Here is a look at the last full week of two-a-day practice sessions in Wildcats Varsity and Junior Varsity Football. Coach Chuck Kyle '69 and his staff will hold the last double-session practice of the season on Monday beginning at 2:30 P.M. With school getting underway this coming week, the 'Cats will start their single-session, after school practice schedule beginning on Tuesday.  

By Eddie Dwyer

Ohio City - Saint Ignatius' outstanding Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Ryan Franzinger '02 conducted his annual Bag Toss competition on Friday and coming away with the championship toss for 2017 was tough and talented junior linebacker Tommy Eichenberg.

"The hash is about 17 and some odd yards from the sideline and Tom's toss was about two yards past that," Coach Franzinger said of Eichenberg's heave of the blocking bag. Tommy's effort of 19 yards is considered a Bag Toss Championship record.

Senior linebackers Andrew Keirn and Tom Grosel were second and third, respectively, and sophomore linebacker Michael McNamara was fourth.

Coach Franzinger is also Eichenberg's coach in track and field, as Tommy is a shot putter. Coach Franzinger said Tommy's work in the shot put probably prepped him for the bag toss.

The bag toss throwing rink is on the sideline and the competitors throw from a 10-yard sector east to west from what is known as the "Linebacker Land" on Wasmer Field.

Coach Franzinger said Eichenberg's throw had a nice propelling action as Tommy chose to go with the heavy bag.

SATURDAY

TONE SETTERS: The Varsity portion of Saturday's scrimmages saw senior linebackers Logan Joyce and Andrew Keirn, and junior safety Chris Velotta setting the tone with their aggressive pressure on a sun-drenched Wasmer Field that welcomed a blue sky full of puffy clouds that an artist would have loved to sketch.

JETT PROPELLED: Junior cornerback Jett Elad, who had himself a very strong week in the secondary, drew a roar from his teammates when he helped bat a pass into the air and then make a one-handed diving interception before the ball hit the ground.

COOL HAND LUKE AND SURE-HANDED SAM: Junior wide receiver Luke Cooper and senior receiver Sammy Snyder were the recipients of two nice long tosses off the arm of senior quarterback Kyle Hall.

PLAY WITH PASSION: At one point, Coach Kyle stopped the scrimmage and urged both the Varsity and Junior Varsity players to get into the scrimmage emotionally, describing it as "ridiculous" that they were so quiet.

A CASE FOR THE DEFENSE: Lawsons had "The Ballad of the Big-O" roll on for many years and on Saturday The 'Cats' Big-D continued to apply the pressure up front, as senior linebackers Tommy Grosel and Jonathan Ockunzzi, junior linemen Aidan Wells and Zach McMahan, senior nose tackle Aidan Gill and senior lineman Toby Engel were as revved up as a Lawson's orange juice truck during its 40-hour cross country run.  

A SARKO SURGE: Junior quarterback Mike Sarko sparked the offense with his scrambling and running ability, as Mike, doing a nice job under pressure and scanning the field, drove the Wildcats inside the 10-yard line. He then rolled left and dove into the corner of the scoreboard end zone for a touchdown.

JV SCRIMMAGE FEATURES A HANNA TO COOK COMBO, A FAMILY TOUCH AND A KINZEL PICK: Sophomore quarterback Griffin Hanna and sophomore wide receiver Henry Cook combined on touchdowns of 50 and 35 yards, efforts that put Hanna's deep touch on display, as well as Cook's heady route running and sure hands.

Adding the high and true extra-point kicks after Cook's TD receptions was his cousin, sophomore Rory McConville.

Coming up with a heads-up interception during the JV competition was sophomore defensive back/wide receiver Charles Kinzel.

GETTING HIS KICKS: Senior mainstay Matthew Trickett got off two exceptional punts during Saturday's Varsity scrimmage.

EARNING A TIP OF THE CORNER'S CAP EARLIER IN THE WEEK were sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Connor Cmiel, who in a tremendous display of concentration hauled in a pass in the Lorain Avenue end zone despite hitting the padded section of the goal post while he was looking up for the ball; standout senior cornerback Cam Toppin, who made another text-book move on the ball while breaking up a pass play; senior quarterback Danny Alexander, who fired a completion across the middle that was so authoritative you could hear the ball humming as it was coming out of his hand; junior defensive back/wide receiver Michael Mangan , who made two exceptional over-the-shoulder catches along the home sideline of Wasmer Field off deep routes; senior running back Drew Phillips Jr. and junior running/defensive back Jack Kennedy, who continued to roll up the yards off nice cuts and exceptional balance, and senior defensive back Scott Schuler, who read the plays like they were his favorite book and came up with two timely pass breakups.

In case you missed it, the corner provided coverage on Tuesday's scrimmage at Solon that was posted on Tuesday evening. The Saint Ignatius Varsity will have its final preseason tune up this coming Friday, August 18th, in the annual Jamboree matchup with the Canton McKinley Bulldogs. The kickoff for the Jamboree, which will be played under game conditions, is 7 PM in Canton's newly renovated Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, formerly known as Fawcett Stadium. The corner will take a look at this year's Wildcats versus Bulldogs matchup in Thursday'sfinal preseason notes of the summer and, as always, will provide coverage on the Jamboree.   

The Jamboree will be preceded by split-field scrimmages between the McKinley and Saint Ignatius Freshmen and Junior Varsity programs.

Have a wonderful Sunday and we will see you at Wasmer Field on Monday.