Canton, Ohio - "Say a prayer for Kyle tonight," Saint Ignatius head football coach Chuck Kyle '69 said to his players after the Wildcats controlled their annual Jamboree preview against the Bulldogs from McKinley on Friday night in storied Fawcett Stadium. "He wants you guys to keep playing!"
Coach Kyle was referring to his standout All-Ohio senior outside linebacker Kyle Berger, who was assisted from the field after injuring his left knee while assisting on a tackle with 7 minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Berger, who after being attended to by Saint Ignatius' outstanding medical staff, supported his team from the sideline on crutches and with an immobilizer supporting the injured knee.
Part of Ohio State's verbal commitment class for 2014, Berger said he hopes to have an MRI on the knee this weekend. It was just two weeks ago that Saint Ignatius' gifted senior quarterback and captain Pete Mahoney suffered what appears to be a season-ending ankle injury.
As for the final tune-up of the preseason, the Wildcats, with senior quarterback John Thomas (370-plus yards passing) and senior wide receiver Mike Siragusa fueling the offense, and the defense more than holding its own, wore down the Bulldogs, 34-13, through the first three quarters. The first three quarters were played under game conditions and the final session was an overtime drill, which McKinley won, 6-0, on a touchdown run by senior tailback Jarrod Smith.
During his post-Jamboree address to his team, Coach Kyle looked at his watch and said, "It's 9:35 (PM) fellas. It's now officially Game Week."
Yes, the focus is now on the Warriors of Brother Rice.
Saint Ignatius will board the buses bright and early on August 31 and travel to Wayne State University, where the Wildcats will face Brother Rice at 1:30 PM as part of the Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic.
"You did a lot of good things out there tonight, but we still have some work to do," Coach Kyle said. "But if we can do that against McKinley, we can do it against anyone."
The Wildcats and the Bulldogs entered the Jamboree ranked fifth and seventh, respectively, in the JJ Huddle preseason Top 10 for Division I.
HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM FAWCETT STADIUM.
A deep route from Thomas to Siragusa set up a 24-yard field goal by All-Ohio senior kicker Matt Colella with 9:21 left in the opening quarter.
After a weak punt by McKinley rolled out of bounds at the Bulldogs' 41, Thomas found Siragusa with a quick hitter and Mike galloped and stiffed armed his way down the right sideline and into the end zone. Colella's extra point was high and true, as the 'Cats increased their lead to 10-0 with 8:15 to go in the first quarter.
McKinley's multi-skilled junior Eric Glover-Williams should everyone in Fawcett Stadium why his recruiting offer sheet includes Ohio State, Michigan State, Arkansas, Illinois and others when he fielded a punt deep in his territory, ran up the middle, broke a couple of tackles, busted to the left side and, after picking up two key blocks, cut back across the middle of the field in another gear and outran the pursuit into the right corner of the end zone.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to silence the excitement Glover-Williams created, however, as Thomas and Siragusa struck again, this time on a 23-yard reception that came off a third-and 17 from the Saint Ignatius 21. Shortly after that clutch throw and catch, Colella was true from 32 yards and the 'Cats led, 13-7, with four seconds remaining in the first quarter.
It was more of the JT to Siragusa show in the second quarter.
Standing tall under pressure, Thomas found Siragusa on a crossing pattern and big Mike cut across the field and outran three defenders into the end zone for a 68-yard scoring play.
In a 50-second, no-timeouts-left drive that left both Coach Kyle and Wildcats quarterbacks coach Elvis Grbac excited, Thomas found talented senior wideout and captain Jack Hyland on a fade pattern in the right corner of the end zone. Jack came down with the ball off what was a picture-perfect catch and throw with just five seconds left in the second quarter.
Another big-time catch and run by Siragusa and a key block by senior center Frank Rolf helped set up the JT-to-Hyland strike. Heady senior safety Evan 'O'Malley then ended the first two quarters with an interception.
The third quarter featured some strong special teams work by the Wildcats, as senior tailback Kyle Daugenti came up with his second field-position kickoff return of the night and junior Corey Griffith got off a nice high punt that was downed deep in McKinley territory by the all-out hustle of senior tailback Enzo Cannata.
Junior Jake Kucia, who along with junior Christian Klink serves as a backup to Thomas, led a solid third-quarter drive that was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by promising sophomore tailback James Norris. Norris set up his touchdown with an impressive catch and run.
Junior wide receiver David Shibley came up with one of his trademark Good Hands Club receptions in keeping the Norris-capper drive alive and the 'Cats also got an impressive tackle for a loss by senior defensive end Austin Bedinghaus.
Saint Ignatius' junior varsity and freshman teams were also victorious in their split-field scrimmages against the Bulldogs. The JV Wildcats prevailed, four touchdowns to three, and the freshmen threw a shut out and scored two touchdowns.
Norris, who did double duty on Friday, got the Jayvees on the board with a good morning, good afternoon and good night 40-yard run that saw the 10.66 sprinter take the pitch from sophomore quarterback Dennis Grosel, run left, cut inside and, off exceptional vision, bounce to the outside and accelerate into the end zone.
Grosel was also holding a hot hand as Dennis combined with sure-handed receivers Cal Grbac and Tyler Musbach on smooth TD tosses.
Saint Ignatius assistant coach Jim Cahill, a former Wildcats signal-caller, said the Wildcats' freshman defense was very good and that the young 'Cats also ran the ball with authority behind an offensive line that communicated well.
CONGRATS TO THE WILDCATS' TOP 50 HONOREES
This corner would like to express its congratulations to former Saint Ignatius greats Brian Dowling, Trent Zenkewicz, Joe Pickens, Eric Haddad, Scott Mutryn, Le' Charles Bentley and Anthony Gonzalez, who were selected by The Plain Dealer as seven of the Top 50 high school football players over the past 50 years.
Six of these former 'Cats played under the direction of Coach Chuck Kyle and the legendary BD of the Doonesbury Comic Strip performed so gracefully and athletically for the late John J. Wirtz. Coach Wirtz also guided Coach Kyle when he was All-City tailback for the Wildcats.