SAINT IGNATIUS (7-2) VERSUS ST. EDWARD (7-2)
THE WILDCATS AND THE EAGLES WILL MEET FOR THE 48TH TIME ON SATURDAY NIGHT IN LAKEWOOD STADIUM.
THE KICKOFF WILL BE 7 P.M.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: 25-21-1 IN FAVOR OF SAINT IGNATIUS. ST. EDWARD SNAPPED A FOUR-GAME LOSING STREAK TO SAINT IGNATIUS BY DEFEATING THE WILDCATS, 33-10, LAST SEASON.
BOTH TEAMS ARE HEADED FOR THE OHSAA POSTSEASON PLAYOFFS AND THE WINNER IS ASSURED OF A HOME GAME IN THE FIRST ROUND.
GREATEST GAME IN THE SERIES: WITHOUT QUESTION, SAINT IGNATIUS’ 35-34 TRIPLE-OVERTIME VICTORY IN 1993 AT LAKEWOOD STADIUM.
AIR AND WEB WAVES: JOHN FANTA ’13 AND GREG ZITON ’13 WILL PROVIDE LIVE AUDIO COVERAGE OVER THE SAINT IGNATIUS BROADCASTING NETWORK, AS THEY GIVE YOU PLENTY OF TRICKS AND TREATS FROM THE "MADHOUSE ON MADISON." AND ED DAUGHERTY AND MIKE GIBBONS WILL CALL IT AS THEY SEE IT LIVE OVER WHKW-AM 1220.
SPORTSTIME OHIO WIL BE TELEVISING THE GAME ON A TAPE DELAYED BASIS AT 11 P.M.
NOTE: THERE COULD BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT DURING THE TELECAST CONCERNING A POSSIBLE MATCH UP IN HOCKEY AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD BETWEEN ST. EDWARD AND SAINT IGNATIUS. THE CORNER REPORTED ON THIS STRONG POSSIBILITY BACK IN EARLY AUGUST. WILDCATS HOCKEY COACH PAT O'ROURKE SAID THE 'CATS' ICERS COULD BE PLAYING AS MANY AS FOUR GAMES AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD THIS COMING SEASON, AS THERE IS ALSO DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ANNUAL GILMOUR TOURNAMENT BEING MOVED TO CARNEGIE AND ONTARIO.
SIZE IS THE OPERATIVE WORD WHEN DISCUSSING THE EAGLES.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT OCTOBER 2011
As his Wildcats were going through an all-business-like practice on Tuesday afternoon, a serious work day if you will, Saint Ignatius head football coach Chuck Kyle described the defending Division I state champion St. Edward Eagles.
“St. Eds certainly has a talented football team,” said Coach Kyle, as he was preparing his Wildcats for Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Eagles. “You start with their lines. They’re big, as they were last year.
“There’s the Cleveland Browns and the next biggest line in Cleveland could be St. Eds’ line,” Coach Kyle continued. “They can move people and that’s the concern coming into this game - are they going to control the football and negate our speed on defense? And field position. In a game like this, that’s always going to be a crucial factor.”
Showing the way up front for the Eagles are two of the premier offensive linemen in Ohio – senior guard Tyler Orlosky (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) and senior tackle Kyle Kalis (6-6, 306). Orlosky, who has committed to West Virginia, and Kalis, who is bound for Michigan, are complemented by senior tight end Sam Grant (6-6, 240), a Boston College recruit.
Anchoring Coach Rick Finotti’s defensive front are senior tackle Greg Kuhar (6-3, 280) and senior end Darryl Render (6-3, 250). Kuhar, who is also an outstanding wrestler, has committed to Northwestern and Render has said yes to the University of Pittsburgh. Veteran linebacker Sam Martello, a four-year grade school teammate of Saint Ignatius’ standout senior tight end and Ohio State recruit Blake Thomas, cleans up in the middle.
“Their speed on offense is pretty impressive,” Kyle said of the area’s second-ranked team and the seventh-ranked program in the Associated Press Division I state poll. Saint Ignatius enters Saturday night’s game ranked third in the area by The Plain Dealer and 10th in Ohio by the AP.
St. Edward’s speed is fueled by junior wide receiver/slot Anthony Young, one of the premier sprinters in Ohio, and senior wide receiver Quincy Jones (6-2, 200). The Eagles’ running game is keyed by tailback Dwayne Aaron and directing the offense is junior quarterback Ryan Fallon.
In the Eagles’ 42-27 victory over highly regarded Archbishop Moeller last weekend, Fallon completed 18 of 23 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns. Three of his TD tosses went to Jones.
“Against Moeller, their receivers took a step up,” Coach Kyle said. “They just outran Moeller’s secondary. And that was the difference in the game. St. Eds would get their running game going a little bit and then hit Moeller with a big pass play.”
As Coach Kyle emphasized, the Wildcats are playing well on defense, but they have to focus on the big play. In both the 21-20 overtime victory at St. Francis on Oct. 15 and last weekend’s 14-12 loss to St. Xavier, one big play was really all the ‘Cats surrendered. Other than that, Saint Ignatius’ defense has been solid.
“Our kicking game is very good, and that’s always a factor in this series,” Kyle said. “I just hope defensively that we can negate their size with our speed. That’s the key.”
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK FROM THE ST. XAVIER GAME
SENIOR LINEBACKER RUSTOM KHOURI: 18 tackles, including nine solos, four tackles for a loss and two sacks.
SENIOR LINEBACKER JAMES SHEEHAN: 11 tackles, including nine solos, three tackles for a loss and a sack.
JUNIOR DEFENSIVE END KEVIN KAVALEC: 9 tackles, including seven solos, five tackles for a loss and two sacks.
THE FRIENDLY SKIES OF WASMER FIELD: During Tuesday's practice, an airplane flew over and circled Wasmer Field several times. Attached to the plane was a sign that read: "Go Cats - Beat Eds!" The pilot and the sign drew an ovation from several of the Wildcats.