Add the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to Jim Byrne’s early offers.
By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright June 2012
As predicted, 90 degree-plus temperatures hovered over the turf on Wasmer Field late Tuesday afternoon and early evening, as Coach Chuck Kyle’s Saint Ignatius Wildcats went through their second-to-last camp for the month of June.
The Wildcats will complete their June sessions on Thursday, with the junior varsity reporting at 3 p.m., and the varsity bringing the heat at 4:30.
Coach Kyle originally had another camp scheduled for June 29, but that session has been moved to the end of July because the 2011 state football champion Wildcats are being honored by the Lake County Captains on June 29.
With Coach Kyle and his staff making sure the players were well hydrated, the evening ended with another spirited 7-on-7 session. Senior quarterback Mike LaManna and senior wide receiver Conor Hennessey combined on a picture-perfect deep route down the right side that drew praise from veteran Offensive Coordinator Nick Restifo. Not only because of the throw and catch, but the read LaManna made on the play.
The 7-on-7 also saw All-Ohio senior defensive end Kevin Kavalec and senior Matt Gawlik, another mainstay on the defensive line, put in some work at tight end.
Kavalec, who recently received a scholarship offer from Boston College, was a standout tight end on Saint Ignatius’ undefeated junior varsity team of 2010. Kevin said he worked out at both defensive end and tight end at Boston College’s camp.
During the junior varsity session, head junior varsity coach and varsity assistant Ryan Franzinger ’02 impressed this old-timer with an agility and tackle enhancement drill he put the JV linebackers through. It involved using a lacrosse ball and having the linebackers scoop the ball up from the ground with one hand while maintaining the proper balance and footwork.
It is early and we don’t want to put any added pressure on the sophomores, but some of the JV LBs left a positive impression on this corner.
GONE CAMPING: Saint Ignatius junior offensive tackle Jim Byrne has been offered a scholarship from the University of Notre Dame, adding to an impressive list of offers Jim has already received during this young stage of his football career. Of course Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes offered Jim late last winter.
“Ohio State, Illinois and West Virginia have offered and Notre Dame offered this past weekend,” said the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Byrne. “I was at the West Virginia camp two weeks ago, went to Notre Dame’s camp last weekend and I'll be at Ohio State’s camps this Thursday and Friday.”
Jim added that he feels the ‘Cats’ offensive line, which is anchored by senior mainstays Mike Cray and Steve Franko, is coming along. He emphasized that although Saint Ignatius needs to fill the center and left tackle spots, senior Mike Bigach (6-7, 250) is working really hard at left tackle.
Junior Matt Colella, who was an outstanding kicker for the Wildcats’ 2011 undefeated junior varsity team, will be trying to follow in the footsteps of All-Ohio kicker Tim Shenk ’12. Matt said he has attended kicking camps at Lehigh, Penn and Otterbein and enjoyed the experiences at each one of them.
Getting back to Kavalec, Kevin said he plans to attend Michigan State’s camp on Thursday morning and then drive back to Cleveland for Thursday’s varsity camp at Wasmer Field.
ANOTHER CRAY ON BOARD: Getting ready for Saint Ignatius’ freshman season is Ben Cray, Mike’s younger brother. A standout at linebacker/fullback for the always strong St. Thomas More CYO program, Ben is already joining his brother in the weight room.