By Mr. Eddie Dwyer, Copyright Credit October 2016
Cleveland, Ohio - The JV Eagles, whose staff includes one of the area's bright young coaching minds in T.J. Gallagher, put the athleticism of their highly talented sophomore class on display early and often, and built a 20-0 lead by halftime.
St. Edward's sophomores, who were coming off their only setback of the season versus Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati last weekend, took a 6-0 lead on a 48-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Garret Dzuro to quick and sure handed wide receiver Quintel Kent. Kent never broke stride as raced down the visitor's sideline of Wasmer Field and into the left corner of the Lorain Avenue end zone.
The five-play, 78-yard drive came with 5 minutes and 27 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Holding that six-point lead after the first quarter, the Eagles, who closed their season at 8-1, began to take control with a 14-point second quarter.
First it was a 12-play, 81-yard march that resulted in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Dzuro to 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver Christopher Elliott, who came up with a nice in stride catch and run, and the ensuing 2-point conversion run by wide receiver Caden Kolesar.
Leading, 14-0, St. Edward made it a 20-0 game on a 49-yard touchdown burst by tailback Jordan Castleberry with 53.2 seconds to go in the first half.
Saint Ignatius' talented and tough minded sophomores were not about to call it a night.
Coach Paul Yappel's Cats got a much-needed spark when multi-skilled running back/wide receiver Jack Kennedy returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. Patrick Otter's extra-point kick was high and true, and the Wildcats trailed, 20-7, with just 15 seconds gone in the third quarter.
Jack Kennedy's effort saw him field the kickoff inside his 15, make an exceptional cut to the right, cut back to the middle and, off another quick burst, outrun the pursuit 85-plus yards into the scoreboard end zone.
In what was a punch and counter punch second half, the Eagles responded to Kennedy's big play with a 57-yard touchdown reception by Kent that came less than two minutes after the Cats got back in the game.
Saint Ignatius still had plenty of life, as it put together a 10-play, 88-yard scoring march that was highlighted by a smooth 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Delahunty to wide receiver Luke Cooper in the left corner of the scoreboard end zone. After another PAT by Otter, the Wildcats trailed, 27-14.
The Cooper touchdown reception, which came on the last play of the third quarter, was set up by the running of tailback Jahadge "Bo" Floyd and the receiving of tight end Jack Cannon, who powered his way for authoritative yards after the catch.
In what could be described as a huge momentum swing, Saint Ignatius' hard-nosed defensive back/special teams Captain Michael Mangan took a fumble out of mid air on the kickoff following Cooper's TD and returned the ball to the St. Edward 15-yard line.
On fourth-and-3 from the Eagles' 8, however, a Wildcats pass fell incomplete in the left corner of the Lorain Avenue end zone with 8:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.
From there, St. Edward settled the issue on a 13-play drive that was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run up the gut by Dzuro off his picture-perfect read, fake and cut.
FROM COACH YAPPEL, WHOSE JV CATS CLOSED OUT THEIR SEASON AT 7-3.
"I think in the second half, we rallied around each other," said Coach Yappel, who doubles as an Offensive Line Coach for the Varsity Cats. "We were down three scores, but we kept fighting and that's the way this group has been all year long.
"They always fought to the end, fought to the end," Coach Yappel continued. "Some of our games didn't end the way we wanted them to, but at the same time they experienced success throughout the season.
"What it is for these guys now is to start looking ahead to next season and work as hard as they did during this season in the weight room. Then they will be ready to join us on the Varsity level. They're a good group of kids."