ERIC WILLIAMS, TIM MCVEY, CONOR HENNESSEY, JAKE MOONEY, TIM MCCOY, TIM SHENK AND BLAKE THOMAS FUEL THE OFFENSE, AND THE 'CATS' HEART AND SOUL - THE RELENTLESS AND PASSIONATE "D" - TAKES CONTROL OVER THE FINAL 24 MINUTES.
"IT WAS THE HEART OF SAINT IGNATIUS." - TIM MCVEY ON THE WILDCATS' STRONG FINISH.
SEE FAMILY AND OTHER STATE-CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES AFTER THE GAME STORY.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT DECEMBER 2011
CANTON, OHIO – As he was making his way through a jubilant crowd in Fawcett Stadium on Saturday night, Chuck Kyle ‘69, the man who has molded Saint Ignatius into one of the premier football programs in Ohio and the nation, said: “This is all about those kids, it really is.”
Coach Kyle was not only referring to his remarkable 2011 Wildcats, who had just wrapped up the Jesuit Preparatory School’s 11th Division I state championship by defeating Pickerington High School Central, 34-13, but also the tremendous and undying support the team has received from its fellow students and classmates.
Pointing at the stands on the press-box side of the stadium, where Saint Ignatius’ student body was celebrating with and paying homage to its champions, Kyle turned to reporters who were close by and emphasized to them that the support “has been like this all year.”
A coach who prefers not to talk about his numbers and records, at least not until his days of directing his alma mater’s football fortunes are over, Coach Kyle paid his “Eleven in ’11” Wildcats one of the highest compliments he has ever bestowed upon his team in his 29 years as Saint Ignatius’ head coach.
“I would say that I don’t know if there has been a team that improved as much as the year went by,” Kyle said.
Quite a statement from a coach who entered Saturday night’s game with an Ohio-record 10 Division I state championships, including a state best five in a row (1991-95), and three national titles (1989, ’93 and ’95). Coach Kyle will enter next season with a career mark of 290-67-1.
The 2011 Wildcats (13-2), who wrote another chapter in what is the most storied run in the 40-year history of the Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs, overcame a Week 3 loss at Mentor and a Week 9 late-turnover setback against St. Xavier at John Carroll University by running off six consecutive victories.
Those six triumphs included two victories over 2010 Division I state champ St. Edward in a span of 15 days, a Region 1 championship victory over the Mentor Cardinals and their high-scoring offense and a state semifinal triumph over a Toledo Whitmer team that was laden with major college prospects.
“This is the most amazing feeling, knowing all the time we put in,” said Saint Ignatius All-Ohio senior linebacker Rustom Khouri, who was in on eight tackles, including five solos and two for a loss. “This 15-week journey that we set out on is finally completed and we were successful. It’s amazing, incredible.”
Saint Ignatius was incredible in the early going on Saturday night as it stunned the Pickerington Central faithful by moving to a 20-0 lead with 8 minutes, 42 seconds remaining in the first half.
The ‘Cats’ defense set the tone by forcing the Tigers (11-3) to punt from their end zone.
Taking possession at the Pickerington Central 45-yard line, Saint Ignatius needed just one play to reach the Tigers’ end zone, as senior quarterback Eric Williams combined with senior wide receiver Tim McCoy on a beautifully executed touchdown strike. All-Ohio senior kicker Tim Shenk provided the extra point and Saint Ignatius led, 7-0, with 8:11 left in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats, who finished sixth in the final Associated Press Division I state poll for 2011, rode their defense and field goals of 31 and 43 yards by Shenk to a 13-0 advantage with 1:09 to go in the first quarter.
Shenk’s first field goal was set up by a fumble return by senior cornerback Adam North to the Tigers’ 22-yard line. Tim’s 43-yard effort came seven plays after Saint Ignatius, lining up to punt, was awarded a first down because Pickerington Central had too many players on the field. Shenk ended his exceptional high school football career by tying the OHSAA single-season record for field goals with 20.
The Wildcats, the top-ranked team in The Plain Dealer’s seven-county coverage area, pushed their lead to 20-0 on an impressive 7-play, 91-yard drive that featured the running of All-Ohio junior tailback Tim McVey, the scrambling of Williams and a big-time 49-yard reception down the seam by junior wide receiver/kick returner Conor Hennessey that gave Saint Ignatius a first-and-goal at the 8.
On the next play, McVey sliced and powered his way over left guard and tackle and into the end zone. Shenk’s extra point was high and true, and Pickerington Central appeared to be on its heels.
Such was not the case, however.
The Tigers, making their first appearance in the big-school title game after finishing as a Division II state runner-up in 2006, pulled themselves together and showed that just like Saint Ignatius they came through the front door in advancing to the championship game.
Under the direction of Coach Jay Sharrett, the team from the Ohio Capital Conference cut the deficit to 20-13 by halftime. Pickerington Central scored on a 15-yard pass from hard-nosed senior quarterback Nick Jensen-Clagg to senior wide receiver and Ohio State recruit Rogers Lewis with 6:47 left in the first half and the Tigers had their faithful on their feet when, on a second-and-20 from the Tigers’ 25, Jensen-Clagg hit senior wide receiver/defensive back Sebastian Smith with a little screen pass and Smith rambled down the right sideline for a 75-yard score. Pickerington Central’s second extra-point attempt was no good.
Keeping their composure and, as all of Saint Ignatius’ great teams of the past have done, making the halftime adjustments, the Wildcats played with a heart of champion in controlling the final 24 minutes.
“Pressure was a big part of it,” said Wildcats outstanding senior outside linebacker Zack Ryan of his team’s second-half dominance. Ryan finished with 10 tackles, including eight solos and five behind the line of scrimmage that resulted in minus 21 yards.
Good-natured and gifted senior James Sheehan, who combined with Khouri and Ryan in forming one of the strongest linebacker tandems in Saint Ignatius’ rich football history – a thrill-some threesome if you will – said it is hard to explain how it feels to be back on top in Division I after the ‘Cats missed the playoffs for the first time since 1987 last season.
“I remember when we were freshmen, singing the alma mater here after (the 10th state championship team of 2008) won,” Sheehan said.“We said then that we were going to come back here as seniors and win one ourselves.”
Sheehan emphasized that Saint Ignatius’ endurance played a major role, especially in the second half.
“We said this was going to be the last 48 minutes for many of us, so we just delivered.”
And the delivery came hard and fast over the third and fourth quarters, as the Wildcats regained control behind a caused fumble by All-Ohio junior defensive end Kevin Kavalec and the ensuing recovery by junior safety Zach Baker, a clutch 18-yard reception by Hennessey off a third-and-15 from the Pickerington Central 33, a 1-yard touchdown run by McVey, a key fourth-down stop by senior defensive end Mike Ryan, a textbook interception by junior corner Tommy Fanning and a picture-perfect 40-yard touchdown pass from Williams to sure-handed senior wideout Jake Mooney that came with 3:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Williams-to-Mooney sealer, which resulted from play action, was called from the press box by wily offensive coordinator Nick Restifo.
McVey finished with 107 yards on 24 carries and is now fifth on Saint Ignatius’ all-time single-season rushing list with 1,304 yards. Mooney hauled in seven passes for 79 yards and his 56 receptions this fall are the third-best all time for a single season at Saint Ignatius.
Williams completed 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards and his two TD tosses gave him 23 for the season, which places him in a tie for sixth place all time with Sean Grady ’95.
Hennessey totaled 135 all-purpose yards, including four receptions for 103 yards, and senior tight end and Ohio State recruit Blake Thomas grabbed four of Williams’ passes for 47 yards and did his usual rock-solid job of run blocking.
Along with the relentless defensive play by Zack Ryan, the Wildcats got a forced fumble and 10 tackles, including six solos, a sack and three others that resulted in a loss, from All-Ohio senior strong safety Mike Svetina and eight solo tackles, one which resulted in a 5-yard loss, from senior free safety Chad Aerni. Saint Ignatius limited the Tigers to 22 yards rushing.
“We were playing for ourselves, we knew what we were capable of,” said McCoy, who combined with Mooney for 17 touchdown receptions this fall, including 11 by Mooney.
THE HENNESSEYS, RYANS AND MCVEYS ARE CELEBRATING THREE OR MORE
The Hennesseys: Conor now joins his brothers, Rory (in 1999) and Seamus (in 2008), as state football champions. We’re going to make it five total state championships for the Hennesseys, as Rory gets another football title as an assistant coach for the Wildcats this season and he was also a standout power forward on Saint Ignatius’ only state-championship basketball team of March 2001.
*Junior wide receivers Dan Ward and Ryan Spicer join their dads, Dan and Ryan, as state football champions (see the corner’s story that was posted Friday night).
Tim and Matt McVey ‘14 join older brother and two-time All-Ohio middle linebacker Scott McVey ’10, who was a stalwart on the ‘Cats’ 2008 state championship team.
Zack Ryan now joins his brothers, Connor (now playing for Ball State) and Jake (currently a defensive mainstay for Michigan), as a state football champion. Connor and Jake played on the ’08 team. Adding to the Ryan legacy is the fact that Wildcats starting senior defensive end Mike Ryan is Zack’s cousin.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Conor Hennessey of his family’s tradition at Saint Ignatius. “Everyone thinks it’s expected, but it’s not. You have to go out and work for it. We start lifting in two weeks. We’re working for it (another Hennessey title in 2012).”
“It means the world,” said Tim McVey. “Especially since my older brother has it (a state title) and my little brother is on the team, too.”
Tim said Scott sent him a text on Saturday that said: “You know what you got to do. Now get it done.”
“That’s all I wanted, all I wanted!” – Zack Ryan on joining his older brothers as state champions and doing it while teaming with his cousin, Mike.
*DECEMBER MAGIC: Coach Kyle is now 10-0 while coaching in the month of December, not 11-0 as many assume.
The Wildcats' 1989 state-championship game victory over Cincinnati Moeller was played on Nov. 26 and the 'Cats' 2008 state-championship game triumph over Cincinnati Elder was played on Nov. 29.
Here is a look at Coach Kyle's 10-0 December breakdown: Dec 4, 1988; Dec. 1, 1991; Dec. 5, 1992; Dec. 4 (state semifinal) and Dec. 11 (state final),1993; Dec. 3, 1994; Dec. 2, 1995; Dec. 4, 1999; Dec. 1, 2001; Dec. 3, 2011.
RIGHT AT HOME: The Wildcats are 6-0 in state championship games played in Fawcett Stadium.
A FALL TO RECALL: The football team joins the soccer team as a state champion this fall, the cross country team finished second in the state and standout senior golfer Beau Titsworth was the Division I co-medalist in Ohio.