Brooklyn, Ohio - A highly successful spring sports season continues this week and weekend, as the Wildcats' brilliant sophomore tennis player Nate Griffin prepares for his second consecutive appearance in the state tournament on the campus of The Ohio State University. The singles and doubles play will take place on the varsity courts at Ohio State and play will begin at 9 AM on Friday.
Coach Pat McManamon's varsity lacrosse team will continue its postseason run on Tuesday night when the Wildcats host Massillon Jackson in a second-round OHSLA playoff game. Action begins at 7 and the corner is looking forward to its game coverage.
Coach McManamon's 'Cats ran a clinic on Brecksville-Broadview Heights in Saturday's first-round match up at Wasmer Field, defeating the Bees, 20-1. Saint Ignatius (15-1) will take a nine-game winning streak into its face off with the Polar Bears, a team the Wildcats defeated during the regular season, 9-6, on May 1 at Jackson.
And of course the Wildcats' track and field and baseball teams, whose outstanding performances have taken them to Ohio's regional levels, will look to make that next step this week. Here is the corner's breakdown on what both programs have accomplished and what lies ahead.
TRACK AND FIELD: An array of gifted and big-meet tested Wildcats will lead Coach Chuck Kyle's track and field team into another appearance at the demanding OHSAA Division I Amherst Regional. The semifinals begin on Wednesday at 4 PM and the meet resumes on Friday at 4:30 with the state-qualifying finals.
Coach Kyle's 'Cats are coming off an impressive performance at the Lakewood District, a tradition-rich meet that Saint Ignatius has dominated since the early 1990s. As we reported over the weekend, Coach Kyle's team totaled 174 points, St. Edward was second with 144 points and the Normandy Invaders placed third with their 93-point effort.
The corner takes another look at "The Men For Others" who laid it all on the line in Lakewood Stadium and now will be seeking qualifying spots for the 106th annual Ohio Track and Field Championships, which are scheduled for June 7th and 8th in The Ohio State University's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Amherst Regional Bound Are: The 4x800 meter relay team of Jack Miller, Joe Arquillo, Luke Wagner and Jake Maier; James Norris in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes; Luke Wagner and Vince Bartram in the 800 meter run; Luke Wagner and Tim Trentel in the 1600 meter run; Jack Miller and Joe Arquillo in the 3200 meter run; Matt McVey and Pat Jeffries in the 110 meter hurdles; Pat Jeffries and Matt McVey in the 300 meter hurdles; the 4x100 meter relay team of Enzo Cannata, Pat Jeffries, Dan Way and James Norris; the 4x200 meter relay team of Nick Cristescu, Scott Arthrell, Tyler Delhees and Dan Way; the 4x400 meter relay team of Pat Jeffries, Matt McVey, Jeff Foerg and James Norris; Mike Zupan in the high jump and Mike Schafer in the long jump; Zach Keirn and Pat Politowicz in the pole vault and Kevin Kavalec in the shot put and discus.
*Just missing a qualifying spot in the 400 meter dash was gifted junior Ryan Napoli, 53.64 to 54.08.
All of the best to Coach Kyle's team and to the seniors, let me say thank you for the kindness and respect you have given this corner. God Bless You in all of your future endeavors.
WE'RE TALKING REGIONAL BASEBALL: For the second consecutive spring and the fifth time in Coach Brad Ganor's nine seasons as the head coach of the Wildcats, Saint Ignatius is gearing up for an OHSAA Division I Regional appearance.
After winning 19 of their past 20 games, the Wildcats (24-6) will enter Thursday's regional semifinal match up with the Avon Lake Shoremen on a 10-game winning streak. The first pitch from Case Western Reserve University will be 5 PM.
A big part of that success has been a defense that is fueled by two baseball savvy senior middle infielders - shortstop Tyler Finkler, an Ohio University recruit, and second baseman Dan Rowbottom, who will further his education and baseball career at Illinois. Senior third baseman Cole Nieto, junior first baseman Joe Khoury and junior left fielder Nick Fabian have also flashed some steady leather.
Defense, pitching, an aggressive approach on the base paths and some pressure-purpose "small ball" have been the Wildcats' trademarks all spring.
Gritty and gifted senior center fielder Conor Hennessey leads a team that has stolen more than 100 bases this season. This past week, Conor established a new single-season record at the Jesuit Preparatory School in Ohio City by stealing his 28th base. The previous mark was 27 by University of Notre Dame standout Frank DeSico '09. The 100-plus SBs are also a new school record. Coach Ganor's 2008 state runner-up club stole 89.
As for Saint Ignatius' pitching staff, calm, classy and crafty senior southpaw Tom Rolle (5-0) and talented junior left-hander Nick Margevicius (8-0) lead the starting rotation Senior right-handers Kyle Pluta and Matt Lynch and ice-in-his-veins sophomore right-hander MJ Nara hold down the bullpen. Fabian and versatile junior Shane Skuhrovec have also made some quality starts this spring.
Coach Ganor, who has guided his program to a school-best three consecutive state final four appearances (2007, '08 and '09) and has 194 career victories at West 30th and Lorain Avenue, is supported by one of the top assistant staffs in the state. The names you don't always hear are T.J. Donovan '94, Matt Blazer '94, Josh Beineman and Mark Terlep.
Here is the corner's look at Avon Lake and the two teams from the Bowling Green Regional, Perrysburg and Toledo St. Francis de Sales, one of which will face the winner of Thursday's Saint Ignatius-Avon Lake game in Friday's 5 PM regional championship at Case Western Reserve.
Avon Lake: Coach Kevin Marlow's Shoremen have opened the eyes of coaches and fans around Northeast Ohio by stunning the highly touted programs from Amherst and Midview in the Lorain District. And they did it by shutting out both the Comets and Middies.
The Shoremen, who sailed to their first district baseball championship since 2005, rode an advantageous offense and the three-hit pitching of Brett Kiser to the 5-0 district semifinal victory over Amherst. Avon Lake grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Coach Marlow's team took advantage of three errors and two passed balls. That was more than enough support for Kiser, who did such a nice job of mixing his pitches and changing speeds that he retired 12 Comets in a row.
Avon Lake's early magic continued in Saturday night's 6-0 district-championship game triumph over Midview, as the Shoremen scored three runs in the first inning and added three more in the second. Matt Morissette, who provided Coach Marlow with another strong pitching performance, helped his cause by delivering a two-run single in the first inning. Morissette, displaying a nasty curveball, scattered six hits in going the distance.
Runs batted in by Brad Hamilton and Kyle Kuhar sparked the three-run second inning. Kuhar and Matt Russell each had two hits. Brad Hamilton, a son of one of the greatest radio broadcasters in the history of Major League Baseball, the Indians' Tom Hamilton, left a lasting impression on this old-timer with his hitting, the way he handles himself behind the plate and the class he displayed after the regular season match up between Saint Ignatius and Avon Lake on April 26th in Progressive Field. The Wildcats, on the strength of a five-run first inning, prevailed that night, 9-1.
Perrysburg: Veteran skipper Dave Hall has his Yellow Jackets standing 26-3. Perrysburg, behind its solid battery of pitcher Mark Delas and catcher Kyle Durham, advanced to the regionals by defeating Norwalk, 3-2. Delas, who fired a three-hitter, is a Northern Lakes League wrestling champion. Not that's an athlete, my friends.
A disciplined team at the plate, Perrysburg finished fifth in the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association's Division I state poll. Among those patient hitters are Steve Slocum and A.J. Stockwell.
Toledo St. Francis: Max Lyon's masterful complete game led the Knights to the match up with Perrysburg. Lyon fired a one-hitter and struck out seven in the 4-0 district-final victory over Oregon Clay.
Coach Tim Gerken's Knights are 27-1, ranked fourth in the state poll and will take a 25-game winning streak into regional play. St. Francis has a nice double duo in the Zmuda twins, Eric and Matt, who are both bound for Denison University. The Knights' roster includes 13 seniors.
See you in Nobby's Ballpark at Case Western Reserve University.