Coach Sean O'Toole's varsity basketball team (7-2) will face the unique atmosphere of the St. Stan's Social Center tomorrow (Tuesday) night, as the 'Cats take on the Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen. The varsity game will follow the junior-varsity matchup, which tips off at 6 p.m.
Saint Ignatius' Student Broadcasting Network will provide audio coverage on what is a rare school-night athletic event, with John Fanta '13 and Paddy White '14 calling the JV game and Lewis Backus '12 and Greg Ziton '13 describing the varsity action. For those who didn't know, the Central Catholic game, originally scheduled for opening night, was moved to this date because of the Wildcats' long and successful football season. So hats off to Central Catholic for agreeing to the later date.
The St. Stan's court, where Ironmen legend Earl Boykins honed his game, has been the site of several memorable hoops encounters over the past four-plus decades.
Central Catholic, which is under the direction of former Rhodes head coach Jonathan Harris, is 5-5 on the season. The Ironmen, who have been playing some solid basketball as of late, stunned a highly regarded Villa Angela-St. Joseph team, 74-73, at VASJ on Jan. 13.
Leading the Ironmen past the Vikings were guard Greg Snyder, who drove the length of the floor for a layup with 2 seconds left, wing Alan Harper, who stole the ensuing inbounds pass and the gifted Chelvonte Montgomery, who tossed in 18 points. Snyder's game winner gave him 16 points.
Coach O'Toole '87, whose program has split its last two meetings with Central Catholic, described the Ironmen as scary.
Coach Harris, who this corner became acquainted with during his days as both an assistant and head coach for the Rhodes Rams, was hired at Central Catholic after Kevin Noch, one of the most successful coaches in the school's history, stepped down to devote more time to his family. Coach Noch guided his alma mater to the Division III state championship in March of 2009 and to a Division III state runner-up finish last season.
After Tuesday, it's back to practice for what will be a full plate of Wildcats basketball. On Friday night, Saint Ignatius travels to Strongsville to face Joe Lynch's Mustangs, on Saturday night the 'Cats return home to play Walsh Jesuit and on Sunday night Coach O'Toole's Wildcats will travel to Walsh University for a match up with Pickerington High School Central in the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout. Yes, the same school we defeated in December for the Division I state football championship. Sunday is a varsity-only game and is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
The Pickerington Central Tigers, whose game against Lancaster on Friday was postponed because of adverse weather conditions, stood 12-0 entering this week and last week they were ranked third in the state in Division I by the Associated Press. Coached by former Columbus Wehrle and Ohio State basketball standout Jerry Francis, the Tigers, like Saint Ignatius, feature some of their football players on the hardcourt. Let's hope the Wildcats can offset that built-in incentive from what happened on Dec. 3 in Canton's Fawcett Stadium.
The corner will take a closer look at Strongsville, Walsh Jesuit and Pickerington Central later in the week.
Coach Pat O'Rourke's varsity hockey team will take its remarkable 30-0 record to IceLand USA on Friday night to face the Padua Bruins in a Red North Division game. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Ice 'Cats will be back at the "Big Barn on Memphis," a.ka. the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn, for a Red North Division faceoff with Shaker Heights at 4:45 p.m. For those who inquired, the annual city-wide Baron Cup is slated for Feb. 8-12 at the Brooklyn Recreation Center.
The Wildcats' swimming and diving teams will compete agianst the Mentor Cardinals in Friday's annual Senior Night at Cleveland State University. Events get underway at 6:30 p.m.
Our "Alley Cats," fresh off a victory over Luthern West, will travel to Buckeye Lanes on Saturday for a set 'em up and knock 'em down match up with the Westlake Demons and the varsity wrestling team, coming off a solid performance at the Padua Triangular (see the corner's recap that accompanied the Lake Catholic hockey story), will grapple with Mentor and Walsh Jesuit in a triangular in Sullivan Gym on Friday at 7 p.m.
WILDCATS HAVE A VERBAL FROM ERIE (PA) MCDOWELL FOR WEEK 5: Saint Ignatius Athletic Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88, who continues to burn the midnight oil on the Wildcats' 2012 football schedule, told the corner on Monday night that McDowell High School from Erie (Pa.) has agreed verbally to play the 'Cats in Week 5 during 2012 and 2013. Saint Ignatius would travel to Erie this coming fall and McDowell would make the trip to Ohio in 2013.
The 2012 game in Erie would be either Sept. 21st or 22nd. McDowell has played the Wildcats on the lower levels recently, so let's hope this turns into a lengthy varsity relationship. The Trojans were 8-3 in 2011, advancing to the second round of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs.
As we reported on the corner back in December, Saint Ignatius will meet perennial power Youngstown Cardinal Mooney in Week 1 of 2012 as part of the annual Charity Game doubleheader at Browns Stadium. The game will match Ohio's 2011 Division I and Division III state champions.