"This whole thing that just happened here was about these kids keeping their faith and believing in one another." - Saint Ignatius head varsity football coach Chuck Kyle '69.
Crucial plays by Dameon Willis Jr. and Geoffrey DiMassa in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, including a text-book interception return for a touchdown by DiMassa that, along with the extra-point kick by Matt Colella, allowed the 'Cats to tie the score with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, relentless pressure from the defensive front and Colella's game-winning field goal in overtime are the highlights from one of the most dramatic victories in Saint Ignatius' rich football history.
The Wildcats, ranked ninth in this week's Associated Press Division I state poll, improve to 4-2 while Lawrence Central slips to 3-4. Up next for the 'Cats is next Saturday's encounter with Maryland Eastern Christian Academy. The kickoff from Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium will be 2 PM.
Parma, Ohio - Saint Ignatius' unassuming, but tough and talented junior linebacker Geoffrey DiMassa said he and his defensive teammates knew that time wasn't on their side late Saturday afternoon.
"Defensively, we were working on coming up with some kind of turnover and I was just in the right place at the right time," said DiMassa, whose interception return for a touchdown and the game-tying ensuing extra-point kick by senior Matt Colella enabled Saint Ignatius to storm back from a 14-point deficit and go on to defeat Indianapolis Lawrence Central, 24-21, on Colella's 28-yard field goal in overtime.
In what was a play that DiMassa will tell his grandkids about some day, the 6-0, 210-pound outside backer, off a perfectly timed move, stepped in front of a pass in the flat and rambled down the sideline and into the Day Drive end zone of Byers Field.
After Colella's extra point and his ensuing kickoff, the Wildcats, who trailed, 21-7, with 5 minutes and four seconds left in the fourth quarter, were now knotted at 21 with Indiana's 11th-ranked program as 2:29 remained on the clock.
"I knew it was a pass right at the start," DiMassa said. "I back-peddled, the quarterback was getting heavy pressure and just threw it. I got a real good block from Rea (Wildcats junior nose tackle Realle Brown) and I got to the pylon."
While DiMassa's play was something all young defensive players dream about, it also spoiled what had all the makings of a dream day for Lawrence Central quarterback Jarrett Montgomery.
Making his first varsity start, Montgomery passed for 192 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a TD. He fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to Will King in helping the Bears to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter and his 83-yard scoring pass to Kenny Jones and 2-yard touchdown run sparked Lawrence Central's 12-point third quarter. Jones, who finished with 141 yards receiving, made a highlight-reel leaping catch, eluded two defenders, and ran 57 yards in capping his 83-yard score.
Saint Ignatius, on the strength of a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter by talented and gritty senior tailback Enzo Cannata, went to its locker room at halftime with the score tied at 7. Enzo rushed for 110 yards.
Although the Bears failed to convert on a PAT and a 2-point conversion attempt following their third-quarter TDs, they moved to a 21-7 lead early in the fourth quarter by sacking Saint Ignatius starting junior quarterback Christian Klink in the end zone for a safety. Klink was later shaken up on another sack and had to be replaced by junior Jake Kucia.
While no excuses are being offered by Wildcats head coach Chuck Kyle and his staff, Saint Ignatius has now experienced injuries to its first three quarterbacks - starter Pete Mahoney (season ending ankle injury in the preseason), senior John Thomas (shoulder) and now Klink, although Christian appeared to be okay after the game.
Just when Lawrence Central, Indiana's 2012 undefeated 5-A state champion, appeared to be in control, Saint Ignatius set the stage for DiMassa's clutch pick 6 by turning to the receiving of gifted senior wideouts Nick Fabian and Mike Siragusa.
With Fabian and Siragusa (4 catches for 78 yards) showing the way, the Wildcats drove from their 45 to a first-and-goal at the 1. Then a little fortune came the 'Cats' way, as they fumbled the ball only to have standout senior safety Dameon Willis Jr., who was in the offensive backfield at tailback, scoop up the ball and take it into the end zone. Colella's extra point was high and true and it was a 21-14 game with 4:09 to go in the fourth quarter.
From that point on, Saint Ignatius' defensive front, fueled by junior end Dre'Mont Jones, senior end Chris Keane and Brown, who was making his first appearance of the season, took over the game. For that matter, Jones and Keane made their presence felt all afternoon.
"Once we saw the scoreboard (down 21-7 with 5:04 left), we (the defense) came together and talked on field, no more yards, no more first downs," said Keane, whose authoritative fourth-down sack in overtime gave the ball to the offense and the All-Ohio leg of Colella. "All day long we knew we could get pressure on them and in the second half we just stepped it up with speed rushing. All thanks go to Geoff DiMassa, a game-changing player."
In securing his 305th career victory in what is now his 31st season as his alma mater's head football coach, Coach Kyle said the feeling that everything was going against you was pretty heavy during an afternoon that started with a thunder and lightning delay and featured a persistent rain throughout most of the first half.
"But those kids kept believing," said the man who has guided his program to the most storied run in the history of the OHSAA playoffs.
John Thomas Update: Saint Ignatius senior quarterback John Thomas said an MRI on his sore shoulder showed no tear and that he hopes to be throwing again by the middle of this coming week.
Just a reminder that Coach Ryan Franzinger's 4-0 junior varsity football team will host the Green Wave of Holy Name on Monday at Wasmer Field. The kickoff will be 5:30 PM.