Ohio City - We know we can speak for the Saint Ignatius cross country program by saying here's hoping the rising temperatures that are supposed to take center stage early this week disappear by the weekend.
Coach Mike Gallagher's harriers have had to overcome the heat in both of their past two competitions, the Avon Lake Early Bird and this past Saturday's Tiffin Carnival (see Coach Gallagher's report that was posted on Sunday night).
As part of another big week and weekend in Wildcats athletics, Saint Ignatius' varsity cross country team travels to the Galion Invitational on Saturday, which will be run at the Amann's Reservoir Park. The varsity race is slated for 3:30 PM and the open race will follow at 4:30.
In soccer, Coach Mike McLaughlin's varsity program will take a 4-1-1 record and a fourth-place Division I state ranking into Wednesday night's home match up with the Cleveland Heights Tigers. Coach Jim Brennan's junior varsity team will get things kicking on Wasmer Field at 6, followed by the varsity action at 8.
On Friday night at 7 on Wasmer Field, Coach McLaughlin will send his Wildcats against nationally ranked Rock Bridge, which is one of Missouri's premier programs. The Rock Bridge Bruins have finished third in each of the past two MSHSAA Class 3 Soccer Championships and are currently ranked 33rd in the Student Sports/Elite Soccer Report Fab 50 national poll.
In football, the Wildcats' freshmen, who have laid down some nasty defense en route to starting their season at 2-0, will play their home opener on Thursday evening against the freshman team from North Royalton. The kickoff from Wasmer Field will be 5:30.
Coach Chuck Kyle's Varsity Wildcats (1-1), coming off an outstanding performance against the area's then top-ranked Mentor Cardinals in Lake County, will host the 0-2 Colonels from Erie (Pa.) Strong Vincent on Saturday night in Robert M. Boulton Stadium's Byers Field. The kickoff from Ridge Road and Day Drive in Parma will be 7 bells. With the victory over Mentor, the 'Cats climbed one spot to third place in this week's cleveland.com Top 25 poll.
****The corner will preview the Wildcats-Colonels encounter on Tuesday night.
A Saturday breakfast or a trip to the West Side Market in Ohio City wouldn't be complete without a Saint Ignatius junior varsity football game from Wasmer Field.
After opening their season with a 38-20 victory over Mentor's jayvees on Wasmer Field, Coach Ryan Franzinger's JV Wildcats will host the junior varsity program from Walsh Jesuit on Saturday at 10 AM in atmosphere-rich Ohio City.
And last, but certainly not least, Coach Brian Becker's varsity golf program, coming off two strong second-place finishes this past weekend (see Coach Becker's reports below), will compete in a tri-match against St. Edward and University School on Saturday at Pine Hills. The tee-off time is 1 PM.