CATS START FAST AND GO ON TO DOMINATE A GAME THEY HAD TO HAVE.
DAVID JOSEPH, MATT HOYER AND DAN GRACE SET THE TEMPO EARLY, AND SOPHOMOIRE TIM MCVEY SENDS THE RED RAIDERS HOME SHAKING THEIR COLLECTIVE HEADS.
POSTED ON 10/16/10 AT 11:50 P.M.
By Eddie Dwyer
Copyright, Oct. 2010
Saint Ignatius' gritty and gifted senior wide receiver/kick returner David Joseph said he “thrives on these type of games,” games he and his teammates must have if their playoff aspirations are to become a reality.
Saturday night on Parma's Byers Field in Robert M. Boulton Stadium, Joseph helped the Wildcats take the first of three steps by igniting the early offensive fire that led to a 47-7 victory over St. Francis High School from Athol Springs, New York.
Now step two and step three await the 'Cats, and Joseph and Co. fully understand that it is going to take a much bigger effort to cover that space.
“It's huge, all of the hype is amazing,” Joseph said of next Saturday's trip to Cincinnati for a 2 p.m. matchup with the Bombers of St. Xavier and the Oct. 30th regular-season finale on Byers Field against undefeated and nationally ranked St. Edward.
“Once you get to the game, it's who wants it more,” Joseph continued. “I love being the underdog and proving people wrong. As Fr. (Jack) Murphy said in Mass, I think we've turned the corner. We're really coming together and we're going to bring it these last two games.”
The Wildcats (4-4) brought it in a hurry against the Red Raiders (2-5) on Saturday night, scoring 20 points in the first 12 minutes.
Joseph combined with junior quarterback Matt Hoyer on a 15-yard scoring play, junior tailback Dan Grace scored on a 28-yard run over the left side and it was Hoyer-to-Joseph again, this time a 39-yard fly pattern.
In playing a little more than two quarters, Hoyer completed 7 of 9 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns, Grace rushed for 66 yards and two scores, and the quick and elusive Joseph complemented his TD receptions with three punt returns that totaled 103 yards and gave Coach Chuck Kyle's team excellent field position in the early going.
Sophomore safety/running back Tim McVey flashed his promising credentials early and often by coming up with a sack and, on the next play, bursting through the line of defense, blocking a punt and scooping up the ball for a 5-yard touchdown return.
After tall and talented junior tight end Blake Thomas hooked up with Hoyer on a 21-yard score off a flag route, Saint Ignatius led, 34-0, at halftime.
“It's a huge confidence builder,” said Hoyer of the Wildcats' second consecutive victory. “Xavier and Eds are going to be tough. We have no choice but to play to the best of our ability.”
Saint Ignatius closed out its offensive barrage with a 2-yard scoring run by Grace in the third quarter and a 55-yard touchdown by McVey in the fourth quarter, a play that saw the brother of Saint Ignatius two-time All-Ohio linebacker Scott McVey '10 power up the middle, break a tackle, elude another would-be defender and turn on the jets.
“Timmy has excellent speed and he's a tough kid,” said Coach Kyle '69. “The upperclassmen respect him quite a bit.”
Among the 'Cats' other highlights were a key first-half interception by senior cornerback R.J. Previts and a second-effort 73-yard catch and run by senior tailback Anthony Mascia off a screen pass from Hoyer.
Coach Kyle, the man who has set the bar in terms of postseason success in Ohio (10 Division I state championships and 22 consecutive big-school playoff appearances), appreciates the challenges that await his young Wildcats.
“We knew we had to work on improving and the past couple of weeks I think we have," said Saint Ignatius' 28-year head coach. “But we'll find out how much we've improved the next two weeks.
“Xavier and Eds, those are two great programs."