By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit October 2016

Cleveland, Ohio - Saint Ignatius' gifted junior golfer Michael McCaffrey will represent the Wildcats' Men of the Links in Friday's opening round of the 91st annual OHSAA State Golf Tournament on the always demanding Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University.

"Michael will tee off Friday at 10:40 AM on the number 10 tee of the Scarlet course," said Wildcats Head Coach Brian Becker '77. "Depending on how Michael plays will dictate where (front or back) and when he tees off on Saturday."

Coach Becker shared with the corner last week that Michael, making his debut at the state-tournament level, will be taking advantage of the OHSAA's practice round. The Scarlet Course is known for the toll it can take in October.

Michael, honored this month as a Saint Ignatius Student Athlete of the Week, qualified for the State Tournament out of the highly competitive Pine Hills District as one of the top individuals not on a qualifying team. He shot a 39 on the front nine and a 36 on the back nine for a round of 75 at Pine Hills.

Michael then pared his playoff hole versus four others players to seal his place in the Division I State Tournament. Showing the same poise he carried with him all season, Michael came up with a big-time birdie in qualifying for the playoff hole.  

As a team, Saint Ignatius shot a 312 at the Pine Hills District and finished just three strokes off the final state-qualifying team score.

The corner wishes all of the best to Michael and Coach Becker this weekend, as I am sure Michael's teammates will be on hand to lend their support.

Coach Dr. Mike Gallagher '71 will guide his defending State Champion Harriers into the first step of another promising postseason run on Saturday at the OHSAA Medina District, which will be held at Cavavan Elementary School. Coach Gallagher lists the starting time for the Cat Pack as 2:15 PM. The Baum's Page posts an overall starting time as 1 PM.

In route to the Cross Country Program's fourth state title, Saint Ignatius dominated the Medina District last season with 37 points. The Battling Bees of Medina High School were second with 76 points. Current standout senior C.J. Ambrosio was among those showing the way at Medina last Autumn, as C.J. finished third overall in 15:59.79.

Coach Mike McLaughlin '85 and his state and nationally acclaimed Soccer Cats, the two-time defending and record seven-time OHSAA State Champions, begin their quest for what would be a record third consecutive Ohio Boys State Soccer Championship in a Sectional Final on Saturday at high noon on Wasmer Field.

The three-time National Champion Soccer Cats (14-0-2), ranked No. 1 in both the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association's state poll and USA Today's Super 25 National Poll, will face the winner of this week's Bedford vs. Lincoln-West semifinal on Saturday. Saint Ignatius will carry a remarkable 52-match unbeaten streak into Saturday's matchup.

The record 11-time State Champion Saint Ignatius Football Wildcats, again ranked among the area's and state's best, will take a 7-1 record into Saturday's big-time matchup with the 4-4 Bombers from Cincinnati St. Xavier, as both teams are fighting for OHSAA Division I playoff spots in their respective regions.

A 2 PM kickoff on Tom Ballaban Field in St. Xavier Stadium will get the 23rd meeting in the Jesuit School gridiron rivalry started, as the Wildcats of Hall of Fame Head Coach Chuck Kyle '69 are looking for their second consecutive victory over Coach Steve Specht's Bombers, who still lead the all-time series, 12-10.

Last season on Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium, the Football Cats, trailing, 13-0, early in the second quarter, ran off 34 unanswered points and defeated their Jesuit Brothers, 34-20, to take possession of the rivalry's Cannon Bell. The Cannon Bell came into play when an on-line contest was held to name something that would become a traditional fixture in the rivalry.

Former Saint Broadcast Network President John Fanta '13, currently an outstanding broadcaster/reporter for Seton Hall University, submitted the winning entry. Let the bell ring blue and gold again on Saturday in the Queen City.

The corner will preview another chapter in the Cats-Bombers storied rivalry on Tuesday night.

Just FYI, the Wildcats' Junior Varsity and Freshmen Football Teams, who are both sporting 7-1 records, will be in action this week and weekend. Coach Paul Yappel's JV Cats will take on the St. Xavier Jayvees at 10 AM on Saturday at St. X, and Coach Rodney Gallaway's Freshmen Team heads to Erie, Pennsylvania on Thursday evening for a matchup with the Ramblers from Cathedral Prep. The kickoff from the city time has forgot will be 6 PM. The time has forgot line is a compliment my friends, as this veteran reporter loves the surroundings of Cathedral Prep and is looking forward to the first of my two gridiron trips this week/weekend. I am old enough to appreciate those surroundings.        

Have a great and safe rest of the week and weekend, as Saint Ignatius' Fall Sports Athletes look to continue their winning ways.