The defense was solid for the most part and the offense was bolstered by the receiving of Jaylin McDonald, Hunter Baker, David Shibley and Bennett Kinzel, the running of tailback Enzo Cannata and the passing of Jake Kucia and Christian Klink. Coach Ryan Franzinger's junior varsity team evens its record at 2-2 with a 35-8 triumph over Strong Vincent (Erie, Pa.).
Note: Saint Ignatius' varsity team remains in the top spot in the weekly Associated Press state football poll (see that and other football and soccer items following the JV story).
By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright September 2012
As he was walking off Wasmer Field on Monday night, Saint Ignatius’ head junior varsity football coach Ryan Franzinger ’02 said that what the 2012 JV Wildcats are striving for is to get “a little bit better each day.”
The JV ‘Cats started another week by doing just that as they took command early and defeated the visiting Colonels from Erie Strong Vincent, 35-8.
In evening its record at 2-2, Coach Franzinger’s junior varsity moved to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and led, 28-0, after the first 20 minutes. Junior varsity quarters are 10 minutes, as compared to 12 minutes on the varsity level.
Saint Ignatius’ offense set the tempo in front of a healthy Monday night crowd by putting together a 10-play, 66-yard march that was capped by a determined 3-yard touchdown run by tailback Enzo Cannata and the ensuing extra point kick by Corbett Griffith with 5 minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The key plays in the drive were a 14-yard reception along the right sideline by 6-foot-5 wide receiver Jaylin McDonald that came off a fourth-and-6 from the Strong Vincent 28 and a nice grab along the left sideline by wideout David Shibley off a third-and-9 from the 13. Shibley’s effort gave the Wildcats a first-and goal at the 3 and Cannata took it from there.
With Saint Ignatius’ defensive front of Michael Penn, Patrick Berry, Mike Profancik and Robert Zavagno keeping the Colonels in check, the Wildcats took possession at Strong Vincent’s 30 after Penn smothered a Colonel who was pursuing a fumble on fourth down.
On the very next play, Cannata, a.k.a. “Enzo the touchdown maker,” swept the left side, burst down the sideline and dove past the pylon for a 30-yard touchdown with 3:09 left in the opening quarter. Cannata competes for both the varsity and junior varsity.
After a leaping two-handed catch of 32 yards by Shibley gave Saint Ignatius a first down at the Strong Vincent 30, the Wildcats wasted little time in finding the end zone again – a 9-yard pass across the middle from quarterback Jake Kucia to wideout/tight end Hunter Baker that came on the first play of the second quarter.
Strong Vincent was threatening midway through the second quarter as the Colonels negotiated their way to a first-and-10 at the Saint Ignatius 12.
However, the Colonels were outranked on the next play, as Wildcats defensive back Ryan Newlon read where the quarterback was going and intercepted a pass at the Saint Ignatius 7.
Wildcats quarterback Christian Klink then hooked up with McDonald and Baker on nice throws, catches and yards after the catch, and Saint Ignatius was business at the Strong Vincent 17.
On second-and-10 from the Colonels’ 17, Klink found wide receiver Bennett Kinzel across the middle and Kinzel hauled in the pass on the run and fought his way across the goal line with 58 seconds to go in the first half.
“I think we’re getting better, I like what I see,” said Coach Franzinger. “I am pretty sure everybody played, so it’s good to see kids who work hard all year get the chance to play the game. We have a big program so it’s not a given that everybody gets to play every week. I told them to be grateful to be part of this program and that I was grateful to have kids who don’t argue with each other and don’t argue with me.”
Coach Franzinger, who started going to his bench late in the first half, watched some promising things over the final 20 minutes, including nice pursuit and tackling by Jason Augustine and Joe Conway, a determined catch and run by Matt Sarko and 16-yard TD strike from Kucia to Baker that came off a Kucia bootleg.
Strong Vincent didn’t make the drive back to the Keystone State’s fourth-largest city without something to build on.
On the strength of an athletic reception by Mark Akerly and a personal foul penalty, the Colonels scored on a 19-yard run by Xzavier Warner with 7:29 remaining to be played. A long catch and run by Tyvonn Green gave Strong Vincent one last chance for pay dirt, but the Wildcats stuffed the Colonels at the 1-yard line as time expired.
Up next for the JV ‘Cats is Saturday morning’s home game against Erie McDowell. The kickoff is 11 a.m.
*RECEIVING AN IMPRESSIVE 21 FIRST-PLACE VOTES FROM A STATEWIDE PANEL OF SPORTS WRITERS AND BROADCASTERS, SAINT IGNATIUS REMAINED IN THE TOP SPOT IN THE WEEKLY ASSOCIATED PRESS STATE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL FOR DIVISION I. COMPLETING THE TOP FIVE WERE ARCHBISHOP MOELLER, ST. EDWARD, COLERAIN AND DUBLIN COFFMAN.
THE STATE’S TOP RANKED TEAMS SHARE WASMER FIELD: Saint Ignatius head soccer coach Mike McLaughlin ’85 couldn’t say enough about his old football coach - Wildcats head football coach Chuck Kyle ’69 – after Coach Kyle agreed to have the soccer ‘Cats and the football ‘Cats share Wasmer Field on Monday afternoon.
The varsity soccer team is preparing for Wednesday night’s big game at St. Edward and wanted to have a practice on the turf surface at Wasmer Field, which is similar to the surface on Coughlin Field at St. Edward. Although the soccer team plays its home games on Wasmer Field, many of its practices take place on Kyle Field, which is natural grass (on a good day).
Wednesday’s game at St. Edward will begin with a junior varsity encounter at 6 p.m., followed by the highly anticipated varsity match at 8. In last year’s district finals, Saint Ignatius and St. Edward played one of the most memorable games in the history of Ohio high school soccer, with the Wildcats prevailing in Golden Goal overtime. Saint Ignatius will put its 9-0 record and 26-match winning streak on the line Wednesday night. The two-time defending state champion Wildcats have not lost to a team from Ohio since the shootout loss to Gahanna Lincoln in the 2009 state championship game.
A LOOK AT THE HIGHLY REGARDED TROJANS: Just a reminder that the corner will post a preview on Friday night’s varsity football game between the 4-0 Wildcats and the 2-1 Erie McDowell Trojans on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, depending on your sleep habits. McDowell features a potent running attack, to say the least.
Rounding the corner and heading to football practice on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, it’s off to St. Edward for what could be the regular-season soccer headliner for 2012.