Heading into Saturday’s game against the Strong Vincent Colonels, Coach Kyle points to the Wildcats’ main responsibility, which is to become even a better team than they were last week.
Saint Ignatius (3-0), the top-ranked Division I football program in Ohio, begins the first of back-to-back trips to Erie, Pennsylvania by taking on Strong Vincent (0-2) in Veterans Memorial Stadium at 2 p.m. The ‘Cats will return to Erie next Friday night (Sept. 21) to face the highly regarded McDowell Trojans (1-1) on the Trojans’ Gus Anderson Field.
By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright September 2012
Addressing his team after Tuesday’s practice, Saint Ignatius’ 30-year head coach Chuck Kyle ’69 emphasized to his Wildcats that it really doesn’t matter who the opponent is.
What does concern the man who has guided his alma mater to an Ohio record 11 big-school state championships is that come late Saturday afternoon or early evening, Saint Ignatius heads back to Cleveland a stronger team than it was a week ago.
Watching the Wildcats become stronger just might be something to behold, something that can be difficult to imagine when you consider the ‘Cats amassed more than 500 yards of offense and did not punt even once in defeating Ohio power Mentor, 48-21, last weekend.
As far as Saturday’s opponent Strong Vincent is concerned, the thought of Saint Ignatius playing better than it did against Mentor probably could be described as the Colonels’ worst nightmare.
Strong Vincent, a team that finished 8-3 in 2011, including a 5-1 record in its region, has started its 2012 campaign with two consecutive losses, including a 48-22 setback to Erie Cathedral Prep last week at Veterans Stadium. Prep led, 38-0, at halftime.
I know that coaches always say it can be dangerous to compare scores. But let us just remind you that the Wildcats dominated Cathedral Prep the past two seasons, including a 42-7 victory in Erie last fall.
“We were hoping their record would be a little better than that,” said Coach Kyle, whose Wildcats compete under the OHSAA Harbin computer playoff qualifying system, in which teams are awarded points for each game they win and each game a defeated opponent wins. “Their base offense is the Wing T, which we haven’t seen a whole lot. Years ago in the early ‘90s we would go against Austintown Fitch, who would run the Wing T. So I had to really dig through my files and find the game plan for the Wing T from the 1990s.
“It’s not the only thing they do, but it is certainly their base offense,” Coach Kyle continued, in reference to the Wing T. “So that’s good. We’ve been going up against spread offenses, so it’s nice to have some misdirection people to kind of keep us honest and coaching up reading keys and stuff like that.”
Coach Kyle, who will take a 293-67-1 career record into Saturday’s 2 p.m. kickoff, said the Colonels have speed on offense, including a quarterback who can run, and that they employ a short passing game. He also emphasized that the Wildcats will not be seeing the type of passing game they encountered the past two weeks, when they successfully went up against two of the outstanding quarterbacks in the nation – Shane Morris of Warren, Michigan’s De La Salle High School and Mentor’s Mitch Trubisky.
“Defensively, they are in a 4-3,” Coach Kyle said of Strong Vincent’s line of defense. “But now against Cathedral Prep they did get into a 3-man front, almost like a stack. But we just played a stack defense (Mentor), so that’s fine. We can just adapt that game plan and mix it in with what we’re doing against the 4-3.”
Coach Kyle said that what he and his staff are challenging the Wildcats with this week is that there are always things they can work on, fundamental things.
“We won and looked good as a team against Mentor,” Coach Kyle said. “But then you sit there, look at the film and realize there are a few issues that we have to work on. I think the kids realize we have to get better and our job is to get better.
“We’re going to make sure we’re a strong team fundamentally this week,” Coach Kyle added. “Because when you play the Wing T, you better be. That’s the issue of it (the Wing T). If you tackle well and read your keys well, you’re fine.”
BY THE NUMBERS: Strong Vincent will have to try to do something Saint Ignatius’ first three opponents – Cardinal Mooney, De La Salle and Mentor – were unable to do and that is hold down the hot left hand of senior quarterback Mike LaManna and the strength, vision, balance and speed of senior tailback Tim McVey.
Mike, who on Saturday returns to the city and state where he made his varsity debut last season with an impressive performance against Erie Cathedral Prep, has completed 52 of 75 passes for 884 yards and nine touchdowns. McVey, an Associated Press All-Ohio selection in 2011 and a University at Buffalo recruit, has rushed for 396 yards and has scored nine TDs.
The Wildcats will be seeking their 10th consecutive victory on Saturday afternoon, a mark that dates back to Week 10 of last season’s “Eleven in ’11” run. Coach Kyle’s remarkable career includes winning streaks of 39, 38 and 25 (twice) games.
ON THE MEND: Saint Ignatius’ standout senior wide receiver Conor Hennessey said he suffered a bruised bone in his ankle against Mentor last weekend and will be out a couple of weeks. The toe injury to talented junior running back Mike Vitale is healing well and Mike said he expects to be back in a week.
HOOSIERS COME CALLING: Add the Indiana Hoosiers to the list of schools who have offered Wildcats gifted junior offensive tackle Jim Byrne (6-5, 275) a scholarship. Indiana joins The Ohio State University, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Fighting Illini of Illinois, the Mountaineers of West Virginia and the Spartans of Michigan State.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FOR THE MENTOR GAME
Offense
Senior quarterback Mike LaManna: The savvy southpaw completed 18 of 27 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, hooking up with eight different receivers in the process.
Senior wide receiver Conor Hennessey: Conor hauled in four passes for 142 yards, including an impressive 46-yard catch and burst-of-speed run down the right sideline for a touchdown in the scoreboard end zone of Byers Field.
Senior tailback Tim McVey: Mr. Reliable rushed for 217 yards and three TDs, including a 73-yard burst up the middle, and caught four passes for 33 yards.
Defense
Senior free safety Bryan Fisher: “Fish” was all over the field, breaking up deep passes, coming up to defend against the run and totaling two huge interceptions, including one inside the ‘Cats’ 10-yard line that ended Mentor’s hopes and a seal-the-deal Good Hands Club pick.
Senior safety Mike Gibbons: Mike was also a force all night, unleashing constant pursuit and sure jarring tackles. He set up the Wildcats’ second touchdown of the night by flying through the line of support and blocking a punt.
Senior end Kevin Kavalec: Kevin fought through double teams en route to six tackles for losses, including five sacks, a recovery of Mike’s blocked punt and a forced fumble.
*AND A SPECIAL PAD-RATTLING AWARD GOES TO JUNIOR SAFETY/FULLBACK DAMEON WILLIS JR., WHO LAID DOWN A HIGHLIGHT-REEL, OVER-POWERING BLOCK ON TIM MCVEY’S LONG TD JAUNT.
S-I-B-N!: The truesome twosome of John Fanta '13 and Greg Ziton '13 will bring you live audio and video coverage from Erie, Pennsylvania on Saturday over the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network. Be sure to listen to John's description of the photos that accompany the Strong Vincent coaching staff on the Colonels' athletics page. It's a commentary you can't refuse.