OTHER VERSATILE PERFORMERS SUCH AS JACK MILLER AND PAT JEFFRIES WILL BE COUNTED ON AS SAINT IGNATIUS CONTINUES ITS TEAM EMPHASIS AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FUTURE.

BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT MAY-JUNE 2012

Leaning back in his chair in the Wirtz Pavilion Coaches Room late Tuesday afternoon, Saint Ignatius’ Chuck Kyle ’69 talked about the other sport that brings out his inner passion.

Coach Kyle, who in 1974 was asked by his high school football coach, the late Saint Ignatius legend John J. Wirtz, if he would like to coach the track team, will be guiding his 2012 Wildcats into this weekend’s OHSAA State Track and Field Meet.

The 105th boys meet and 38th girls meet will take place at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Under Coach Kyle, Saint Ignatius’ track program has won more than 20 district titles and in 2001 was crowned as Ohio’s Division I state champion.

In events that will involve the Wildcats, Friday’s Division I running prelims begin at 4:45 p.m., with the 4x800 meter relay final scheduled for approximately 5 p.m.

Saturday’s Division I field events are slated for noon and 3 p.m., and the Division I running finals are set to begin at 4:30 on Saturday. Of course Mother Nature could outrun everyone, so as always we will keep you posted if delays take place throughout the weekend.

“There is a nucleus of seniors on this team that are quite familiar with the state meet,” said Coach Kyle of a Saint Ignatius program that has qualified its seasoned 4x800, 4x400 and 4x100 meter relay teams, junior Jack Miller in the 3200 meter run and senior Blake Thomas in the discus . As an Ohio State football recruit, Blake will be right at home this weekend.

“Some of our kids have been there (to the state meet) four times, some have been there three times,” Coach Kyle continued. “For a high school career that’s pretty good, considering the intense competition that takes place. Ohio is a very good track and field state. Considering the weather is not always that good, we really are!

“We have kids who have found the challenge of it very exciting and they work with it. It is not a sport that has that much focus of attention in Ohio. We’ll get the weekend (media) coverage here and there. So it’s really something that a kid does because he wants to improve himself and likes the challenge.”

Among the 347 Division I male athletes and 114 Division I male teams competing in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium will be Wildcats veterans Lamar Kemp and Drew Galang from Sunday's graduating Class of 2012.

“When you look at Lamar Kemp, this is his fourth state meet and that’s amazing,” Coach Kyle said. “And for Drew Galang, this will be his third. The nice thing about it is that the kids realize we get there because we work hard. We really do.”

Coach Kyle is very pleased with having his three relay teams in Columbus. This spring, more than any other, Saint Ignatius has had to overcome some nagging injuries and turn to its depth and versatility while shuffling the lineups.

The ‘Cats’ 4x800 team, which brought home first place at the indoor state meet this year and won the Amherst Regional with a time of 7:52.87, features senior Mitch Baum, juniors Vince Bartram and Jack Miller and Galang. On Friday, this big-meet tested group will be running out of lane 8a. Running out of lane 1a will be Westerville North, which qualified for state with a time of 7:42.48. The OHSAA record for the 4x800 was set by Wadsworth on June 4, 2010, when the Grizzlies picked them up and laid them down to the tune of 7:39.72.

“With the 4x100, we’ve had to rotate kids in here and there, and somehow we just kept qualifying and moving along,” said Coach Kyle, who will begin his 30th season as Saint Ignatius’ head varsity football coach this summer. “So we’re in the state meet and who knows what will happen there.”

During last weekend’s Amherst Regional, the 4x100 team qualified for the state meet by finishing fourth in a time of 43.11. Doing the honors were sophomore Matt McVey and juniors Dan Way, Sam D’Amico and Pat Jeffries.

With another injury occurring, there is a possibility that Kemp, who is part of the talented 4x400 team, could also come to the aid of the 4x100 team this weekend. As Coach Kyle emphasized, Lamar certainly has the speed and is more than willing if called upon.

“The 4x400 has really come on, very nicely,” Coach Kyle said of a group that finished second at Amherst in a time of 3:21.08. Kemp was joined on the 4x400 regional team by junior Brendan Kobunski, Galang and junior Tim McVey, whose all-around All-Ohio play helped the Wildcats to a record 11th Division I state football championship last fall.

“Lamar just kept getting better and better as the year went on and Brendan Kobunski has peaked at the right time by running sensationally the past few weeks,” Coach Kyle added.

*Some more shuffling could occur this weekend, as Tim McVey is listed as part of the 4x100 team. The versatile Jeffries, one of the ‘Cats’ top hurdlers this spring, is expected to double up by doing his thing for the 4x100 and 4x400 teams. Filling in where he is needed is nothing new for the aggressive and passionate Jeffries.

Another durable performer is Miller, who not only helps lead the regional-champion 4x800 team, but also qualified for the 3200 meter run by finishing fourth at Amherst in a time of 9:31.89. Coach Kyle said it could be as late as 7 p.m. when Jack runs the 3200 on Saturday.

Thomas, better known around the state as an outstanding passing catching and blocking tight end, had a third-place qualifying throw of 178-06 at Amherst. Blake has had throws in the 180s and won the All-Catholic Meet this spring with an impressive toss of 188. That effort wasn’t far off from Saint Ignatius’ all-time discus mark of 189-4, which was set by assistant track and football coach Ryan Franzinger '02 during the 2002 state finals meet. Ryan, who is also the Assistant to Dean of Students Rory Hennessey ’78 at Saint Ignatius, helped the Wildcats capture the 2001 state track and field championship by throwing a first-place 181-0.

Along with Coach Franzinger, Saint Ignatius is fortunate to have other track and field-savvy assistant coaches, such as Tom Flandera ’63, Dan Corrigan ’78 and Tim Franzinger, Ryan’s dad.

“A lot of times, you have to step up to your competition,” said Coach Kyle. “If you are competing against a guy who broke the world record and you beat him, there’s a reason why you won. He made you run faster. So much of it is based on the competition that you’re running against.”

****IF I COULD TAKE THE LIBERTY OF DOING SO: I would like to thank outgoing Saint Ignatius Principal Peter H. Corrigan, Jr. ’69 for the support he gave this corner and say thank you to the Class of 2012 for all of the great memories you gave this old-timer. It was a privilege and a pleasure to report on your numerous accomplishments. I hope to see you when you return to campus for visits. May God Bless You in all of your future endeavors – Eddie or Mr. Dwyer, whichever you prefer.