THE WILDCATS' DEFENSE STEPS UP AND PUTS FORTH A SOLID “GROUP EFFORT.”

DAN GRACE AND TIM MCVEY FILL THEIR ROLES ADMIRABLY ON OFFENSE, AS THEY COMPLEMENT A MATT HOYER-LED PASSING ATTACK.

STORY POSTED ON 9/4/10 AT 2:14 A.M.

By Eddie Dwyer
Copyright, Sept. 2010

Saint Ignatius' outstanding junior safety Mike Svetina will be the first to tell you that the Wildcats' defense had plenty of work to do after the disappointing opening-night loss to Lake Catholic.

That extra time on the practice field this week came to the fore on Friday night, as Saint Ignatius' first-team units, behind what their coaching staff described as a group effort, kept the Bedford Bearcats in check and the 'Cats went on to a 36-17 victory in atmosphere-rich Bearcat Stadium.

The Wildcats, ranked eighth in this week's Plain Dealer Top 25 poll, will take a record of 1-1 into next Friday night's showdown with the Golden Gales of Lancaster (2-0) in Lancaster's Fulton Field. The 7:30 kickoff will mark the first matchup in football between the 'Cats and the Golden Gales.

“You have to give all of the credit in the world to the front six, that's where it starts,” said Svetina of Saint Ignatius' defensive front. "This feels real good, coming out and making a statement on defense. It is a good building block for the rest of the year.

“It was like, let's wake up and start playing. And that's what we did.”

As far as Bedford was concerned, it was a rude awakening.

Winning the battle of field position by keeping the Bearcats pinned deep in their territory, the Wildcats rolled up 271 of their 324 total yards in the first half.

Junior Tim Shenk got the offense started with an impressive 42-yard field goal and Saint Ignatius, on the strength of a perfectly executed touchdown off a 35-yard screen pass from junior quarterback Matt Hoyer to junior tailback Dan Grace, took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as the Wildcats capped a 10-play, 73-yard drive with a 7-yard TD strike from Hoyer to gifted senior wideout David Joseph and Shenk's second extra point. In racking up his third touchdown of the young season, Joseph made a running catch in the left corner of the end zone and, knowing where he was on the field, alertly dragged his feet in bounds.

The Hoyer to Joseph six-pointer was set up by a 41-yard pass from Hoyer to talented junior tight end Blake Thomas, which came off a third-and-10 from midfield.

Saint Ignatius' first-team defense, rising to the occasion all night, set up the next score on an interception by junior corner back Dan Jones off a tipped pass by junior linebacker James Sheehan.

Following a key reception by senior wide receiver Evan Latsko, sophomore tailback/safety Tim McVey burst through a hole over the right side and went 14 yards into the end zone. Shenk's extra-point kick was high and true, and the Wildcats led, 24-0, with 1 minute, 12 seconds remaining in the first half.

Saint Ignatius left no doubt in the third quarter, scoring on a safety, a 22-yard field goal by Shenk and a 3-yard, second- and third-effort touchdown run by McVey that saw his entire offensive line escort him into the end zone. It was McVey's third TD of the season.

“Both of us want to play and when we need to, we step up,” said McVey of the efforts he and Grace put forth while filling in for All-Ohio senior tailback Bobby Grebenc (sprained ankle). “I feel I bring as much as I can to every game. Offense or defense, any way I can get on the field.”

For the night, McVey rushed for 72 yards on eight carries and Grace carried the pigskin 17 times for 64 yards. Hoyer completed 11 of 20 passes for 171 yards and was selected as the "Ganley Man Star of the Game" by Time Warner Cable of Northeast Ohio.

With coach Chuck Kyle '69 going to his second and third units in the fourth quarter, Bedford (0-2) scored 17 points in the final six minutes.

After Wildcats senior linebacker Max Bova intercepted a pass deep in Saint Ignatius territory, the Bearcats came back with two late touchdown passes from junior quarterback Devin Davis – 36 yards to senior Kirk Gillispie and 5 yards to senior L.J. Chambers. Chambers also caught a 2-point conversion pass following his touchdown reception.

“Bedford came out with no-back, quads, all sorts of different wild formations,” Coach Kyle said, just before he turned his attention to Saturday's wedding of his daughter Maureen. “The kids adjusted, stopped them, we got the ball, had a little drive and kicked a field goal. You know, just get points, keep going, stay positive. And then the defense had time to do a couple of other adjustments, and I think that was about it.

“We just thought Bob (Grebenc) should take a little break,” Kyle continued. “He'll be fine. And those two kids (Grace and McVey) ran very well. At halftime we were in pretty good shape, and we just wanted to keep the clock rolling.”




A WEEKEND TO CHERISH

When Chuck Kyle looks back on his marvelous coaching career at Saint Ignatius, he is sure to recall Labor Day Weekend 2010. And for much more than just football.

After guiding his Wildcats to the victory at Bedford's Bearcat Stadium on Friday night, Coach Kyle got a little rest and prepared for Saturday's wedding of his daughter, Maureen.

Maureen is an outstanding reporter and midday anchor for Channel 3 News Today and her husband, Mark McDougall, is a lawyer who grew up in Shelby, Ohio. Mark earned an engineering degree at The Ohio State University and received his law degree from Case Western University.

“The wedding was at St. Paul's Shrine on East 40th and Euclid, a beautiful, old church. Quaint for a wedding,” Chuck said. “So it was very nice.

“We had the reception at the State Theater, that is where they met, the symbolism of that. They are in Rome as we speak. She already called me talking about the Parthenon.”

Always a special husband and father first, and a great teacher and coach second.