JUST A REMINDER THAT COACH MIKE MCLAUGHLIN'S DEFENDING DIVISION I STATE CHAMPION SOCCER TEAM WILL FACE THE POLAR BEARS FROM MASSILLON JACKSON IN A REGIONAL-SEMIFINAL MATCH UP ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT RAVENNA. THEY WILL START KICKING IT AROUND AT 7 P.M., SO GET OUT THERE TO PORTAGE COUNTY AND GIVE THE SOCCER 'CATS THE SAME OUTSTANDING STUDENT BODY SUPPORT THE JV AND VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAMS RECEVIED THIS PAST WEEKEND.

COACH MCLAUGHLIN'S TEAM IS NO STRANGER TO THE POLAR BEARS, AS THE WILDCATS DEFEATED JACKSON, 2-0, IN A REGULAR SEASON GAME AT WASMER FIELD ON SEPT. 24. LAST FALL, EN ROUTE TO A 23-0 STATE AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, SAINT IGNATIUS DEFEATED THE POLAR BEARS TWICE - A 2-1 REGULAR SEASON THRILLER IN MASSILLON AND A 4-0 REGIONAL FINAL VICTORY AT ROCKY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.

AS WE REPORTED ON THE CORNER SATURDAY NIGHT, COACH CHUCK KYLE'S VARSITY FOOTBALL WILDCATS WILL BE MAKING THEIR 23RD APPEARANCE IN THE OHSAA DIVISION I PLAYOFFS WHEN THEY FACE THE SPARTANS FROM BOARDMAN IN A REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL ON SATURDAY NIGHT AT PARMA'S BYERS FIELD. THE KICKOFF WILL BE 7 P.M.

THE WILDCATS AND THE SPARTANS ALSO MET IN A REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL IN 2009 AT BYERS FIELD, WITH SAINT IGNATIUS PREVAILING, 17-0, AND THE TWO SCHOOLS HELPED KICK OFF THE RETURN OF THE "CHARITY GAME" WHEN THEY MET IN BYERS FIELD ON SEPT. 3, 2005. THE 'CATS WON, 32-0.

*VETERAN WILDCATS FANS WILL RECALL THAT ON SEPT. 30, 1994, BOARDMAN, BEHIND TWO SECOND-HALF TOUCHDOWNS BY FULLBACK JIM TRACY, INCLUDING A 71-YARD GALLOP, RALLIED TO AN 18-14 VICTORY IN BOARDMAN AND SNAPPED WHAT WAS A 38-GAME WINNING STREAK BY SAINT IGNATIUS.

THE CORNER WILL BE JOINING THE SOCCER TEAM ON ITS TRIP TO RAVENNA ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND WILL POST A PREVIEW ON THE SAINT IGNATIUS-BOARDMAN PLAYOFF GAME ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN. GRANDPA DWYER WILL BE SPENDING IT WITH HIS FOUR WONDERFUL GRANDCHILDREN - CAITLIN PATTON (10), CONNOR MURPHY (2 IN DECEMBER) AND PAYTON (1 YEAR, 3 MONTHS) AND RYAN JURCAK (1 MONTH, 12 DAYS).