Junior Christian Klink could be called on to duplicate his memorable first varsity start of last weekend, as senior quarterback John Thomas (sore shoulder) remains day to day. With gritty and gifted senior tailback Enzo Cannata sidelined for a week (concussion
symptoms) and standout senior tailback Mike Vitale questionable (injured toe), senior tailback Kyle Daugenti will get the starting assignment.
There are no excuses being offered at West 3oth and Lorain Avenue, however, as Saint Ignatius (3-1) prepares to face New Jersey’s national power Paramus Catholic (3-0) on Saturday at 2:30 PM on Byers Field in Parma’s Robert M. Boulton Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the Paladins and the Wildcats. Saint Ignatius enters the game as the sixth-ranked team in the Associated Press Division I state poll and Paramus Catholic is ranked third nationally in the highly respected USA Today Super 25.
If you are unable to attend the game, the triple-option of Cole Larson ’14, Patrick McGuire ’14 and Carter Spearry ’16 will bring you the action live over the Saint Ignatius Student
Broadcasting Network.
Ohio City - During what was the first heavy work day of the practice week, Saint Ignatius head coach Chuck Kyle ’69 took time out late Tuesday afternoon to discuss Saturday’s opponent – the Paladins from Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey.
“I would compare this (Paramus Catholic) team to a very good Glenville team,” Coach Kyle said in paying head coach Chris Partridge and his Paladins an extremely high compliment. “They have experience and they are disciplined.”
Coach Kyle went on to also make comparisons between Paramus Catholic and the Maurice Clarett-led Warren Harding team of 2001. Saint Ignatius, with Wildcats current varsity linebackers coach and head junior varsity coach Ryan Franzinger ’02 helping show the way, defeated Harding, 40-33, in the 2001 Division I regional finals.
“They have size, they have skill, so it is quite a challenge, which is okay,” Coach Kyle said. “Our kids like the challenge idea."
Throughout an outstanding 30-plus year career that has produced 304 victories, an Ohio record 11 state championships and three national titles, Coach Kyle has faced many special players – including Clarett and the player recently selected by The Plain Dealer as the greatest area high school football performer of the past 50 years, the brilliant Robert Smith of Euclid High School.
Robert, currently an outstanding college football analyst for ESPN, excelled for the Panthers in the falls of 1987, ’88 and ’89 and was a two-time Ohio Mr. Football. He went on to star at The Ohio State University before becoming an All-Pro record-setting tailback
for the Minnesota Vikings.
When discussing Paramus Catholic's personnel, Coach Kyle, without hesitation, started with the Paladins’ gifted “Mr. Everything and Everywhere,” senior Jabrill Peppers. And Coach Kyle spoke of Jabrill in some of those same glowing terms he used when preparing for Robert Smith.
The 6-foot-1, 207-pound Peppers, a Michigan recruit as a defensive back, is rated among the top five all-around players the nation has to offer.
“He’s all-world, he’s known all over the country,” said Coach Kyle of Peppers. “They (Paramus’ coaching staff) don’t let you lock in on him. He’ll be at quarterback some times, he’ll be at running back and he’ll be at receiver. So when you prepare the defense and he
breaks the huddle, we’re not totally sure what he is going to be doing on his next play.
“That presents some issues,” Coach Kyle continued in his analysis of Peppers’ exceptional versatility. “If he’s at quarterback, we have to keep this in mind and if he’s at running back,
keep this in mind, etc. So that is sort of the idea that we have been working on.”
The God-given versatility and 10.6-10.8 100 meters speed that Peppers possesses also allow him to fly around the Paladins’ defensive secondary or, if need be, move up to linebacker, where he can help contain the running game and apply pressure on the quarterback.
Heard enough about “Mr. Everything and Everywhere”? Well, keep in mind that Coach Partridge’s defending NJSIAA Non-public Group 4 state champions have some other players to watch.
Leading that supporting cast are 6-6, 325-pound offensive lineman and Michigan recruit Juwan Bushnell-Beatty, 6-4, 295-pound offensive lineman Billy Ray Mitchell, who has committed to Virginia Tech, and 6-3, 245-pound defensive end Terrence Harris, who has given Iowa a verbal commitment.
Also complementing Peppers are 6-3, 210-pound senior quarterback Steven Shanley and Rivals.com four-star junior wide receiver Najee Clayton. The 6-3, 210-pound Clayton doubles as a safety.
“Defensively, they are not afraid to lock on to man coverage,” said Coach Kyle. “They’ll commit to a five- to six-man rush. They’ll send six guys a lot, trying to rattle you and get you out of your tempo. We’ve been balanced, and the idea of passing the ball will loosen
up the running game I think. They have great speed and we are going to be clearly tested by these guys.
“Not many teams have been able to run on them, so we’re spending time to see what we can do to open some seams up,” Coach Kyle continued. “That’s a very good team, but again, that’s okay. You look and say, yeah, we belong right out there with these guys. We
like the challenge of it.”
COACH KYLE ON JOHN THOMAS: “We’re going to prepare as we did last week. John is seeing the doctor and checking with the therapist. As the week goes by, we’ll see how he is throwing.”
KYLE DAUGENTI ON HIS FIRST START AT TAILBACK: “I’ve been working hard, we’ve all been working hard,” said Kyle, who is a product of the highly successful St. Thomas More CYO program. “I got a little nervous when Coach Fergus (Wildcats running backs coach Terry Fergus ’72) pulled me aside and told me. He said, 'You’re going to get a lot of reps.' I am excited about the opportunity and I’m just mentally preparing, watching film
and stuff like that.
“We’ve been tight since freshman year,” Daugenti continued. “We’ve wanted this since we were freshmen. These injuries (including season-ending injuries to tough and talented senior quarterback Pete Mahoney and All-Ohio senior linebacker and Ohio State recruit
Kyle Berger) hurt us, but we have the players who can step up. We know we are going to be all right.”
THE CORNER’S OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK
Defense: Senior safety/linebacker Dameon Willis Jr., who disrupted Erie (Pa.) McDowell’s vaunted running game from the get-go in the Wildcats’ 49-10 victory at Byers Field. Dameon refused to be blocked by the Trojans.
Offense: Junior quarterback Christian Klink, who, in his first varsity start, stayed calm and composed en route to 226 yards passing and two TD passes against McDowell.
AND, IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM SOME OF MY ST. EDWARD FRIENDS WHOM I GREW UP WITH IN SAINT IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH PARISH: Yes, Jabrill Peppers was a sophomore sensation at perennial New Jersey power Don Bosco Prep. He transferred to Paramus Catholic after a sophomore year at Don Bosco Prep that saw him score 24 touchdowns.
Have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you at Byers Field on Saturday afternoon.