Senior Liam Geither scores his 49th goal of the season, which is a new Wildcats single-season mark, and Harry Smith plays a solid all-around game and also tallies a lamp lighter.

****WILDCATS' WRESTLING, SWIMMING AND DIVING AND BOWLING TEAMS HAVE A MEMORABLE WEEKEND. SEE AFTER THE HOCKEY STORY.

BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT JANUARY 2012

After he and Lake Catholic’s Keith Parker put on a goal-keeping clinic at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday afternoon, Saint Ignatius senior Matt Kovesdy talked about how mentally draining this week has been for the Wildcats after they learned their gifted junior captain Miles McQuinn had suffered a season-ending injury.

“It’s been tough,” said Kovesdy, whose 34 saves helped the Wildcats improve to 30-0 on the season and maintain their lead over University School in the demanding Red North Division of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League. “But it’s like losing one of your senses. Your other senses get stronger. I think everyone has to step up, play tough and get better, including myself.

“My defense did a great job, they were yelling out where the puck was every time I lost it, and that makes it a lot easier,” Kovesdy said. “I think this was the first game where they really needed me to play well. I was glad I was able to step up to the plate.”

Kovesdy and Parker stepped up all afternoon in the Wildcats' 2-0 victory.

Saint Ignatius, which has won 30 or more games for the third consecutive season, scored its first goal on a Liam Geither rebound off an authoritative shot from the point by junior defender Alex McNulty with the game less than two minutes old. It was Geither’s 49th lamp lighter of the season, which breaks the Wildcats’ previous single-season mark of 48 set by McQuinn last year.

With Parker, who had 44 saves, and Kovesdy, who came up with his highest number of saves in a shutout, answering every challenge with numerous quick-reaction glove, pad, stick and diving rejections, the score stayed 1-0 until there were 2 minutes and 3 seconds remaining in the second period.

Sophomore wing Harry Smith, who moved up to the first line this week because of McQuinn’s injury, scored off a clever front-side tip. Smith’s seventh goal of the season was assisted by standout senior center Paddy Spellacy and Geither.

“Everyone had to make some plays,” said Smith, whose efforts on Saturday were described as “outstanding” by Wildcats head coach Pat O’Rourke ’90. “I have been moving around to different lines all season, so it wasn’t that big of an adjustment. I just had to play my game and get it deep.”

Smith, who spoke with a maturity one might not associate with a sophomore, said the biggest thing this week for him and his teammates was to not hang their heads, to maintain their confidence.

“We have great depth and I think everyone on this team realizes that even with Miles’ injury, we can still go all the way to Columbus,” Smith continued. “We’ve overcome challenges all year and we can overcome this.”

Coach O’Rourke, who guided the ‘Cats to a school-best 31-7-3 record in the state-championship season of 2010 and a 30-7 mark last year, was pleased with the efforts of Kovesdy, Smith and Saint Ignatius’ defense, which killed off three key penalty situations on Saturday and was solid for three periods. But as far as his team’s overall play was concerned, Coach O’Rourke was less than thrilled.

“You could tell our second line hasn’t jelled, because they were running all over the place,” O’Rourke said. “The forwards, I really don’t know what they were thinking today. We were lucky to get through that game. We had a couple of nitty-gritty, hard-working goals. And that’s what it might have to be from now on.”

Coach O’Rourke said he would give his team the benefit of the doubt after a trying week that saw the ‘Cats lose a player who had produced 30 goals and 40 assists this season and the fact that Saint Ignatius had to make a less than 24-hour turnaround after defeating Strongsville, 7-2, on Friday night at IceLand USA.

“I’ll have to watch it on film to see what was going on out there, but they were out of position,” O’Rourke continued. “It was like, ‘Seniors, what are you doing?’

“Records are nice and to look back at them 20 years from now, that’s cool. Our goals are to win our division, win the Baron Cup and win another state championship. And we haven't done any of those yet.”

Lake Catholic, which has made significant strides during the second half of the season, is now 17-10-2.

For those of you who have inquired, here is a list of the OHSAA's top single seasons for most wins in ice hockey, based on a minimum of 30 wins. Saint Ignatius' current team will be added to this list at the end of the 2011-12 season.

1 35 Gilmour Academy (2011) 35-9-2
2 34 Toledo St. Francis deSales (2011) 34-4-1
34 St. Edward (2003) 34-8-2
4 33 Padua (2001) 33-4
5 32 St. Edward (2004) 32-8-2
6 31 St. Ignatius (2010) 31-7-3
31 University School (2009) 31-6-3
31 Sylvania Northview (2006) 31-4-2
9 30 St. Ignatius (2011) 30-7-0
30 St. Edward (1990) 30-1
30 Padua (1988) 30-2
30 Cleveland Heights (1986) 30-1
30 Bowling Green (1984) 30-1
30 Shaker Heights (1971-1972) 30-2-0


SWIMMING AND DIVING

St. Ignatius 95, Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep 90: The 'Cats brought home victories in the 200 MR (1:39.65); the 200 FR (1:30.35); the 400 FR (3:21.41); the 100 breast, Derek Hren (58.33); the 200 free, Andrew Libertin (1:53.64); the 200 IM, Derek Hren (2:04.46); Diving, Keith Carmichael (290.05); the 100 fly, Peter Simcox (53.53); and the 500 free, Zach Woznak (5:14.92).

WRESTLING: Coach Mark Sullivan's team defeated Chardon, 54-17, and Padua, 38-27, at Saturday's Padua Triangular.

Standout 120-pound senior George DiCamillo recorded a pin in his match against Chardon and a major decision in his match versus Padua and now has won 59 consecutive matches.

The Wildcats' other highlights against Chardon were victories by Jimmy Ferritto at 106 (6-1 decision); Tommy Zeigler at 113 (a pin); Nick Lees at 152 (a pin); Tyler Calton at 160 (a pin); and Anthony McLaughlin at 170 (5-2 decision).

Along with George's major decision against Padua, the 'Cats got a decision by Scott Chase at 182 (5-2); a decsion by Ferritto at 106 (8-2); a decision by Zeigler at 113 (8-3); a decision by McLaughlin at 170 (2-1); another pin by Lees at 152: a pin by Brett Bendokaitis at 220; and a major decision by Calton at 160.

BOWLING: The "Alley 'Cats," behind junior Andy Maykut's 268-637, defeated Lutheran West, 3072-2619, on Saturday. The Wildcats' keglers have put together seven victories from Dec. 3 through Jan. 21.