Ohio City - Saint Ignatius' nationally acclaimed Head Coach Chuck Kyle '69 and Mentor's highly successful and celebrated Head Coach Steve Trivisonno have a mutual respect that is evident every time the Wildcats and the Cardinals meet on the gridiron.
The love and respect both of these men have for the game of football is a major reason that Saint Ignatius versus Mentor has become one of the most anticipated encounters in Ohio every year, whether it's the regular season, the postseason or both.
As the saying goes, the Wildcats and the Cardinals do it the right way.
"Steve and I have a very good relationship," said Coach Kyle, whose 'Cats lead their all-time series with Mentor, 12-8. "I spent a lot of my summer actually out in Mentor and various cities on the East Side helping develop a Rookie Tackle Pilot Program, one of the few in the country.
"Steve and I certainly enjoy good football and you know there is going to be a capacity crowd for this game," Coach Kyle continued, in reference to Friday's 7 PM kickoff from Mentor's tradition-rich Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium. "Early in the season to have kids experience that type of environment in a playoff caliber game is very valuable. We've won, they've won and I think both teams walk away knowing okay, that is what happens in a playoff caliber game. The intensity of it, that is what is so valuable, to have that on your schedule."
Coach Kyle was quick to point out the mutual respect between the players every year that stems from them knowing that when Saint Ignatius and Mentor get together, there is "great football going on."
The Wildcats and the Cardinals opened their new seasons in style, as Saint Ignatius traveled to Archbishop Hoban's Dowed Field last Thursday night and, behind an outstanding performance by the defense, defeated the highly touted Knights, 17-3. Coach Kyle's 'Cats will enter the Mentor game ranked No. 1 in the area and No. 1 in USA Today's Super 25 Midwest Regional Rankings.
Coach Trivisonno's Cardinals, the area's fifth-ranked program by Cleveland.com, traveled to Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium last Friday night and tamed the Tigers, 49-14.
A SAINT IGNATIUS AND MENTOR NFL BOND: Former Wildcats football (quarterback) and basketball (guard) standout Dave Ragone '98 is currently coaching former Cardinals Ohio Mr. Football quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who was the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears out of North Carolina. Dave is the Bears' Quarterback Coach.
"See, even in the generations that go by," said Coach Kyle of the Cardinals-Wildcats football connection. "That's a fun little relationship (Ragone and Trubisky) to watch, isn't it?"
A WILDCATS-CARDINALS NEIGHBORHOOD TIE: Saint Ignatius' outstanding senior tailback/captain Mark Bobinski, the pride of St. Mary's of Mentor, knows almost all of the Cardinals. Mark lives about 10 minutes from Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium.
COACH KYLE ON MENTOR'S OFFENSE FOR 2017: "Mentor is running the ball pretty well from what I've seen," said Coach Kyle of the Cardinals' 1-2 ground game leaders Chris Edmond and Nick Saginario. Edmond rushed for 111 yards on 16 carries at Massillon.
"They give you all of those spread-out formations and you have to cover it because he (Cardinals three-year mainstay at quarterback Tadas Tatarunas) can get the ball there," Coach Kyle said. "Edmond has been finding some seams, he did a nice job against Massillon. When the smoke cleared, he (Edmond) had a great game."
Tatarunas is no stranger to the Wildcats' football faithful. In 2015 as just a sophomore, Tadas emerged on the area high school gridiron scene by helping engineer an offense that produced 823 yards in a 63-56 shootout victory over Saint Ignatius at Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium. Those 823 yards included 531 yards and four touchdowns through the air by Tatarunas.
Last season was a completely different story, however, as the Wildcats' defensive front pressured Tatarunas all night and the 'Cats' secondary locked up the Cardinals' receivers in what was a dominant 49-7 victory by Saint Ignatius on Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium. Tadas was 7-for-16 that Sept. 3, 2016 night, totaling just 97 passing yards.
That said, Tatarunas had a solid preseason leading up to the Massillon game, as he directed scrimmage victories over Pennsylvania's defending AAAA State Champion Erie Cathedral Prep and Massillon Jackson, a program Saint Ignatius defeated in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Tadas was 17-of-25 for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the Massillon opener and he also ran for a 12-yard touchdown that saw him overpower a Tiger at the goal line. Mentor entered this season with 24 returning lettermen.
COACH KYLE ON THE CARDINALS' 2017 DEFENSIVE UNIT: "From what we've seen, they have blended in the 3-4," Coach Kyle said. "They have been a 4-front for a long time, but they've gone to a 3-4 and that looks like their base. So we're expecting more blitzing from them. They also jump into a bear defense, which has made a comeback. That gives them a little more strength up front.
"So they give you different fronts and our quarterback (senior Kyle Hall) and linemen have to get a read on what front we're getting and what adjustments we have to make on the blocking schemes."
Among Coach Trivisonno's leaders on defense are senior linebacker Mike Brey and 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior end Noah Potter.
SOME NUMBERS TO CHEW ON: Mentor is 26-16 in 16 OHSAA playoff appearances, which includes Division 1 state runner-up finishes in 2006, 2007 and 2013.
Coach Kyle has led his Wildcats to 27 playoff appearances, 11 Division I State Championships, including a remarkable five in a row (from 1991 to 1995), two state runner-up finishes (1996 and 2016), three national titles (1989, 1993 and 1995) and a national runner-up in 2008. Under Coach Kyle, Saint Ignatius has an OHSAA postseason record of 70-16.
THE AIR WAVES: If you can't make it out to Mentor on Friday night, the savvy football duo of senior Matt MacKenzie and junior Zack Strom will bring you the action live over the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network.
Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and we will see you at Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium on Friday night and at Wasmer Field on Saturday for the 10 AM Junior Varsity Football encounter with Mentor's Jayvees.