By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit September 2016
Parma, Ohio - After a delay of more than an hour because of the lightning and thunder that accompanied a heavy downpour in the Greater Cleveland area early Saturday evening, Coach Chuck Kyle's Football Wildcats took Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium to face the Valley Forge Patriots and settled the issue with a 28-point first quarter that was part of a 42-point first half.
The 'Cats, who improved to 3-0, will now focus on Friday night and their trip to Detroit Catholic Central to face the 3-0 Shamrocks. It will be matchup of Hall of Fame Coaches in Coach Kyle and Catholic Central's Tom Mach, two men who each have 11 state championships on their resumes.
We will preview Friday night's highly anticipated matchup Tuesday night on the corner.
As for Saturday night, Saint Ignatius, which went to its bench early and often, was as consistent as the rain that fell on Byers Field throughout the game.
In handing the Patriots their third loss in as many games this young season, the 'Cats rushed for 302 yards on 43 carries, while Valley Forge managed just 28 yards on the ground off 27 rushes.
Saint Ignatius passed the football six times, completing three for 57 yards. The Patriots were 7-of-11 through the air for 73 yards. Coach Kyle's team totaled 359 yards off the 49 plays it ran and Valley Forge finished with 101 yards of offense on 38 plays. The first downs were 24-5 in favor of the 'Cats.
Yes, sometimes the numbers do tell the story.
Saint Ignatius' tough and talented senior defensive lineman Mike Chime opened the scoring on a 22-yard punt return for a touchdown. Mike's effort was set up when the Valley Forge punter mishandled the snap, chased after the ball and got off a short kick under heavy pressure that Mike leaped in the air and caught, and then rambled into the scoreboard end zone of Byers Field. Junior Matthew Trickett kicked the first of his six extra points and it was a 7-0 game with 10 minutes and eight seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Wildcats' ground game, which operates behind one of the biggest and skilled offensive lines in the state, took command of the game early.
Senior tailback Jimmy Andrews powered his way for an 18-yard touchdown run and junior tailback Mark Bobinski followed with a scoring run of 10 yards. After Andrews scored from 2 yards out, the 'Cats entered the second quarter with a four-touchdown advantage.
With Saint Ignatius' defensive front seven being more than the Patriots could deal with, Saint Ignatius tacked on a 1-yard TD run by Bobinski and a highlight-reel 66-yard punt return by Bobinski that saw Mark field the ball on the run near the home sideline, cut inside, bounce outside and then back to the inside before greeting the Day Drive end zone of Byers Field.
After Coach Kyle's team knelt down and ran out the clock deep in Valley Forge territory to end the first half with a 42-0 lead, the OHSAA deficit rule of a running clock took place in the second half.
The 'Cats worked the clock with class before closing out their seven-touchdown night on an authoritative, wouldn't be denied 8-yard scoring run by junior fullback Aidan Gill with 10:31 left in the game. Junior Drew Allessandro's high and true extra-point kick capped the night, as Saint Ignatius ended the game by kneeling down at the Patriots' 7-yard line and running out the clock.
Coach Kyle '69, who was guiding his Wildcats for the 408th time on Saturday night, watched his team and staff accomplish just about everything they set out to do on Saturday night, despite Mother Nature's early evening sack.
Now in his 34th season as the head of his alma mater's storied football program, Coach Kyle will take 324 career victories into Friday's game at Detroit Catholic Central, which is located in Novi, Michigan. Along with his 11 OHSAA Division I State Championships, Coach Kyle has guided his 'Cats to three National Titles (1989, '93 and '95) and a national runner-up in 2008.
Note: Valley Forge's coaching staff includes a grandson of Saint Ignatius' Coaching Legend, the late, great John J. Wirtz. Mr. Wirtz was Coach Kyle's coach at Saint Ignatius during Chuck's days as an All-City tailback.
Just a reminder again that this corner will preview the matchup with Detroit Catholic Central on Tuesday night. We will see you in Novi, Michigan on Friday night.