COACH O'ROURKE'S MEN OF ICE SETTLE THE ISSUE BY SCORING FIVE GOALS IN THE FIRST SIX MINUTES AND 42 SECONDS OF THE THIRD PERIOD. THE WILDCATS WILL HEAD TO THE MEADVILLE (PA.) TOURNAMENT WITH A RECORD OF 23-0.
****NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED GEORGE DICAMILLO WINS THE 120-POUND CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE TOOL CITY TOURNAMENT (SEE AFTER HOCKEY STORY).
BEHIND 20 POINTS BY SOPHOMORE WING KYLE BERGER AND 10 POINTS EACH BY 6-6 SOPHOMORE POST ERIC BLACK AND SOPHOMORE FORWARD DAMEON WILLIS JR., SAINT IGNATIUS' JUNIOR-VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATED ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY'S JAYVEES, 59-51, AT SVSM ON SATURDAY AND IMPROVED TO 5-1 ON THE SEASON. NOTE: THE WILDCATS' VARSITY TEAM WILL FACE SIX-TIME STATE CHAMPION ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY TODAY (SUNDAY) AT BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE'S URSPRUNG GYMNASIUM. THE TIP OFF IS SCHEDULED FOR 3:30 P.M.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT JANUARY 2012
Saint Ignatius’ head coach Pat O’Rourke ’90 realizes how important any game in the demanding Red North Division of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League is.
And Coach O’Rourke certainly appreciated his team’s impressive effort in last evening's first-place matchup with University School on the ice in Brooklyn’s John M. Coyne Recreation Center. Especially when you consider the Wildcats were coming off a demanding two-goal victory over staunch rival St. Edward in Progressive Field on Thursday night.
However, like this corner, Coach O’Rourke has tremendous respect for University School and its veteran head coach Bill Beard, and realizes that when the ‘Cats and the Preppers meet again on Feb. 3 at The Pond it most likely will be a much different game.
Saint Ignatius, which usually plays down-to-the-wire thrillers against the Preppers, was outstanding in all phases of the game on Saturday night, as the Wildcats stormed the goal for a 9-2 victory.
Taking a 2-0 lead in the first period and holding a three-goal advantage after the first 30 minutes, Saint Ignatius left no doubt by scoring five goals in the first six minutes and 42 seconds of the third period.
The Wildcats, who have won 84 games in the past two-plus seasons, including a 23-0 mark this winter, will now focus on semester exams and return to game action on Jan. 13-15 in the Meadville Tournament in Pennsylvania. The ‘Cats currently stand alone in first place in the Red North Division at 7-0.
University School, which was coming off Friday’s 3-0 league victory over rival Shaker Heights, stands 13-5-2 overall and 6-1 in the Red North.
“They were missing their best player and captain in Matt Wipper (ill),” said Coach O’Rourke of the Preppers’ leading scorer. “They worked very hard and they have other guys who can do the job, but it’s like if were missing Paddy (Spellacy) or Miles (McQuinn), it would probably be a different story. So I don’t know what to make of the game, to be honest with you.
“We did what we had to do,” Coach O’Rourke continued. “Sometimes when you know the other team’s best guy is out, you have a letdown. And we certainly didn’t do that. It’s a big two points in the division, that’s for sure. But you feel a little bit empty because they were missing their man guy.”
Saint Ignatius, which outshot University School, 40-18, took a 1-0 lead when Spellacy, the ‘Cats’ standout senior center, took a perfect lead pass from McQuinn (O’Rourke’s talented junior wing/center), skated with authority and skill down the ice and fired a blazing bullet that the goalie was unable to react to.
A minute and 44 seconds later, reliable and underrated senior forward Colton Riemenschneider made it 2-0 when he drove the puck top shelf into the net.
University School, a team laden with underclassmen, got some outstanding saves in the second period from its promising young goalie Andrew Megerian.
However, Saint Ignatius kept knocking on the door and senior forward Taylor Wolf’s 20-foot ice-raising blur went past Megerian’s stick side for a 3-0 lead at 10:09 of the second period.
With Megerian continuing to keep the Preppers in striking distance, US’s Tyler Dalton scored the first of his two goals and it was like, OK, here goes another wild finish to what has become one of the classiest rivalries in the state.
Sorry, but somebody must have forgotten to give Wildcats gifted senior forward Liam Geither and McQuinn a copy of the script.
Geither, just seven seconds after the University School faithful were heard from, took a McQuinn assist and went top side for his team-leading 37th lamp lighter of the season.
After a diving save in front of his goal by Wildcats senior keeper Matt Kovesdy, Saint Ignatius took a 4-1 lead into the final 15 minutes.
It was at that point “The Big Barn on Memphis” started rocking with white, blue and gold thunder.
“It’s been a magical season for us,” said McQuinn of the Wildcats’ ability to respond in tight situations and pull away.
Following the responses by Geither and Kovesdy, McQuinn fueled one of the most resounding game-over flurries in Saint Ignatius’ hockey history.
McQuinn, who finished with a goal and four assists, went stick side off a helper from Wolf and 11 seconds later, Geither talled No. 38 off assists from McQuinn and senior defender Andrew Steed.
A picture-perfect, top-shelf back-hander by senior forward Eamonn Walsh made the score 7-1 and, after Dalton scored his second goal for the Preppers, Spellacy took a Riemenschneider assist and slammed home his 22nd goal of the season from up top.
Multi-skilled senior wing Mike Abood, who is having an outstanding all-around season, capped the five goals in six-plus minutes barrage by slapping the puck home off a Steed assist at the 8:18 mark of the third period.
Despite having a couple of 5-3 man advantages over the final eight minutes, Saint Ignatius was content and classy in controlling the puck and taking time off the clock.
****GEORGE DICAMILLO DISPLAYS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP STYLE IN WINNING THE 120-POUND TITLE AT THE TOOL CITY TOURNAMENT IN MEADVILLE, PA.
*AND CONGRATULATIONS TO JIMMY FERRITTO (106), NICK LEES (52) AND ANTHONY MCLAUGHLIN (170) FOR ADVANCING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS AND HELPING THE WILDCATS FINISH SEVENTH IN THE TEAM STANDINGS WITH 113.5 POINTS. JIMMY AND ANTHONY WON THEIR THIRD-PLACE FINALS MATCHES.
AS THE CORNER REPORTED IN SATURDAY’S EARLIER UPDATE ON GEORGE’S PROGRESS, HE ENTERED THE TOOL CITY EVENT RANKED AS THE TOP 120-POUNDER IN THE NATION BY THE AMATEUR WRESTLING NEWS.
A VIRGINIA CAVALIER RECRUIT, GEORGE WENT 4-0 IN THE EVENT, WITH TWO PINS AND TWO TECHNICAL FALLS, INCLUDING A PIN OVER GRANT BOND OF BOILING SPRINGS IN 4:47 OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH.
GEORGE RETURNS TO OHIO WITH A 57-MATCH WINNING STREAK.