By Eddie Dwyer, with freshmen football scoring courtesy of Wildcats outstanding Student Manager Kyle Kostura '15.
Saint Ignatius’ gifted seniors Jake Maruna and Mike Vitale, who are currently busy playing key roles for the Wildcats’ varsity football team, will be furthering their education and lacrosse careers on scholarships.
Maruna, whose outstanding end to end play in lacrosse garnered him national recognition, has committed to Holy Cross and Vitale, one of the area’s and state’s prolific scorers in lacrosse, committed to Siena.
Congratulations go out to Jake, Mike and their families, and to Head Coach Patrick McManamon and the entire Saint Ignatius lacrosse program.
AS ADVERTISED!: Saint Ignatius’ freshman football team, which received more than one compliment this summer while honing its skills on Kyle Field, improved to 2-0 on Thursday evening by defeating Mentor’s freshmen, 48-7, at Mentor.
The highly regarded defense continued to cause havoc and the Wildcats’ offense clicked through the air and on the ground.
The combination of quarterback Colin Goodfellow and wide receiver Travis Pot accounted for the game’s first points and the young ‘Cats were roaring from that point forward.
Kaden Russell found the end zone on a short TD run and after the defense slammed the door again, Russell rambled for a 23-yard touchdown.
With linebacker and Captain James Leyden spending the evening in Mentor’s backfield, Saint Ignatius settled the issue in the third and fourth quarters.
Tailback Ben Delhees unleashed his quickness for six more points, Riley Kinzel, brother of Wildcats varsity receiver Bennett Kinzel, hooked up with Goodfellow on a long TD pass, Adam Shibley, the brother of Saint Ignatius varsity receiver David Shibley, had another solid defensive game and went through a nice hole for a touchdown on a fourth-down play, and a TD run by tailback Tyson Long capped the impressive performance.
Mentor’s score came off a touchdown pass by quarterback Manning Trubisky, brother of former Cardinals' record-setting All-Ohio quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who is currently on scholarship at North Carolina.
The freshmen 'Cats play their first home game of the season on Thursday (9-12) against North Royalton. The kick off from Wasmer Field is listed as 5:30 PM.
WHERE THE ‘CATS PLAY: Along with Friday night’s varsity football game of the week between Saint
Ignatius and host Mentor (see the corner’s preview from Thursday night), the Wildcats’ junior varsity
football, cross country and golf teams are also in action this weekend.
Coach Ryan Franzinger’s JV football Wildcats will open their 2013 season against Mentor’s jayvees on Saturday morning at Wasmer Field. The kickoff is scheduled for 10 bells.
Saint Ignatius’ harriers, under the direction of veteran coach Dr. Mike Gallagher, will be running in the always highly competitive Tiffin Carnival on Saturday at Hedges Boyer Park. The race begins at 3:30 PM. The freshmen cross country runners are slated to compete in the Walsh Jesuit Invitational at 12:30 PM.
It will be two days of competition for Coach Brian Becker’s golf team, as the ‘Cats will tee it up at 8 AM for Saturday’s Walsh Jesuit Invitational at the Brookledge Golf Club and on Sunday at 2 PM Saint Ignatius will be swinging at the Reece Alexander- Gilmour Invitational, which will be played at the Hawthorne Valley Country Club.
Have a great weekend!