Paramus Catholic (4-0), ranked third in the nation in the highly respected USA Today Super 25, jumped on Saint Ignatius' early mistakes and led, 16-0, with 4 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Paladins played the majority of the first half without their five-star recruit Jabrill Peppers, who was shaken up early in the game after landing on the track in back of the video scoreboard end zone of Byers Field. Peppers was attempting to make a diving touchdown reception on the play.
Peppers, a Michigan recruit, returned in the second half and helped the Paladins to a decisive third quarter.
"We turned the ball over and that's a good football team, they're a great football team," said Wildcats head football coach Chuck Kyle '69 of New Jersey's Paladins. "They have talent galore."
Saint Ignatius, ranked sixth in this week's Associated Press Division I state poll, will now take a record of 3-2 into next Saturday's game against Indianapolis Lawrence Central at Byers Field in Robert M. Boulton Stadium. The kick off will be 2 PM.
HERE IS THE FULL STORY ON THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE WILDCATS AND THE PALADINS.
Parma, Ohio - As they were shaking hands with Saint Ignatius' football coaches and players following their 44-10 victory over the Wildcats on a sun-drenched Byers Field Saturday afternoon, a couple of the Paramus Catholic (NJ) Paladins said: "Thank You Sir, for allowing us to come here and play."
As one of the persons who received that Thank You, let me just say it was very sincere. Of course this old-timer had nothing to do with Saint Ignatius scheduling Paramus Catholic nor the "great hospitality" that Wildcats Athletics Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88 and the Saint Ignatius community always bestow upon an out-of-the-area or out-of-state visiting team.
However, as someone who has now been covering and reporting on high school sporting events for 44 years, I can tell when a coach and a player are just putting up the obligatory front in what they say, or if they sincerely mean it.
Of course for most of Saint Ignatius' football fans, seeing Paramus Catholic again might be too soon. So just ignore my reminder that the 'Cats travel to play the Paladins next season.
As was pointed out by Wildcats head coach Chuck Kyle in the sub-head or lead-in paragraph, the Paladins are a very gifted team. And when you present early opportunities to team like Paramus Catholic, it usually turns out to be a long day or night. Such was the case on Ridge Road and Day Drive Saturday afternoon.
After the Wildcats fumbled on their first play from scrimmage and the ball was recovered by Paladins junior linebacker Denis Mucha at the Saint Ignatius 20, it took Paramus Catholic five plays to reach pay dirt. Senior cornerback/running back Keyon Washington scored on a 5-yard run with 9 minutes and 36 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
A short punt led to the Paladins' second touchdown, a 10-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Steven Shanley to senior slot Dejon Harrison. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Shanley was one of the game's big factors, as he threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns.
Shortly after Paramus Catholic extended its lead to 16-0 on a 34-yard field goal by senior Matt Golabek, Saint Ignatius struck on a 59-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Christian Klink to swift and sure-handed senior wide receiver Nick Fabian (6 catches for 166 yards). The six-play, 80-yard drive, which featured an exceptional catch and run by Fabian off a curl route, was capped by senior Matt Colella's extra point with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
Klink passed for 265 yards, but was victimized by the Paladins' pass rush and active secondary. Paramus Catholic tipped numerous passes at the line of scrimmage.
With Paladins' all-everything senior standout Jabrill Peppers shaken up early in the first half and out of the lineup (see lead-in paragraph), the Paladins displayed another of their many weapons - senior wide receiver/cornerback Tyrone Washington.
Facing a second-and-10 from its 41 after Saint Ignatius senior cornerback Scott Arthrell made a nice one-on-one deflection, Shanley, off a solid read of the coverage, went to Washington again and the two combined on a perfectly executed 59-yard touchdown.
Colella, an All-Ohio selection last season, cut the deficit to 23-10 by halftime when he connected on a 20-yard field goal with 13 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Down just 13 points at halftime despite playing a shaky 24 minutes, the Wildcats looked to get back in the game with a strong defensive stand to start the third quarter.
Enter Peppers.
With Peppers' return to the lineup lighting even a stronger emotional surge around Paramus Catholic, the Paladins put together the telling drive - a 10 play, 80-yard march that featured a leaping 25-yard touchdown reception by Peppers in the right corner of the Day Drive end zone.
"At halftime, you say, okay, we just have to come out and get the job done," said Coach Kyle. "But, when they drove down the field and got that touchdown, that was not good.
"Again, they're very good. But with the (five) turnovers, that certainly was not good football from us," Coach Kyle continued. "Tomorrow morning (Sunday), we're going to get ready for Lawrence Central. We played a lousy game, fine. Now let's go out and play a good one."
Paramus Catholic wrapped up the scoring on a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tyrone Washington and a 1-yard TD run by sophomore tailback Ahmad Thomas. Thomas' score was set up by a leaping interception at the line of scrimmage by senior defensive end Marcus Pantoja, who picked off the tipped pass and rambled deep into Wildcats' territory.
*NOTE: Saint Ignatius' varsity soccer team lost a tough 2-1 match up with defending Division I state champion Olentangy Liberty on Wasmer Field Saturday afternoon. The Patriots improved to 10-1-1 and are now unbeaten in their last 11 games.
Up next for the Wildcats (6-3-4) is their much-anticipated trip to Washington, D.C. Saint Ignatius is scheduled to play Gonzaga and Georgetown Prep on Oct. 4 and 5, respectively.