Ohio City - As he stood in the hallway of the Wirtz Pavilion on the campus of Saint Ignatius High School, senior running back Luke Mooney talked about what it meant to him and his fellow Wildcats reserves to be part of Monday's game versus St. Edward on Wasmer Field.

 The first of its kind in the history of the legendary West Side football rivalry, the game featured Varsity players from each school who devote their time and efforts in practice and on scout teams each day, but don't see many significant minutes in Varsity games. A few of these players have seen time with both the Junior Varsity and Varsity programs.

 "I think it was really cool being out there and seeing what I could do against a team that wasn't my own," said Mooney, who will take with him three exceptional second-effort carries that saw him fight through tackles for significant yardage and first downs on each carry. "Seeing the kids that I play next to every day going out there and proving everybody wrong, it was a pretty cool feeling."

 Although things didn't go the Wildcats' way in what was a 24-7 victory by the Eagles, Saint Ignatius' Hall of Fame Head Coach Chuck Kyle '69 and St. Edward's outstanding Head Coach Tom Lombardo walked away knowing they have a group of big-hearted and talented players that they can call on should the situation arise. The Wildcats and the Eagles are both 4-0 on the Varsity level and are ranked among the premier programs in the state and the nation.

 Monday's game didn't count on the Varsity or Junior Varsity records at either school and was okayed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association as an event that gave the Wildcats' and Eagles' dedicated reserves a place in what is one of the top high school rivalries in the nation.

 Saint Ignatius senior kicker Drew Alessandro, who backs up one of the top kickers Ohio in senior Matthew Trickett, started the game with a booming kickoff that went out of the Lorain Avenue end zone. Drew, who would be the No. 1 kicker for numerous teams throughout the area, is the epitome of what Monday night's game represented.

  After several second-effort plays by Wildcats senior defensive back Andrew Chalhoub and junior linebacker John Stuhldreher, a distant relative to former Notre Dame quarterback and member of the legendary Four Horsemen, Harry Stuhldreher, St. Edward got its running game in gear and drove for a first down at the Saint Ignatius 45-yard line.

 The 'Cats came up with key stops for -minus yardage by junior two-way lineman Seamus Cooney, junior linebacker Kyle Sullivan, senior defensive end/linebacker Gabe Liberatore and junior defensive lineman/tight end Owen Murphy that saw Murphy go sack city. Murphy said it was the first game that he played on defense since Week 6 of the 2016 Junior Varsity season.

 As strong as those defensive efforts were, St. Edward, turning to the running of tailback Dean Castros, the passing of quarterback Pierce Downey and the receiving of Jack Kurz, scored off a touchdown run by Castros and the ensuing extra-point by Gianluca Russo. It was 7-0 Eagles with 5 minutes and 6 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

 Behind some solid coverage and open-field tackling in the secondary by juniors Nathan Previts and Chris Velotta, Jr., Saint Ignatius was able to turn St. Edward away on downs at the Wildcats' 32-yard line.

 Saint Ignatius got some exceptional punt coverage from junior defensive back/running back Michael Mangan and some more tireless defensive work by Cooney that saw Seamus make a solid tackle and force a fumble that the Eagles were fortunate to recover.

 St. Edward took advantage when fortune called, however, and struck on another impressive TD run from  Castros that was set up by a smooth reception from Griffin Imwalle.

 The Wildcats, riding the arm and legs of junior quarterback Patrick Delahunty, highlight-reel receptions by senior wide receiver Nicholas Szubski and junior wide receiver Luke Cooper, and a nice catch and run out of the backfield by Mangan off a swing pass from Delahunty, marched to the Eagles' 25-yard line, where the drive stalled.

 Cooper played an exceptional all-around game, a sentiment that was echoed by his teammates.  

 St. Edward, which extended its lead to 17-0 on a 37-yard field goal by Russo, couldn't keep the 'Cats out of the end zone in the second half as senior wide receiver Killian Meehan, senior tight end Alex Schum, junior wide receiver Ethan Biacsi and Delahunty were among those Wildcats determined to help show the way.

 On the first play of the fourth quarter, Delahunty scored off a 4-yard keeper over the right side and, after Alessandro's extra-point kick flirted with the roof tops behind the scoreboard end zone, Saint Ignatius trailed, 17-7, with 9:57 remaining to be played. The Wildcats showed some grit on their scoring drive by overcoming an obvious pass interference that didn't result in a penalty.

 The Eagles would end up boarding their bus back to Lakewood with victory smiles, however, as they struck through the Ohio City dusk with a 56-yard catch and run for a touchdown by Jonas Aquilla.

In closing, this corner also tips its cap to Saint Ignatius junior punter Patrick Otter, who got off some exceptional soaring efforts.

And to answer a question that a few fans from both schools asked this old gridiron grinder on my way to my reliable, but not pretty to look at, Ford Focus, yes, I would love to see this tribute to the reserves game become a yearly event.