Derek Sloan, Francisco Santiago, Kyle Berger, Eric Black and Danny Bova impose their will in the second half as Saint Ignatius and St. Edward play another thriller in what is one of the greatest high school sports rivalries in the nation. Every inch of a sold-out Sullivan Gymnasium was rocking with a roller coaster of emotions.
Sloan scores a game-high 19 points and Berger comes up with 12 of his 15 points in the second half.
The Wildcats, ranked fourth in The Plain Dealer's seven-county Top 25 poll, improved to 9-2 heading into Sunday afternoon's 1:15 matchup with Our Savior New American High School from New York in the annual Good Samaritan Hospital Flyin' to the Hoop Invitational at Trent Arena in Kettering, Ohio.
St. Edward, The PD's third-ranked team, slipped to 9-4.
****CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO COACH LARRY ARTHUR AND HIS WILDCATS JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM, WHICH IMPROVED TO 10-1 ON THE SEASON BY DEFEATING ST. EDWARD'S JAYVEES, 62-57, IN OVERTIME ON SATURDAY NIGHT. FRESHMAN GUARD DEVEN STOVER SCORED A GAME-HIGH 18 POINTS, SOPHOMORE POINT GUARD JOE ISABELLA HAD 10 POINTS AND SOPHOMORE POST MIKAL OUTCALT CONTRIBUTED EIGHT CLUTCH POINTS.
THE JV 'CATS ARE BACK IN ACTION ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AT 1:30, WHEN THEY TAKE ON TOLEDO ST. JOHN'S JESUIT IN SULLIVAN GYM.
****Here is the varsity basketball story, which is followed by the hockey and wrestling recaps.
Ohio City - Saint Ignatius head basketball coach Sean O’Toole ’87 said
the theme of Saturday’s night’s 58-56 victory over rival St. Edward was “brotherhood,”
that he, his players and staff we’re going to pick each other up throughout the
entire 32 minutes, or more if necessary.
Little did Coach O’Toole and his Wildcats realize that
before they sang the National Anthem and introduced the players, before even a
second of action took place, the brotherhood they talked about earlier in the
day and in the locker room would have to come to the fore immediately.
"All of a sudden I look over and there is “Pappy” holding
his wrist,” said Coach O’Toole, who would learn before the opening tipoff that
Alec Papesch, his 6-foot-7 senior post and a major piece in Saint Ignatius’
offensive wheel, injured the wrist during the pre-game warm up and would be
heading to a hospital for x-rays.
"I don’t know what actually happened, but obviously we had
to pick him up because “Pappy” is a big part of what we do,” Coach O’Toole
said. “Guys had to step it up, and they did.”
When Saint Ignatius’ faithful discuss this season’s first of
the annual home-and-home two-game series (the Wildcats travel to St. Edward on
Feb. 8), they will be sure to talk about the emotional runs both teams made and
how they tested each other’s will for 32 minutes in sold-out and storied
Sullivan Gymnasium.
But Coach O’Toole, his players and his entire staff will put
an emphasis on gifted 6-5 senior post and tri-captain Derek Sloan, the quiet
good-natured kid who let his clutch and authoritative play do the talking to
the tune of a game-high 19 points and four blocks.
And then there was the tireless skill of senior guard and
tri-captain Francisco Santiago, who when he wasn’t scoring on acrobatic drives
down the stretch “Cisco,” as Santiago is known to his teammates, was dealing
on-the-money assists to Sloan and Co.
A name sure to come up is 6-6 junior post Eric Black, who
did more than an admirable job of filling in for Papesch. “I didn’t even know
I was starting,” said Eric after he scored 10 points, hustled from baseline to
baseline and battled the tough and talented Eagles for every rebound.
"Eric Black did a phenomenal job,” Coach O’Toole said after
his Wildcats picked up their first victory over St. Edward since the winter of
2008-09.
Along with Sloan, Santiago and Eric Black, unsung and unselfish
junior point guard and tri-captain Danny Bova was battling Coach Eric
Flannery’s relentless defensive schemes, dishing out some big-time assists and
doing what he always does – hustling his butt off.
Creating excitement at both ends of the floor is second nature
to junior guard Kyle Berger, who was right at home with the game on the line.
Scoring 12 of his 15 points in the second half, Berger came
up with a leaping touch-the-sky interception of the basketball that drew an
expression of approval from The Ohio State University’s co-Defensive
Coordinator Luke Fickell, who was among the spirited crowd at West 30th
and Lorain on Saturday night. Coach Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes, like many other
major college football programs in the nation, are coveting Berger’s skills as
an outside linebacker.
Saint Ignatius’ depth also played a major role in its
ability to finally turn away a St. Edward team that is probably as much about
being hard-nosed and blue-collared this year as it is talented.
Six-5 junior forward/post David Black, Eric’s twin brother,
6-5 sophomore forward Jaylin McDonald, 6-2 senior point guard Bryan Fisher, 6-3
senior wing Austin Sterpka and the pride of Saint Ignatius of Antioch
elementary school – 6-3 junior forward Isiah Barbra – each contributed significant minutes.
And oh yes, the Eagles had plenty of special moments of
their own as their standout 6-6 sophomore post Kipper Nichols tossed in a
team-high 16 points and the ever-present 6-5 junior post Marsalis Hamilton
contributed 11 points.
In a game of runs or key sequences, St. Edward, on the
strength of a 3-pointer by 6-6 senior forward/wing Tim Stainbrook and two free
throws by senior point guard Royal Eddie, led, 14-9, entering the second
quarter.
After Saint Ignatius rode a follow by Eric Black, a layup
by Sloan off a Bova assist and a strong driving one-hander by Sloan to a 20-18
advantage, the Eagles would come back to take a 24-23 lead on two free throws
by junior guard Pat Riley with 2 minutes
and 34 seconds remaining in the first half.
Coach O’Toole’s team kept its composure and, sparked by a two-handed
slam dunk by Eric Black, led, 27-24, at halftime.
A quick move along the baseline by Berger extended the
Wildcats’ lead to five points, but St. Edward answered with a free throw by
Hamilton, a Hamilton follow and led, 32-31, after 6-4 junior forward Tony
Vuyancih buried a 3-pointer.
The punch, counter punch of these two area heavy weights
continued as a 3-pointer by Sloan and two free throws by Berger had Saint
Ignatius clinging to a 37-35 lead entering the final eight minutes.
"We just had to stick together,” said Sloan. “We knew they
were going to make runs, but it came down to who wanted it more and played
harder. And it looks like we did.”
Santiago emphasized that he and his teammates were looking
forward to Saturday night’s game “since day one” and that nobody had to motivate
them.
"If we want to get to states, we have to beat a team like
St. Eds,” Cisco said.
The fourth quarter alone was worth the price of admission.
After Stainbrook drained another 3-pointer and Hamilton made
one his uncanny baskets in traffic, the Eagles led, 42-39.
The Wildcats, ranked seventh in this past week’s Division I
state poll, came roaring back to take a 48-46 lead on the Santiago-to-Sloan
combination. Nichols would tie the score at 48 with just over two minutes to
go, but Saint Ignatius came up with a 7-1 spurt that was highlighted by another
basket by Sloan courtesy of a Santiago assist, a steal by Bova and a
three-point play by Berger.
Leading, 55-49, with 1:10 left, the Wildcats were able to
withstand a late charge by St. Edward thanks to some clutch free-throw shooting
by Eric Black and Berger. The Eagles came up short on a final attempt to tie
the score as time expired.
"The coaches’ message before the game was to pick each other
up and that’s exactly what we did,” said Berger before he and his teammates
boarded a bus bound for Kettering, Ohio. “When it got down to the wire, we
stuck together and we pulled it out.
"They put a lot of pressure on Cisco and Derek and that
definitely opened up some lanes for me (in the second half) while they were
double teaming them,” Berger continued. “It was wide open for me, so I thought
I would try to help out the team by getting a basket or two."
Yes, brotherhood at its best.
HOCKEY
The Ice Cats fire 62 shots at Erie Cathedral Prep en route to a 10-0 victory in the 17th annual Meadville Bulldog Hockey Invitational at the DeArment Ice Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Saint Ignatius improves to 19-4-3 and extends its winning streak to nine games.
Coach Pat O’Rourke’s team is expected to play Upper St. Clair in Sunday’s playoff round at 10 A.M. The Ice Cats are seeking their fourth consecutive Meadville Invitational championship and seventh overall.
Here is the scoring courtesy of Brian McQuinn.
Matty Geither and Brian Russell scored in the first period. Joe Malone assisted on Geither's goal and Brian Fitzgerald assisted on Russell's goal.
Beck Schultz scored two goals in the second period, one from the seat of his pants! Russell and Brady Wells assisted on his first and Kevin Spellacy assisted on number two.
Miles McQuinn added a goal in the second period with the assists going to Riley Ellis and Kevin Yarcusko. It was a tick, tack, toe goal and a fan favorite.
Cam Gerard put himself on the scoreboard with a nice shot on a pass from Ellis and Fitzgerald.
Geither added his second goal of the game to start the third period with an assist from Schultz. Jack Weigandt fired home the Cats' eighth goal with an assist coming from sophomore Jack Mazanec.
McQuinn recorded his second goal of the game on a power play. The shot rang off both posts. Schultz and Malone provided assistance.
Yarcusko completed the 10 spot with an assist going to Mazanec and Nick Gajkowski.
Sean Williams managed to turn away 11 shots. The Rambler combination of goalies saw 62 shots.
WRESTLING
The Wildcats remain in eighth place heading into Sunday's final day of the Catholic Invitational Tournament at Olentangy Liberty High School.
Archbishop Moeller leads the big schools with 64.5 points and the Wildcats' eighth-place total is 32.5. Padua is seventh with 33.5 points.