By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit September 2016
First and foremost, this old timer would like to send out an early congratulations to Cleveland's Jesuit Preparatory School on Tuesday's 130th anniversary of its founding.
Before the corner takes a look at what the 'Cats are up to this week on the gridiron, the soccer pitch, the cross country course at Tiffin, and the golf course at Fowler's Mill, please allow me to give out a huge congratulations to Saint Ignatius' Hall of Fame Head Varsity Football Coach Chuck Kyle '69 and his outstanding staff on its marvelous preparation and in-game coaching that resulted in the resounding 49-7 victory over the highly regarded program from Mentor this past Saturday night.
On both sides of the ball, from veteran Offensive Coordinator Nick Restifo to veteran Linebackers Coach and new Defensive Coordinator Ryan Franzinger '02, the 'Cats were ready for everything the Cardinals had under their wings.
Former Saint Ignatius track and football standout, Coach Kevin Johnson '10, roamed the sidelines with passion on Saturday night as the 'Cats' underrated defensive secondary showed the packed house at Byers Field that they were prepared and then some for Mentor's vaunted passing game. Coach Johnson and former Wildcat great Pat Hinkel '09 put together a savvy coverage scheme.
The big, strong and deep offensive line of Coaches Adam Rini '99 and Paul Yappel lived up and more to everything this corner wrote about it throughout the summer, and the defensive front seven of Coaches Dave Cicetti, Mark Sullivan and Ryan Franzinger was passionate and overwhelming in keeping the Cardinals' gifted junior quarterback Tadas Tatarunas on the run all night.
Offensively, Coach Restifo, veteran Running Backs Coach Terry Fergus '72, Wide Receivers Coach Josiah "Juice" Kedzior '04, a former "Difference Maker" as a wideout and kicker for the Wildcats, and quarterbacks Coach Jim Cahill '89 unleashed a balanced offense that produced more than 400 yards.
Gentlemen, it was a privilege to be on the sideline and witness your masterful work. And, while I'm on the subject, I couldn't help but recall on the sideline Saturday night the recent conversation I had with Saint Ignatius' outstanding Assistant Soccer Coach and outstanding Teacher, Mr. Joe Popelka '84. Coach Popelka and yours in sports are in agreement that Coach Cicetti is truly one of the standout Assistant Coaches in the area, if not the entire state.
Okay, now it is on to what the Fall 'Cats are up to this week and weekend, and a few other football items of interest.
Thursday evening at 5:30 on Wasmer Field, Coach Rodney Gallaway's Freshmen Football Wildcats (1-1) will take on the Kirtland Hornets. We ask you again to keep standout Freshman tailback and wrestler Najee Lockett in your prayers, as Najee recovers from the ankle injury he suffered early during last Friday night's 28-23 loss to Mentor's freshmen.
In staying with football, Coach Paul Yappel's 2-0 Junior Varsity Wildcats will host the Jayvee program from Walsh Jesuit on Saturday at 10 AM on Wasmer Field, and Coach Chuck Kyle's 2-0 Varsity Football Wildcats return to Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium on Saturday night for a 7 PM matchup with the Valley Forge Patriots. The corner will preview the 'Cats-Pats encounter tomorrow night.
SOCCER
Coach Mike McLaughlin's 4-0 state and nationally acclaimed Soccer Cats will look to extend their 20-match winning streak and 40-match unbeaten streak when they face the Lake Catholic Cougars on Friday night at 7 on the pitch at Wasmer Field.
The two-time defending and record seven-time state champion Soccer Cats, currently ranked second in the nation, return to Wasmer Field on Saturday for a 1 PM matchup with Cardinal Gibbons of Raliegh, N.C.
CROSS COUNTRY
Coach Dr. Mike Gallagher's defending state champion and 2016 version of the Cat Pack, coming off a strong first-place performance at the Hilliard Davidson Hot Summer Bash (see Coach Gallagher's report on the corner from Sunday), will travel to the annual Tiffin Carnival, which takes place on Saturday afternoon in Hedges Boyer Park.
The Varsity B Race is slated for 3:30 PM, the Varsity A race is scheduled for 4:30, and an Open Race at 5:30 will close out one of the season's traditional events.
GOLF
Coach Brian Becker's Men of the Links are scheduled to be swinging the clubs again on Sunday, 9-11, in Gilmour Academy's Reese Alexander Invitational, which takes place on the storied course at Fowler's Mill.
IN CLOSING this report, the corner would like to make something clear about the OHSAA Harbin Computer Playoff Qualifying Format.
As this old timer was making my way to the top of the hill in the Byers Field Parking Lot after Saturday night's triumph (my old, but reliable Focus amazes me with how she survives the bumps on the way down), I overheard one of our young fans say, "I hope Mentor goes 1-9!"
No you don't.
Under the OHSAA Harbin Playoff system, teams are awarded first-level points for each game they win and the all-important second-level points for each game a team they have defeated wins. So, we want the Cardinals (1-1) to go on and have nothing but success the rest of the regular season. That will bring a nice serving of second-level points to the 'Cats.
Valley Forge, who Saint Ignatius faces Saturday night in Byers Field is currently 0-2, as is the Wildcats' opening-night opponent Normandy. The second-level points Saint Ignatius will derive from the Invaders and the Patriots could again be slim to none.
The top eight teams in Division I, Region 1 at the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs. St. Edward and Saint Ignatius are currently 1-2 in the Region 1 computer playoff ratings by playoff guru Joe Eitel.
In response to a loyal reader who asked the corner how Saint Ignatius' Week 4 opponent, Detroit Catholic Central, is fairing after two weeks, the Shamrocks of Hall of Fame Coach Tom Mach are standing 2-0.
Catholic Central defeated Sterling Heights Stevenson, 42-0, in the opening weekend "Battle in the Big House" at the University of Michigan and this past weekend traveled to Toledo and handed Whitmer a 27-7 loss.
Coach Mach's Shamrocks, who love the ground game, totaled 316 yards of offense and limited Whitmer to just 59 yards of offense. Catholic Central quarterback Austin Brown attempted only three passes, but completed all three for a total of 100 yards and two touchdowns. Brown also ran for 47 yards on 11 carries.
In what will be a matchup of two programs who have each won 11 state football championships, Saint Ignatius travels to Tom Mach Field in Father Richard Elmer, C.S.B., Stadium on Friday night, September 16th for a 7 PM kickoff with the Shamrocks. Catholic Central is located in Novi, Michigan.
Have a safe and great week, and the corner will see you starting tomorrow afternoon at football practice for my weekly interview with Coach Kyle and Thursday night with the Freshmen Game versus the Kirtland Hornets.