIAMS – “Goodbye until the next time, which will be the best time.”