By Mr. Eddie Dwyer. Copyright Credit August/September 2016
Cleveland, Ohio - In what is one of the premier Catholic School versus Public School football rivalries in the nation, Coach Steve Trivisonno's Mentor Cardinals and Coach Chuck Kyle's Saint Ignatius Wildcats will meet in another early season headliner that, in all likelihood, will bring a nice chunk of Division I OHSAA computer playoff points to the winner.
Saint Ignatius will host Mentor on Saturday night at Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium. The kickoff from Ridge Road and Day Drive will be 7 PM.
The 'Cats and the Cardinals, ranked 21st and ninth, respectively, in cleveland.com's preseason state/area poll, opened their promising seasons with solid victories last weekend.
Saint Ignatius, going to its bench early and often, wore down the Normandy Invaders, 45-0, at Byers Field and Mentor rode a five-touchdown performance by tailback Isaiah Gullick to a 57-31 triumph over the Massillon Tigers in the Cardinals' Jerome T.Osborne Sr. Stadium.
The Wildcats lead the all-time gridiron series with the Cardinals, 11-8, but will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Mentor on Saturday night, including last season's 63-56 offensive shootout in Osborne Sr. Stadium.
The corner will be previewing on Wednesday night what should be another memorable Saint Ignatius-Mentor Varsity encounter.
It is a full weekend of Saint Ignatius versus Mentor Football as Coach Paul Yappel's 1-0 Junior Varsity 'Cats are traveling to Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium on Friday evening for a 5 PM kickoff with Mentor's Jayvees and Coach Rodney Gallaway's 1-0 Freshmen 'Cats are hosting Mentor's Freshmen on Friday evening at 5 PM.
Getting the Labor Day Weekend started will be none other than the state and nationally acclaimed Varsity Soccer 'Cats, who host the Solon Comets on Thursday at 8 PM on Cleveland State University's storied Krenzler Field, now the home of former Wildcat soccer great Lawrence Karpeh '16. This old-timer was privileged to cover the Varsity Soccer 'Cats for the first time in an OHSAA playoff match on Krenzler Field. That was more than a few years ago, I have to confess.
The matchup with the Varsity side from Solon with be preceded by a 6 PM Junior Varsity encounter with the Comets. Saint Ignatius' 3-0 Varsity program and 4-0 Junior Varsity program are coming off impressive and hard-earned championships in this past weekend's annual Ohio Jesuit Cup on the pitch at Walsh Jesuit High School.
Coach Mike McLaughlin's two-time defending and record seven-time OHSAA state champions brought home their eighth Ohio Jesuit Cup with a 1-0 victory over previously undefeated St. Xavier on Sunday, and Coach Jim Brennan's JV 'Cats kept the JV Championship Cup right where it belongs by turning away the JV program from Walsh Jesuit, 2-1.
In cross country, Coach Dr. Mike Gallagher's defending State Champion harriers will be traveling to Hilliard Davidson High School on Saturday morning for the annual Hot Summer Bash races. What an appropriate name. The bus will leave Saint Ignatius at 6:45 AM and the Varsity Race is scheduled for 10:10 AM. The Freshmen/Open Race is slated for 11 AM.
For a look at Saint Ignatius Cross Country and its opening-weekend performance at the Canton GlenOak Golden Eagle Invitational, see the weekly and ever-so popular Gallagher Report that was posted on the corner Sunday night.
And last, but certainly not least, Coach Brian Becker's Men of the Links will take a little break over Labor Day Weekend and swing back into action on September 11th at the Gilmour Academy Reese Alexander Invitational on the tradition-rich Fowler's Mill course in Chesterland. The tee-off time is listed as 11:30 AM.
Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day Weekend!