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Weekend Preview 1/13-1/15: Key Weekend for Basketball; Hockey Hits Road

By Joe Ginley , 01/12/17, 10:00AM EST

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As the students of Wildcat High enjoy a 4-day weekend for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Saint Ignatius' student-athletes will be hard at work.

All five Wildcats' winter sports will be in action this weekend, with a road trip in store for each. 

Here's a preview of what's ahead for the Wildcats this weekend. 

Basketball

Flying high after four straight wins, the Basketball Cats enter an important 2-game stretch this weekend. 

The Wildcats will host St. Edward at Sullivan Gym on Friday evening before traveling to North Canton to face the Hoover Vikings on Saturday.

Tipoff on Friday is set for 5:30 for the JV contest, and 7:00 p.m. for the varsity game. Saturday's showdown is slated for 7:45 p.m., but may be pushed back later depending on the length of the preceding games. 

The Wildcats' matchup with the Eagles is the first of two this season. The two teams faced off three times last season, including once in the postseason. The Wildcats won two of the contests, stretching their advantage in the overall series, 53-29. For a full preview of that game, click here

Saturday's game also promises to be a good one. The Vikings enter the weekend with an 8-1 mark, fresh off double-digit wins over Canton McKinley and Massillon Jackson. The matchup between the Vikings and Wildcats will be a marquee matchup of the Mercy Medical Classic, hosted each year by North Canton Hoover. 

Eli Blackledge, a 6'7" center, will challenge the Wildcats inside. Blackledge led the Vikings with 20 points in the win over Jackson. Nathan Fox, a 6'4" senior forward, will also lead the way. Fox notched 21 points in the victory over McKinley. 

Hockey

A lengthy road trip is in store for the Ice Cats this weekend. The varsity blue hockey squad will travel to Chicago for the National Jesuit Cup this weekend. 

The Wildcats begin the tournament on Saturday by facing St. Ignatius College Prep from Chicago, Illinois at 8:30 a.m. at Johnny's Ice House West. Then the Ice Cats will face Gonzaga College High School from Washington, D.C. at Heartland Ice Arena at 4:50 p.m. Play then resumes on Sunday, as the Wildcats will play Marquette University High School out of Wisconsin at 3:00 p.m.

Should the Wildcats fare well, they will play on a Sunday, at a time and place to be determined. 

The varsity gold team will also be in action at the MLK Tournament in Meadville, PA. 

Wrestling

A trip to Columbus awaits the varsity gold wrestling squad this weekend, as the Mat Cats will compete in the National Catholic Invitational Tournament at Otterbein University.

The Wildcats have been busy lately, hosting Archbishop Hoban and Padua last weekend. The Mat Cats also took part in the Brecksville Holiday Tournament over Christmas break, finishing 15th out of 48 teams. 

Follow @SIHSwrestling on Twitter for frequent updates this weekend. 

Bowling 

The Alley Cats foresee a busy weekend, with two trips to the East side.

The Saint Ignatius bowling team will face Westlake at Game of Wickliffe on Saturday at 9:00 a.m., before returning to Wickliffe for the Brush Tournament on Monday at 10:00 a.m. 

The Wildcats' keglers have thrived recently, earning a key win over Greater Cleveland Interscholastic Bowling League rival Benedictine. Thanks to the victory, the Alley Cats have a 4-2 OHSAA record heading into Saturday. The Westlake Demons have scuffled as of late, with a 1-5 mark on the year. 

The Brush Tournament will also be a good challenge for the Wildcats, helping to prepare them for postseason tournament play.

Swimming & Diving

After enjoying some off time last weekend, the Saint Ignatius swimming and diving squad returns to the pool on Saturday for the 2017 Northeast Classic Swimming & Diving Invitational at the University of Akron. 

The Aqua Cats last competed on January 4, dropping a close contest to University School. 

As Sectionals quickly approach, the Aqua Cats will use this weekend's invitational to improve times and prepare for the postseason. 

Good luck to all of the Wildcats teams in action this weekend.