By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit September 2016
Cleveland, Ohio - Coach Mike McLaughlin's two-time defending and record seven-time OHSAA Division I State Champions, the top-ranked program in the nation by USA Today, improved to 5-0 on the season, extended their winning streak to 21 consecutive matches and pushed their unbeaten streak (including a tie) to 41 matches. That unbeaten streak dates back to the state championship season of 2014.
With their 5-0 triumph over Lake Catholic on a perfect early September Friday night in Ohio City, the state's top-ranked Soccer 'Cats will now have a less than 24-hour turnaround before they return to Wasmer Field on Saturday for a 1 PM matchup with Cardinal Gibbons from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Cardinal Gibbons (4-1-1) and Dublin Coffman (4-0-1) played to a 2-2 tie in Friday night's opening game on Wasmer Field. Coffman is the sixth-ranked team in the state by the Ohio High School Soccer Coaches Association.
"I think we picked it up a little bit in the second half and also our finishing improved," said Saint Ignatius' talented and good-natured senior midfield Kevin Callanan, whose second goal on the varsity level extended the Wildcats' lead to 4-0 with 16:56 remaining to played.
"We missed a couple of chances in the first half and weren't as aggressive on offense," Callanan continued. "I think in the second half we were more aggressive and finished."
Callanan also pointed to what was another sound defensive performance by the 'Cats, saying that big-match tested senior goalkeeper Lodge Dils played well and that Saint Ignatius kept a tight back line.
"There were no real issues (defensively), maybe one or two full contacts they had that were dangerous," Callanan said. "But we kept them out of goal."
And what did Kevin think of his second career Varsity goal that was part of a three-goal second half by the Wildcats?
"I outhustled the defender after a cross that went through a couple of guys," said Callanan, who scored his first Varsity goal in last week's 9-1 victory over Solon on Cleveland State University's storied Krenzler Field. "I settled it one touch and then finished it."
Saint Ignatius' 3-0 second-half sealer finished what the 'Cats started in the first half, when they took a 1-0 lead off All-American senior forward Steve Milhoan's goal, which came courtesy of an assist from freshman forward Everett Shorey at 23:22, and a goal off an authoritative shot by senior forward Adam Collins with 15 minutes and 21 seconds left in the first half.
Sandwiched around Callanan's Varisity level No. 2 in the second half were another goal by the gifted Milhoan that again was assisted by Shorey, and a goal by senior midfield Thomas Hogan, who alertly sent the ball home after Lake Catholic's goalkeeper made an exceptional diving stop, but had the misfortune of having the ball get away from him right in the direction of the oncoming Hogan.
The 'Cats outshot the Cougars, 23-5.
Lake Catholic, a District Champion last season and a Division II State Semifinalist in 2013, currently stands 3-2-1.
"We're just going to keep working hard in practice and playing our best," said Callanan in reference to the ultimate goal that takes place in early November. "As Coach said, we just have to keep working and having fun."
FROM SAINT IGNATIUS' NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED HEAD COACH MIKE MCLAUGHLIN '85: "We kept the ball on the ground and we were finding the open guy in the second half," said the man who has also guided his program to three national titles - 2005, 2010 and 2015. "Our goals were good team goals. So they weren't necessarily individual, they were guys working together as a group trying to break the other team down, collectively not individually. Once you get six or seven guys clicking together, that's when good things happen.
"Right now, I want to see cleaner passes, cleaner touches and cleaner decisions," Coach McLaughlin continued. "When that happens, then the game opens us for us."