Late Thursday afternoon, we reported on the corner what we speculated for more than a month - St. Edward and Saint Ignatius moving what will be the 51st meeting in their storied football rivalry from Week 10 to Week 8 this fall. After a victory by the Eagles last season, the Wildcats lead the series, 27-22-1.
The move only made sense, since heading into last week both schools' gifted programs had consecutive open dates in 2013 - Weeks 7 and 8. And no coach on any level wants his team to have two weeks off, back-to-back. St. Edward's athletic department and administration agreed to move the game to Week 8 (Oct. 19) at Lakewood's First Federal Stadium. It is the Eagles' home game this season.
There was even bigger news for the Wildcats on Thursday, as Saint Ignatius Athletics Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88 shared with the corner that he reached a verbal agreement with Eastern Christian Academy out of Maryland on a Week 7, Oct. 12 game at Byers Field. (See the corner's story from June 20 below). Pending the signing of the contract with Eastern Christian Academy, the Wildcats would have just one open date - Week 10. It wasn't that long ago that Rory was faced with five open dates for 2013.
One of our loyal readers, Jamie Danson from Ann Arbor, Michigan, e-mailed a two-fold question to the corner today. Jamie, I am at your service.
Question 1: "If the contract with Eastern Christian Academy is signed and Saint Ignatius has nine games secured, but can not fill Week 10, would this be the first time the Wildcats had a week off before the start of the playoffs?"
No Jamie, an open date right before the playoffs also took place in the state runner-up season of 1996 and in 2000, 2005 and 2006.
Question 2: "Has the St. Edward and Saint Ignatius game always been a Week 10 regular-season cap off?"
No Jamie. Actually when it was confirmed this week that this year's Eagles-Wildcats tilt was being moved from Week 10 to Week 8, I couldn't help but think back to the many Week 8 games between the West Side rivals that I was privileged to cover and report on along side my dear friend and mentor, the late Dick Zunt '50. Can anyone say Oct. 23, 1993?
In their previous 50 meetings on the gridiron, Saint Ignatius and St. Edward have met during Week 8 21 times.
They started playing during Week 10 in 2007 and the recent series has featured back-to-back meetings in 2008 (Week 10 of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs) and two meetings within 15 days in 2011 - Week 10 and a regional semifinal match up.
The first six football meetings (1952-57) between the now perennial state powers were played in Weeks 6, 5 (twice) and 2 (three times). When the series resumed in 1971, the game was played during Week 9. That was followed by four consecutive Week 2 encounters, a season-opening match up in 1976, two more Week 2 games, a Week 8 game in 1979 and seven consecutive Week 7 battles. The 1987 season marked the beginning of 20 consecutive Week 8 match ups.
Turning to part of a line from the great actor James Earl Jones in "Field of Dreams," the Eagles-Wildcats Week 8 memories are so thick I have to brush them away from my face.
See you at the Camp of Champions on Monday.