In what was a true test of wills and soccer skills, two of the area's and state's best went toe-to-toe for more than 68 minutes before junior David Sisson's goal with 11:46 remaining broke open the scoreless tie. Senior Colin Cleary added a crafty insurance goal and junior goalie Clark Gronek was outstanding all night, especially down the stretch.

Solon, Ohio - Saint Ignatius' Colin Cleary, David Sisson and Clark Gronek, along with Wildcats head coach Mike McLaughlin '85, shared the same sentiment after the nationally ranked Wildcats turned back a gifted and gritty Solon team, 2-0, Saturday night on the Comets' newly surfaced Stewart Field.

The game's three heroes and one of the premier soccer coaches in the nation all agreed that the challenge they were given by Solon will probably do more for their season than if they came out and won by five or six goals.

"Solon could have won this game," said Cleary, Saint Ignatius' senior midfielder and co-captain. "They are a very, very good team."

The 2013 Comets, who are being compared to the 1996 Solon team that advanced to the state semifinals in Division I, and the five-time state champion Wildcats, who garnered a seventh-place preseason national ranking, played a will-tester on Stewart Field Saturday night that was worthy of being a state championship match up.

With Gronek and his counter part - Comets sophomore keeper Will Meyer - coming up with crucial saves, including many of the diving variety, the scoreboard read 0-0 with just over 12 minutes remaining to be played.

It was at that point that Saint Ignatius junior defender David Sisson, alertly reading a ball that had bounced off players, scored his first varsity goal with 11:46 left. With Cleary greeting Meyer as the goalie came out to help on the play, the ball came off Cleary and back to Sisson, and David sent it home into an unprotected net.

A few minutes later, Cleary, off a smooth fake to his left, scored a huge insurance goal and sandwiched in between the game's only scores were two of the most impressive diving saves by Gronek on the night. The Wildcats' tough and talented junior midfielder Joe Mack Leonardo assisted on Cleary's goal.

Solon refused to call it a night, as the Comets kept the pressure on until the final 10 seconds were being counted down by the press box announcer at Solon. Meyer totaled nine saves.

"Every time they came at me I just kept my composure," said Gronek after he finished with eight saves. "I got set, kept my positioning straight and stayed low."

Although he recorded his seventh career shutout, Gronek emphasized that Saturday night was the biggest game of his high school career thus far, especially when you consider how strong a team Solon is and the fact the Comets were playing on their home field.

The gifted and good-natured Cleary said after the game that the special chemistry the 2013 Wildcats have established played a huge role down the stretch.

"Before the game, I talked with the boys about the fact that they're going to deal with pressure this year that no other team in the state will deal with," said Coach McLaughlin, who picked up his 303rd career victory in what is now his 19th season as the head soccer coach at his alma mater.

"There are expectations placed on them to the degree that they're going to play their opponent, but they're also going to have to learn how to handle pressure," Coach McLaughlin continued. "And that was a game where they had to handle pressure. A 7-0 opening game wouldn't have done us any good. But this was an amazing first start against a great opponent. They put us under pressure and I'm really proud of how we dealt with it."

Up next for the Wildcats is another challenging opponent, they always well-schooled soccer program from Strongsville. The Mustangs will be at Wasmer Field on Tuesday night for the 'Cats' home opener. The junior varsity game begins at 6 bells, with the varsity match up to follow at 8.

*Congratulations go out to Coach Jim Brennan's junior varsity team, which opened its season with a 3-1 victory at Solon. After a scoreless first half, Steve Milhoan (2 goals) and Nick Malik got the Wildcats' offense on track. Milhoan is a freshman.