SAINT IGNATIUS TRAVELS TO ONE OF THE MOST BASKETBALL-RICH VENUES IN ALL OF NORTHEAST OHIO. IT WILL BE A BATTLE OF THE CATS ON SATURDAY NIGHT IN BENEDICTINE’S TRUEMAN FIELDHOUSE.
THE WILDCATS WILL TAKE A 14-5 RECORD AND A NINTH-PLACE AREA RANKING INTO THEIR REGULAR-SEASON FINALE.
****IT IS ANOTHER HUGE WEEKEND IN SAINT IGNATIUS ATHLETICS, DETAILS FOR THE WILDCATS’ WEEK 2 FOOTBALL GAME HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AND GEORGE DICAMILLO AND MATT FOLDESY GARNER MORE HONORS (SEE AFTER BASKETBALL STORY).
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT FEBRUARY 2012
Before he talked about the 2011-12 Benedictine Bengals, Saint Ignatius head basketball coach Sean O’Toole ’87 emphasized how exciting it is just to have the opportunity to play in Benedictine’s atmosphere-rich and cozy facility.
“That’s what’s fun about our schedule,” said Coach O’Toole. “We get to play in some great venues.”
Two seasons ago, the Wildcats pulled off one of their greatest victories under Coach O’Toole by going into the Trueman Fieldhouse and upsetting a state-ranked and nationally recognized Benedictine team, 70-63. The gifted backcourt of Tyler Hammond ’10 and Tom Parker ’10 showed the way.
Last season’s game versus the Bengals was played on a Saturday afternoon in Sullivan Gym after Mother Nature wiped out what was scheduled to be a Friday night encounter. Led by its gifted point guard/two guard Desmond Ridenour, Benedictine rallied to a 63-62 victory. Ridenour provided the game-winning points on a three-point play and finished with 25 points, including four 3-pointers.
“They have all of the weapons,” Coach O’Toole said of this season’s Benedictine team, which is under the direction of first-year head coach and former Bengals standout Albert Wilson ’98.
Helping show the way again for a Benedictine squad that is 11-7 and ranked 15th in the area heading into Friday’s home game against Padua are the crowd-pleasing skills of Ridenour. He is part of a versatile backcourt that also features Winston Grays and Gary Williams. That backcourt is more than complemented by 6-foot-8 Westley Parr and 6-4, 240-pound Ohio University football recruit Mike Roberts.
“They have a great shooter and two dominant posts,” Coach O’Toole said of Ridenour, Roberts and Parr. “It’s a team with great athleticism that likes to get up and down the floor.”
What makes Ridenour unique, said Coach O'Toole, is that he has the exceptional combination of strength and quickness, can play above the rim at 6-1 and passes the ball extremely well.
“He can hurt you in so many ways,” said Coach O’Toole of Ridenour. “When he attacks, you kind of get mesmerized trying to stop him and meanwhile he’s passing it behind to other guys who are slamming it home. We’re really going to have to be aware of his location and do a good job of trying to limit his attacks.”
Coach O’Toole emphasized how much a good defense is fueled by a high-percentage offense.
And, against a team that can get out and run like Benedictine does, it is vital for the Wildcats to get high-percentage shots.
AIR WAVES: The SIBN’s John Fanta ’13, Paddy White ’14 and Greg Ziton ’13, fresh off their guest appearance at The Q, will bring you live audio from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on Saturday night, starting with the junior varsity game between the ‘Cats and the Bengals at 6 p.m.
****ANOTHER FULL-PLATE WEEKEND IN SAINT IGNATIUS ATHLETICS: Along with the Wildcats’ regular-season finale in basketball, Coach Jeff Ridler’s district champion swimming and diving team will compete in this weekend’s annual state meet at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton. The boys’ Division I diving competition gets under way on Thursday at 9 a.m., the swimming prelims begin on Friday at 9 a.m., and the swimming finals are slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. Saint Ignatius is looking to improve on last year's solid seventh-place finish at the state meet.
In wrestling, Coach Mark Sullivan will guide 10 of his wrestlers in the tradition-rich Mentor district, which starts on Friday at 5 p.m. and wraps up with the finals on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The corner wishes nothing but the best to George DiCamillo (120 pounds), Tommy Zeigler (113), Jimmy Ferritto (106) and Ethan Janesz (160), who each won sectional championships last weekend, and to our other six qualifers – Dan Lynch (138), Nick Lees (152), Anthony McLaughlin (170), Scott Chase (182), Brett Bendokaitis (195) and Max Baughman (220).
Ray Schaefer will be representing Saint Ignatius in the area's district bowling tournament on Saturday and in hockey, the remarkable 37-0 Wildcats will take the ice in Brooklyn’s John M. Coyne Recreation Center at high noon on Saturday for a second-round playoff game against the Panthers from Elyria Catholic. Paul Martin ’10, Trent Kennedy ’13 and Zach Weinreich ’12 will have the call over the SIBN.
And in another wrestling note, more congratulations go out to the dynamic DiCamillo, as George has been selected to wrestle in the prestigious Dapper Dan at the end of March and to compete for the USA Dream Team when it wrestles competition from Iowa in April.
As we announced on the corner last week, the defending Division I state champion Saint Ignatius Wildcats have secured a 2012 Week 2 football game against De La Salle Collegiate High School from Warren, Michigan. The only matter left to decide was the site of the game, and that has been determined.
Saint Ignatius and De La Salle will meet in Parma's Byers Field on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 3 p.m. The Pilots and the Wildcats will also play on the junior varsity and freshmen levels, with the freshmen 'Cats traveling to Warren, Michigan and the junior varsity Wildcats hosting De La Salle on Sept. 1 in Wasmer Field at 12:30 p.m.
The contract with De La Salle is a one-year deal. Saint Ignatius, which has now secured eight games for 2012 (the number you must have to be eligible for OHSAA postseason play), is still trying to fill open dates for Weeks 4 and 7.
As we also pointed out in last week's breaking story, the Pilots advanced to Michigan's regional finals last fall and finished 9-3. They are led by University of Michigan recruit and 4-Star rated pro-style quarterback Shane Morris. Morris (6-3, 190 pounds), who will be entering his senior season in the summer, threw for 19 touchdowns and nearly 1,700 yards this past fall.
And last, but certainly not least, ESPN reported Wednesday morning that St. Ignatius' standout senior Matt Foldesy is the recipient of the Gatorade Ohio Boys Soccer Player of the Year Award.
The award recognizes achievement in athletics, academics and character. Foldesy, who will be furthering his education and soccer career at the University of Akron, now becomes a finalist for the national award to be announced in May.
Congratulations to Matt, his family, Coach Mike McLaughlin '85 and the entire Saint Ignatius soccer program.