THE WILDCATS AND THE SPARTANS WILL BE MEETING FOR THE 19TH TIME, AS THEY SQUARE OFF IN A DIVISION I REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL ON SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7 IN PARMA'S BYERS FIELD.
TRI-CHAMPION OF THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FEDERAL LEAGUE, A RESILIENT BOARDMAN TEAM QUALIFIED FOR THE PLAYOFFS AFTER A ROCKY START TO THE 2011 SEASON.
AIR WAVES: SAINT IGNATIUS' BROADCASTING NETWORK WILL BRING YOU LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO COVERAGE OF SATURDAY'S GAME WITH JOHN FANTA '13 AND GREG ZITON '13 DESCRIBING WHAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEST 2 VS. 7 MATCH UP IN THE STATE. ED DAUGHERTY AND MIKE GIBBONS WILL PROVIDE LIVE RADIO COVERAGE OVER WHK- AM 1420 BEGINNING WITH THE PRE-GAME AT 6:45 P.M., AND NEON OF TIME WARNER CABLE WILL BE TELEVISING THE GAME ON A TAPE-DELAYED BASIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT 11 P.M. AL PAWLOWSKI, THE FORMER PLAY-BY-PLAY RADIO VOICE OF SAINT IGNATIUS FOOTBALL, AND PATRICK PIERSON, THE PREMIER TELEVISION COLOR MAN FOR AREA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, WILL CALL IT AS THEY SEE IT FOR NEON OF TIME WARNER.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT NOVEMBER 2011
As Tuesday afternoon's practice was increasing in intensity, Saint Ignatius head football coach Chuck Kyle '69 talked about the Steel-Valley mentality of Boardman football and how much the Spartans and their faithful love the game.
Does that sound like a program you're familiar with on West 30th and Lorain Avenue?
The Wildcats (8-2) and the Spartans (7-3), teams that understand the importance of establishing pride and tradition the right way, will be meeting in a Division I regional quarterfinal for the second time in three seasons on Saturday night at 7 in Parma's Byers Field.
Saint Ignatius, making its 23rd playoff appearance in 24 seasons, defeated Boardman, 17-0, in a 2009 regional quarterfinal at Byers Field. The Spartans, who have qualified for the OHSAA postseason for the eighth time, trail their all-time series with the Wildcats, 15-3.
One of Boardman's three victories against Saint Ignatius came in a regular-season match up in 1994 – an 18-14 triumph in Spartan Stadium that saw a 38-game winning streak by the Wildcats come to an end.
Now in his 29th season as the head varsity coach at his alma mater, Kyle has led his teams to three national titles, 13 regional championships, a state-record 10 Division I state championships, including an Ohio-best five in a row (1991-1995) and winning streaks of 39, 38 and 25 (twice) games.
Coach Kyle emphasized that Coach Mark D'Eramo's Spartans come at you with more of a balanced attack than those Boardman teams of the 1990s that almost exclusively featured the Wing-T.
Oh Boardman still enjoys running the ball, as evident by last week's 14-0 playoff-clinching victory over Austintown Fitch. Behind 136 yards on 17 carries by senior Devin Campbell, the Spartans out-rushed the Falcons, 248-8.
However, with skilled performers such as senior wide receiver/defensive back Dayne Hammond, a player who caught the keen eye of Coach Kyle, the Spartans are throwing the ball a lot more this season and have the capability to spread out the opposing defense.
"Their skilled kids have quickness," Coach Kyle said. "They upset Canton GlenOak and I mean GlenOak is 9-1."
After starting its season with losses to Benedictine, 31-30, and Cardinal Mooney, 27-20, Boardman ran off six consecutive victories, including the 17-14 triumph over a team some state-wide experts have predicted to be in the big-school state championship game – GlenOak. Doesn't sound like a 2 versus 7 Region 1 match up, does it?
The Spartans did run into a road block in Week 9 against Canton McKinley, as Sa'von Pittman and Co. laid a 41-20 loss on Coach D'Eramo's team.
But Boardman regrouped and, along with a playoff spot, wrapped up a share of its first Federal League championship by shutting down Fitch.
And if there's one thing that hasn't changed in the Spartans' approach, it's the fly to the ball and hit you so you'll remember it mentality on defense. Just ask Fitch.
"Defensively, they'll give you an 8-man front, so we'll spread them out and see how they'll handle that," Coach Kyle said. "They'll blitz from the inside and the outside. So we have to be aware of that blitz, because if we do it right, there's things that could open up for us.
"You live by the sword, you die by the sword. There could be some windows open. But they want to play aggressive football, they don't stand back."
Saint Ignatius, which is ranked sixth in Ohio by the Associated Press and No. 1 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, also features a defense that can come at you and, at the same time, out-quick you.
Leading the way up front is junior end Kevin Kavalec (33 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks), senior middle linebacker Rustom Khouri (94 tackles, 26 for a loss and 8 sacks) and senior outside linebacker Zack Ryan (91 tackles, 21 for a loss and 4 sacks). The Wildcats' secondary is keyed by one of the premier players in Ohio – senior strong safety and Miami of Ohio recruit Mike Svetina (82 tackles, 18 for a loss and 4 sacks).
Offensively, Saint Ignatius will attack Boardman with the strong arm and scrambling ability of senior quarterback Eric Williams and the receiving of senior wideouts Tim McCoy and Jake Mooney, junior wideout Conor Hennessey and 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior tight end Blake Thomas, an Ohio State recruit.
Mooney enters Saturday's game with 33 receptions for 723 yards and nine touchdowns. The 'Cats' passing game is complemented by junior tailback/kick returner Tim McVey, who is averaging 91 yards rushing a game, has scored 14 touchdowns ( 2 on kickoff returns) and has 1,319 all-purpose yards.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FROM THE ST. EDWARD GAME
Eric Williams: Completed 16 of 28 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown and scrambled for several key yards in the 20-17 victory.
Kevin Kavalec: Made 10 tackles, including seven solos, six tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Zack Ryan: Had 13 tackles, including nine solos, four tackles for a loss and a sack.
Rustom Khouri: Made 12 tackles, including three for a loss, forced a fumble and had a key pass deflection.
Mike Svetina: Had 10 tackles, including six solos, four for a loss and two sacks.
Chad Aerni: Totaled 12 tackles, including five solos and one for a loss.
Adam North: Made seven tackles and came up with a huge second-half interception that led to a touchdown.
TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY: Not only are some of the junior-varsity players called up to the varsity at this time of the year, but other sophomores also hold on to their jayvee uniforms and help out in practice any way they can.
But rarely, if ever, do you see a freshman player on Wasmer Field in early November soaking up every experience that comes his way.
Such is the case with ninth-grade nose tackle/defensive end Michael Penn.
"He helped us (the freshman team) not only on defense, but when there were injuries on the offensive line he stepped in at left tackle," said Wildcats freshman line coach Jack Duffy '09, a member of Saint Ignatius' 10th state championship team of 2008.
"Michael has a great future, not only with the football program, but also the wrestling program. He's a name people will remember."
On Monday, the first practice for the Boardman playoff game, Penn approached Coach Kyle and asked if he could help out with the scout team. And there he was on Tuesday, taking part in drills with some of the top players on the varsity.
"It just proved again that he has the makings of a special player," Coach Duffy said. "He was a captain on the freshman team, so he's got that certain aspect about him. It's a cool thing. He gets a head start on next year's activities."