*HERE ARE THE FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS FOR SAINT IGNATIUS WRESTLERS JIM FERRITTO (106 POUNDS), TOMMY ZEIGLER (113) AND GEORGE DICAMILLO (120), AS THEY PREPARE FOR THURSDAY’S FIRST SESSION OF THE 75th OHSAA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. THURSDAY’S DIVISION I PRELIMINARIES ARE SCHEDULED FOR 5:45 P.M.
Jim Ferritto (24-11) vs. Taleb Rahmani of Marysville (45-3)
Tommy Zeigler (14-5) vs. Jacob Spearman of Lancaster (40-2) NOTE: It is a rematch of last year’s fifth-place state match at 103, which Tommy won, 3-1.
George DiCamillo (33-0) vs. Mathias Zollinger of Wadsworth (33-11) NOTE: George was the 112-pound state champion last year. He placed third in Ohio at 103 as a sophomore and seventh in the state at 103 as a freshman. He enters this year’s state championships with a school-record 148 career victories and has won 70 consecutive matches. He has accepted a scholarship from the University of Virginia and is ranked No. 1 in the nation at his weight class.
Jim Ferritto and Tommy Zeigler are juniors.
*THE WILDCATS’ 38-0 MEN OF ICE ARE GEARING UP FOR TUESDAY NIGHT’S DISTRICT SEMIFINAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE PIRATES FROM ROCKY RIVER.
Coach Pat O’Rourke ’90 will guide his top-ranked and top-seeded Wildcats in tomorrow’s district semifinal against fourth-seeded Rocky River (27-6). The puck will drop in Brooklyn’s John M. Coyne Recreation Center at 7 p.m.
The talented line of Paul Martin ’10, Zach Weinreich ’12 and Trent Kennedy ’13 will provide live audio on the game over the Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network, and this corner will be on hand for more game coverage from “The Big Barn on Memphis.”
And we’ve been told it is just a rumor that the kids at St. Christopher’s are taking a poll on who they think will come out victorious tomorrow night. Too bad, this inquiring mind would have enjoyed seeing the results.
Rocky River, behind hat tricks by Tyler Harkins and Eric Sperli, four assists by Max Lurie and 32 saves by goalie Jake Nicholson, advanced by defeating Amherst, 6-4.
Saint Ignatius reached this district semifinal by rolling to an 11-0, mercy-rule victory over Elyria Catholic (see the corner’s story from Saturday). Senior forward Taylor Wolf had a hat trick and sophomore forward Harry Smith came up with his first varsity hat trick.
If successful against the Pirates, the Wildcats will advance to Saturday’s state-qualifying game at the Coyne Recreation Center, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday’s game will match Tuesday night’s winner against the winner of Wednesday night’s district semifinal between second seed Shaker Heights and third seed St. Edward.
*AND JUST A REMINDER THAT COACH SEAN O’TOOLE’S VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM, FRESH OFF ITS DRAMATIC COMEBACK AT BENEDICTINE ON SATURDAY NIGHT, WILL BEGIN ITS POSTSEASON RUN ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT 6 IN THE TALENT-RICH SOLON SECTIONAL/DISTRICT.
THE WILDCATS (15-5), RANKED EIGHTH IN THE PLAIN DEALER'S FINAL TOP 25 POLL, WILL FACE THE WINNER OF TUESDAY NIGHT’S SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL BETWEEN EUCLID AND 16th-RANKED KENSTON.
LED BY 6-FOOT-10, 250-POUND SENIOR POST ERIC TRUOG, KENSTON’S BOMBERS ARE 19-1. THEIR ONLY LOSS WAS TO THE “WE NEVER GET CAUGHT WATCHING THE PAINT DRY” MENTOR CARDINALS, THE PLAIN DEALER'S TOP-RANKED TEAM.
*A PREVIEW ON FRIDAY’S FIRST STEP ON THE TOURNAMENT TRAIL, OR HEARTBREAK HIGHWAY AS THE LATE AND GREAT ED CHAY USED TO CALL IT, WILL BE POSTED BY THIS OLD GYM RAT ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A HALL OF FAME HIGH SCHOOL AND OHIO STATE BEAT WRITER FOR THE PLAIN DEALER, “EASY ED” CHAY ALSO COINED THE PHRASE “FINAL FOUR” AND WAS RECOGNIZED FOR DOING SO BY THE NCAA MANY YEARS AGO.
HERE WE GO AGAIN THIS WEEK, AS THE SOULFUL LADY FROM THE BRONX, SHIRLEY ELLIS, WOULD SING, “RIGHT DOWN TO THE REAL NITTY GRITTY."
****AND, ON A FINAL NOTE, CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO SENIOR RAY SCHAEFER, WHO, FOLLOWING HIS IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE IN SECTIONAL PLAY, COMPLETED HIS OUTSTANDING BOWLING CAREER AT SAINT IGNATIUS IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT. AGAIN, ALL OF THE BEST TO RAY AND EACH AND EVERYONE OF THE 'CATS' KEGLERS, WHO KNOCKED 'EM DOWN WITH AUTHORITY EN ROUTE TO ANOTHER FINE SEASON.
****HERE IS COACH KASTANIS' FINAL WRAP ON THE SEASON.
Final News from Coach Kastanis
Our senior Ray Schaefer unfortunately did not advance to state finals. Ray did do very well with the very difficult lane conditions that the center applied. The condition that was applied was called a reverse block which is rarely seen, the outside is very oily and the center of lane is dry. This condition was not applied at any bowling center this season, as you would see from the scores shot. Ray started with a 190, 204 and a 166 for a series of 560 finishing in 43rd place.
Ray did manage to be the second best bowler from our conference, as a bowler from Olmsted Falls had a 569 series.
I just wanted to congratulate Ray for the fantastic season he achieved in the conference, having high average of 214 and winning the Joe Costanzo Award for best overall performer, supporter, and his outstanding attitude to others.