BEFORE WE PRESENT OUR NIGHTLY FOOTBALL CAMP NOTES, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF FORMER WILDCAT BILL SWEENEY (CLASS OF 1972).
BILL, WHO PASSED AWAY OVER THE WEEKEND, WAS A LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD UNDERSIZED LINEMAN FOR SAINT IGNATIUS' 1970 AND 1971 FOOTBALL TEAMS. THE GRITTY EFFORT BILL DISPLAYED ON THE GRIDIRON FOR THE WILDCATS WAS HONED AT GESU, WHERE HE WAS PART OF AN UNDFEATED CYO CITY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.
MAY GOD WELCOME BILL INTO HIS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND BE WITH BILL'S LOVED ONES IN THEIR TIME OF SORROW.
Ohio City - Saint Ignatius' offensive linemen have a tradition of just going about their business and being happy with any accolades that happen to be thrown their way.
When you play on the O-Line for the Wildcats, size and strength are only part of the equation. Of course it is always nice to have one or two players who can block out the sun.
As the space providers for one of the most diversified offenses in Ohio, if not the entire nation, the men up front at West 30th and Lorain Avenue have to be sound technicians. Simply put, their footwork has to play as vital a role as the power they have gained in the weight room.
During Wednesday's two-a-day practices on Wasmer Field, Saint Ignatius' offensive line coach Adam Rini '99, a former mainstay on the O-Line for the Wildcats and Georgetown, talked about what has pleased him so far in the sealing process of the 'Cats' 2013 offensive line.
Coach Rini referred to his latest group of trench warriors as a very sound unit, a solid group of young men who appear to have a true chemistry along the entire front.
Depth was another emphasis, as Coach Rini pointed to a second team of four or five players who are very capable when called on. Supplying a nice chunk of that depth is guard/tackle Liam Eichenberg. Liam, who will be entering his sophomore year later this month, has already secured a scholarship offer from The Ohio State University. Quite impressive for a young man who will get his first taste of varsity football on Tuesday when the Wildcats travel to Solon for the annual 10 AM summer practice and drills with Coach Jim McQuaide's Comets.
Coach Paul Yappel, currently in his second season as the Wildcats' assistant offensive line coach, pointed to how well this year's line operates as an entire unit, that they all seem to be on the same page.
A lot of the credit for that cohesiveness not only goes to Coach Rini and Coach Yappel, but to the anchors of the line - All-Ohio senior tackle, captain and University of Notre Dame recruit Jim Byrne and senior tackle Ryan Dadich, who emerged as a more than capable player last fall.
Among some of the other names to remember are senior guard Chris Veras, senior guard/center Tom Stuhldreher and senior center/guard Frank Rolf. Tom is a distant relative of the late Harry Stuhldreher, who was one of the storied Four Horsemen of Notre Dame. A quarterback for the Fighting Irish, Harry was a native of Massillon, Ohio.
RUNNING IN TIGHT QUARTERS: Wildcats veteran running backs coach Terry Fergus '72 put his ground gainers through drills on Wednesday that focused on how to succeed when running in tight spots. With veterans Mike Vitale, Enzo Cannata, Kyle Daugenti and Dave Boylan helping show the way, the 'Cats' backs focused on when to spin away from a tackle and how to avoid doing it too soon.
During Coach Fergus' blocking drills, promising sophomore tailback James Norris held his own while going up against much bigger and older players. James emerged on the Saint Ignatius sports scene this past spring as an outstanding sprinter for Coach Chuck Kyle's varsity track and field team.
AIR CATS: In the passing drills on Wednesday, senior wide receivers Mike Siragusa and Nick Fabian turned in a couple of highlight-reel efforts - a one-handed grab by Siragusa off a tipped pass as he was falling to the ground and a diving catch along the home sideline by Fabian off a deep route. Sophomore Jack Cook also made a Good Hands Club entry with a solid concentration catch off a long sideline route and versatile senior Jake Maruna put in some strong work as a tight end.
"That a way, Peter, that's what I want to see, that's what I want to see," yelled Saint Ignatius' veteran offensive coordinator Nick Restifo after senior quarterback Pete Mahoney executed a perfectly thrown touchdown pass as Wednesday night's drills were coming to an end.
THE DEFENSE WAS HEARD FROM, AND THEN SOME: Senior Matt McVey appeared to be everywhere on Wednesday, as the multi-skilled safety was seen standing up a blocker and, in one motion, fighting off the block and intercepting a pass. And that effort came in a first-team D versus first-team O encounter.
Senior outside linebacker and Ohio State recruit Kyle Berger took the elevator up a few floors in making a leaping interception and hard-nosed senior middle linebacker John Gibbons had a pick off a solid read.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST: This corner would like to express its congratulations to senior Nick Fabian, who before he put on the football spikes and pads this summer was busy winning the Golden Glove Award at the annual and prestigious CABA World Series in Euclid. Nick, whose fielding, big-time throwing arm, speed on the base paths, hitting and pitching helped Coach Brad Ganor's Baseball Wildcats to a Division I state runner-up finish this spring, earned the Golden Glove while playing center field for the always strong Northern Ohio team. Nick's efforts helped Northern Ohio to the 17-and-under CABA championship.
SEE YOU AT WASMER FIELD ON THURSDAY (2:15 PM) AND THEN IT IS OFF TO FIRSTENERGY STADIUM WITH MY SON-IN-LAW CHRIS MURPHY, AS WE GET A LOOK AT THE 2013 CLEVELAND BROWNS AND FORMER WILDCAT STANDOUT BRIAN HOYER '04.