Saint Ignatius (1-1) closes out a two-year contract with the Strong Vincent Colonels (0-2) from Erie (Pa.), a team it defeated, 40-0, last season in Pennsylvania.
Saturday's kickoff from Parma's Byers Field in Robert M. Boulton Stadium will be 7 PM.
If you are unable to attend Saturday night's game, the triple-house backfield of Cole Larson, Patrick McGuire and Carter Spearry will bring you the action live over the Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network.
Ohio City - There is no question that Saint Ignatius played a solid and spirited football game last weekend, as the Wildcats defeated a Mentor team that at the time was ranked No. 1 in the seven-county area.
However, as pleased as head coach Chuck Kyle '69 was with the effort his Wildcats put forth in the
Cardinals' packed Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium, the absorption of the game film over the weekend and on Monday made it clear that there is plenty of work to be done.
"I know we played a good football game against Mentor," Coach Kyle said as he was running his 'Cats through drills on a humid Tuesday afternoon at Wasmer Field. "But as soon as you start breaking down the film, it's like, well now wait a minute, we kind of messed this up and they could have had a big play.
"Things worked out well. If we made a mistake we got away with it at times, but we made some great
plays, too,” Coach Kyle continued.
While the emphasis to his players early this week is you see the mistake, and now let’s correct it,
Coach Kyle is also pointing to Saturday night’s game against Strong Vincent as one in which all of his Wildcats will have the opportunity to play.
“We played them last year (in Erie, Pa.), got on a roll and everybody played,” said Coach Kyle of the
40-0 triumph in history-rich Veterans Memorial Stadium. “They are still trying to develop their program. We’ve certainly played two opponents (Brother Rice and Mentor) that are definitely better, that’s just being honest with the kids.
“Strong Vincent gives us a Wing T idea, a misdirection attack along with the spread,” Coach Kyle said of
the Colonels’ offense. “So that’s a good thing to work on, the counters, the traps and that sort of thing. I want every kid ready to play, his full attention. Every kid who is healthy is going to get some playing time, to get out there and see what things he needs to work on. It will be a good week that way.”
In essence, the match up with Strong Vincent gives the Wildcats the opportunity to work on even more
depth in a game in which the score will take care of itself.
Fresh legs are what Saint Ignatius is going to need, as after Strong Vincent the Wildcats face a
stretch of six games that will be demanding to say the least.
It is a six-bagger that includes Erie (Pa.) McDowell, Paramus (NJ) Catholic, Lawrence (IN) Central, the
Division I-recruit laden Honey Badgers from Eastern Christian Academy (based in Maryland), the area’s top-ranked St. Edward Eagles and the St. Xavier Bombers. Four of those match ups are at Byers Field, with the St. Edward and St. Xavier games scheduled for First Federal Lakewood Stadium and John Carroll University’s
Don Shula Stadium, respectively.
Paramus Catholic and Lawrence Central are ranked third and 16th, respectively, in USA Today’s Super 25 National Poll.
A REPORT ON THE COLONELS IN THE FIELD: Strong Vincent is coming off a 43-6 loss to Erie Cathedral Prep, a
game that saw Ramblers quarterback Billy Fessler account for four touchdowns and pass for 239 yards. Cathedral Prep racked up 421 yards to the Colonels’ 104.
Trailing, 9-0, at halftime, Strong Vincent yielded 20 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Colonels, who scored on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Chris Starocci to Dajhere Pacley, were led by Jared Carson’s 78 yards rushing on 16 carries.
MIKE VITALE AND KYLE BERGER UPDATES: Saint Ignatius’ talented senior tailback Mike Vitale (85 yards rushing on 15 carries vs. Mentor) will not play against Strong Vincent and, according to Coach Kyle, is
on a week-to-week basis because of the sprained toe he suffered during the Mentor game. Seniors Enzo Cannata and Kyle Daugenti, junior Chavez Perez and sophomore James Norris will carry the load. Enzo rushed for 110 yards and scored the late-game clinching TD against Mentor.
Our prayers and well wishes continue to go out to Saint Ignatius’ gifted All-Ohio senior linebacker and Ohio State recruit Kyle Berger, as Kyle is expected to undergo surgery on Thursday for the season-ending knee injury he suffered on Aug. 23 during the annual Jamboree scrimmage against Canton McKinley.
In messages Kyle sent out to his teammates, messages that were confirmed by Kyle’s brother Ryan, who
is a mainstay for the Wildcats’ JV team, an MRI this week revealed that Kyle suffered some damage to his meniscus and his MCL, along with the ACL.
As Kyle has emphasized time and again, he is ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
COMING UP THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: For those loyal readers who have inquired, the initial Associated Press
state football poll of the 2013 season will be released next week and the all-important first OHSAA computer playoff ratings for 2013 will be released after Week 4.
If you want to get a look at how things are developing after two weeks, computer playoff guru Joe
Eitel has his computer ratings posted at JoeEitel.com.