By Mr. Eddie Dwyer
Cleveland, Ohio - Steve, an All-American senior forward/captain and the reigning Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year, tied Pablo's career mark of 76 goals with 31 minutes and 19 seconds remaining in the second half.
An Xavier University recruit, Steve is already the career points leader for Coach Mike McLaughlin's state and nationally acclaimed soccer program.
With the 12-0 victory over the Rhodes Rams, a match that mutually came to an end with 13:35 remaining to be played, the two-time defending and record seven-time State Champion Soccer Cats advance to Saturday's 2 PM Parma District Championship Match on the pitch at Padua Franciscan High School. The Cats will face the winner of Wednesday night's other District Semifinal between the North Royalton Bears and the Valley Forge Patriots.
The top-ranked team in the nation by USA Today and the No. 1 program in the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association's Division I State Poll, Saint Ignatius stands 16-0-2 on the season and now carries an unbeaten streak of 54 consecutive matches.
With Coach McLaughlin '85 making wholesale substitutions in both halves and the Soccer Cats not attempting to score after their 12th goal, the coaches from both teams agreed to call it a night and the officials did just that. The Rams did not have a shot on goal.
Wednesday night's action took place on a cold evening in Ohio City that was accompanied by some sleet.
On Saturday, Coach McLaughlin's three-time National Champions will continue their quest for what would be an OHSAA record three consecutive Boys State Soccer Championships.
Here are the Wildcats' goal producers from Wednesday night - Milhoan (4); Matthew McLaughlin (1); Riley Houde (1); Kory Nekoloff (1); Thomas Hogan (1); Adam Haas (1); Everett Shorey (1); Tommy Patacca (1), and an own goal that is always awarded to Wildcats' outstanding Head Junior Varsity Coach Jim Brennan '85.
This corner tips his cap to the Rhodes Rams for Monday's 2-1 OHSAA Sectional-Final victory over Garfield Heights, which took place on the Rams' new field. God Bless and all of the best in the future.