Pressure falls on the respective defenses, as the Wildcats and the Cardinals bring offensive firepower into Saturday’s 14th chapter of what has become one of the spirited and classiest rivalries in all of Ohio.

The kickoff from Byers Field in Robert M. Boulton Stadium will be 7 p.m.

By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright September 2012

In Week 3 of last season, the now storied Mentor spread offense grabbed the area high school football headlines by totaling 608 yards of offense in a 38-24 victory over Saint Ignatius at the Cardinals’ Jerome T. Osborne Stadium.

Triggering Mentor’s five-receiver set that night was quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who passed for 469 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two TDs.

The Wildcats, who totaled well over 400 yards in defeat, would earn another shot at Trubisky and Co. And this time on a much larger stage.

Two months and 10 days after Mentor passed and ran its way to those gaudy 600-plus yards, Coach Chuck Kyle’s Wildcats and Coach Steve Trivisonno’s Cardinals met in a Division I regional championship game at a brisk Lakewood Stadium.

Taking a more aggressive approach defensively and putting together a time-consuming and game-clinching drive in the final six minutes and 27 seconds, an effort that saw senior quarterback Eric Williams and senior wide receiver Jake Mooney hook up on a 17-yard completion off a third-and-16 from the Wildcats’ 14 and tailback Tim McVey pick up three yards off a fourth-and-1 from the Saint Ignatius 40, Coach Kyle’s ‘Cats pulled off a 23-17 victory.

Saint Ignatius would go on to finish 13-2 and bring home an “Eleven in ‘11” state championship, adding to an already Ohio record of 10 Division I gold trophies. Mentor closed its outstanding season at 11-2.

That was last year, however, and one thing remains a constant on West 30th and Lorain Avenue in Ohio City – the sincere respect Coach Kyle, his staff and his players have for Mitch Trubisky and his gifted supporting cast. And I can confidently say that respect is mutual on Center Street in Mentor.

“Their offensive skills are very good,” said Coach Kyle of Trubisky and his multi-skilled receiving corps headed by juniors Connor Krizancic (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), Brandon Fritts (6-4, 210) and Corey Plavcan (5-11, 160). The Wildcats (2-0) and the Cardinals (2-0) will square off on Saturday night at Byers Field in a game that matches the top two teams in The Plain Dealer’s seven-county Top 25 poll. Saint Ignatius enters the matchup as the area’s No. 1 team.

“You start with Mitch Trubisky, a proven Division I guy,” Coach Kyle continued. “Last week we went against a highly ranked quarterback (5-star Michigan recruit Shane Morris from De La Salle) and I thought we did well (a 49-13 triumph). But in Mitch Trubisky (6-3, 200), he has the same kind of arm as Shane Morris and can run effectively. He won the last game they played against Erie (Pa.) McDowell because he can run the ball.”

After putting up junior season numbers in 2011 that would equal a solid career for most high school quarterbacks – 3,852 yards passing, 41 touchdown passes, 656 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns – Trubisky, an All-Ohio North Carolina recruit who selected the Tar Heels over Ohio State and Alabama, has totaled 608 yards and five touchdowns through the air and 153 yards and four touchdowns rushing while keying victories over Euclid and McDowell. He scored the winning touchdown at McDowell on a 1-yard run with 25 seconds remaining.

“He made huge plays (against McDowell),” Coach Kyle said. “Here you are, tying to cover all of those guys, and Mitch takes off and gains 20 or 30 yards on you. It’s frustrating, because you did what you wanted to do coverage wise, but they still gain some solid yardage and move the sticks.

“His receivers catch the ball and are disciplined, so it is certainly a challenge,” Coach Kyle added. “I think we made step one towards that challenge last week, but now we have to take another big step.”

In what has the makings of an offensive show, Saint Ignatius enters Saturday’s game with its own impressive numbers.

Senior quarterback Mike LaManna, who started one game last season and was outstanding in a victory at Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep, has been nothing less than that in directing victories over 2011 Division III state champ Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 31-7 at Cleveland Browns Stadium, and De La Salle on the new turf at Byers Field.

Mike was 16-of-24 for 225 yards and two touchdowns against Cardinal Mooney and left Byers Field on Saturday evening as the southpaw everybody was talking about after he riddled De La Salle for 18 completions in 24 attempts, 367 yards and four touchdowns. Those 367 yards were just 22 yards short of tying the Wildcats’ all-time single-game passing mark set by Nate Szep ’02 against Strongsville in November of 2001.

Complementing Mike’s left arm are the power, balance, vision, speed and sure hands that Tim McVey brings to the tailback position, an underrated offensive line headed by veterans Mike Cray, Steve Franko and Jim Byrne, and an array of tough and precise route running receivers.

McVey, an All-Ohio selection in 2011 who has accepted a scholarship from the University at Buffalo, has rushed for 179 yards and has scored six touchdowns on the young season. While there is no taking away from Mentor’s exceptional receivers, including a player who can do many things on the field in Connor Krizancic, Saint Ignatius’ Rocky Zingale, Mike Siragusa, Conor Hennessey and Jack Hyland are not far behind, if behind at all.

While this corner usually leaves predictions up to Las Vegas, it doesn’t take a football swami to realize that with these two powerful offenses, the outcome will most likely be decided by which defense rises to the occasion.

And who better to comment on that than Wildcats All-Ohio senior defensive end and Boston College recruit Kevin Kavalec.

“Their O-Line is pretty efficient,” said Kavalec, who had a solid game against the Cardinals in the regional final last season. “Trubisky is just a great quarterback who sees the whole field. I think the key last year (in the regional title game) was being able to get some pressure on him. With his ability to run, you have to stay loyal to your pass rushing integrity, as Coach (Dan) Corrigan says. You have to stick to your lanes.”

As Coach Kyle emphasized, Mentor has gone to the same “stack” defense that Saint Ignatius employs.

“I think they’re looking to use their skilled guys, blitz and change up their pass coverage, like we do,” said Coach Kyle, whose team leads the all-time series with Mentor, 9-4. “We practice against our defense, so we have some knowledge of it. But we have to execute. It wouldn’t shock anybody if these two teams play again later in the year. It’s a playoff caliber game with teams that have a strong tradition.”

*Saint Ignatius and Mentor will play during Week 2 of the 2013 season at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium and with their annual two-year contract the Cardinals and the Wildcats are scheduled through 2014. As this corner has always said, Mentor vs. Saint Ignatius is highly competitive, but at the same time one of the healthiest rivalries in all of Ohio, if not the entire nation. It’s a matchup of two programs who play it the right way.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FOR THE DE LA SALLE GAME

Offense

Mike LaManna: After going 18 of 24 for 367 yards and four touchdowns, and flirting with Nate Szep’s record in the process, Mike garners a spot on the corner for the second consecutive week.

Rocky Zingale and Conor Hennessey: The veteran wideouts, who began playing football with Mike when they were in the fifth grade together, combined for nine receptions, 196 yards and three touchdowns, including two TD grabs by Conor. Roc also made a memorable 57-yard catch and second-effort run that set up another TD.

Defense

The honors go to a pair of juniors, cornerback Scott Arthrell and outside linebacker and repeat selection Kyle Berger. Among Scott’s efforts were three exceptional plays – a savvy highlight-reel interception in the back of the end zone, a text-book open field tackle that prevented Shane Morris from picking up a first down and a nice recovery and breakup on a long pass play. Berger continued his relentless pursuit and play disruption as he got Morris’ attention in a hurry with a couple of athletic plays.

S-I-B-N! : Seniors John Fanta and Greg Ziton will provide their own blitz of color and commentary as they bring you the action live from Ridge Road and Day Drive on Saturday night. John, a.k.a. “The Senator,” also promises the unveiling of a new higher-quality video display of the action.

The game will also be televised on tape delay by SportsTime Ohio.