Ohio City - Clarkson Football North, whose home base is Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, will travel to Parma to face record 11-time Ohio big-school state champion Saint Ignatius. The kickoff on Saturday at Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium is 7 pm.

 The Wildcats of Hall of Fame Head Coach Chuck Kyle '69 will take a 5-0 record into Saturday's matchup, a mark that includes the top ranking in the Associated Press Division I State Poll by a panel of Ohio's top sports writers and broadcasters, and the No. 1 ranking in the all-important OHSAA Division I, Region 1 Computer Playoff Rankings.

 A triumph by Saint Ignatius on Saturday night would give Coach Kyle his 340th career victory in what is his 35th season as the head of his alma mater's football program. That career record includes a remarkable 70-16 string of success in the OHSAA playoffs.

 Along with the 11 state championships, Coach Kyle's recipe for victory includes a record five consecutive Division I state titles (1991-1995), three national titles (1989, 1993 and 1995), a national runner-up in 2008 and two state runner-up finishes (1996 and 2016).

 As for Clarkson Football North, its football program is equivalent to a Division II team under the OHSAA ratings. Clarkson will take a 2-3 record into Robert M. Bolton Stadium on Saturday night, with its victories coming at Cleveland Heights in Week 2, 31-6, and at Erie (Pa.) McDowell in Week 4, 35-28. Cleveland Heights and McDowell are 1-4 and 2-3, respectively, heading into this week's action.

 Clarkson's trip to the Keystone State was a memorable one, as the team from Mississauga outscored the McDowell Trojans, 21-7, in the fourth quarter.

 This past weekend was a game Clarkson would just as soon forget. Traveling to Lorain for a matchup with the Titans on George Daniel Field, Clarkson couldn't deal with Titans sophomore running back Daylin Dower and his three touchdowns, and went home on the short end of a 42-21 score. Lorain improved to 4-1.

 Clarkson had what appeared to be a significant size advantage over the Titans, but Lorain's speed and athleticism took their toll.

 FROM COACH KYLE ON CLARKSON FOOTBALL NORTH: "Here and there we've played some Canadian teams in the past," says Coach Kyle of victories over Pinehurst (Ontario) in 2013 and Pinehurst Canada Prep and Brantford (Ontario) Assumption Prep in 2014. "These guys (Clarkson Football North) look very solid.

 "Their linemen are going to match our size," Coach Kyle continued. "They have two running backs who are pretty good and one of their receivers looks like he's 6-4 or 6-5. They certainly like to go to him, he's pretty athletic. So the jump ball could be interesting in that situation. They've put some points on the board against everybody."

 To substantiate Coach Kyle's analysis, let us point out that after a 40-7, opening-night loss at Pickerington North, Clarkson has scored 31, 21, 35 and 21 points over its last four games.

 Coach Kyle added that defensively, Clarkson has some very quick and skilled kids in their secondary, and it's a unit that likes to blitz.

 "They've had blitz packages for everybody they've played," says Coach Kyle. "It's the sixth game, so we're all veterans around here now. So it's not a shock that people will blitz and I don't think that we will see a coverage that we haven't seen before. It's just a matter now of executing against it and being sharp."

 Coach Kyle spoke again about what a significant impact senior kicker/punter Matthew Trickett continues to have on this season, including Matt's three field goals during last weekend's will-testing, 30-28 victory over Cincinnati Elder in "The Pit." One of Matt's field goals was a 55-yarder that tied the school record held by the remarkable Tim Shenk (55 yards versus Detroit Cody in August of 2011). And Matt was just inches short on a 58-yard attempt that silenced even the Elder faithful for a few seconds.

 This corner still recalls Matt's days as a freshman linebacker (he was all over the field) and will never forget his contributions to Coach Mike McLaughlin's state and nationally acclaimed soccer program.

THE CAMERA BACKS UP AN OLD-TIMER'S KEEN EYE: A neighbor of mine, a fine gentleman and a staunch St. Edward fan who reads this corner faithfully, shared with me this past weekend that he thought I was too enthusiastic in my description of Cam Toppin's game-sealing interception in The Pit.

 Well, Coach Kyle, who also spoke of Cam's "great play" during practice on Tuesday, says the end zone camera truly showed what an exceptional athletic effort it was. There must have been some old Irish eyes in those powerful end zone lenses.

 FOR WILDCATS STANDOUT JUNIOR CORNERBACK JETT ELAD, SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAME WILL BE A FAMILY AFFAIR: Jett, who complements Cam Toppin as a solid 1-2 corner punch, will be competing against two of his cousins when Clarkson Football North comes to Ridge Road and Day Drive on Saturday night - Pierre Kemeni, who is listed as a defensive back, and Brad Kemayou, a running back.

 "I lived in Canada basically all of my life until I came to Saint Ignatius as a freshman," says Jett, whose brother, Stan '14, was a mainstay at fullback for the Wildcats. "I was supposed to be born in Canada, but there were fires going on where I lived. So I was born in Minnesota, where my neighbor's family lives, then I came back to Canada from the hospital once the fires died down.  I love Canada, it's like my favorite place.

 "I played against them all of my life," Jett continued in reference to the many Clarkson players he knows and has befriended. "I know they're good, I played with some of them at summer camps. I know what they can do."

 Have a great rest of the week and weekend, and we will see you at the Freshmen Blue Game versus Akron Buchtel this evening on Wasmer Field, at Erie (Pa.) McDowell on Thursday evening as the No. 1 Freshmen Team takes on the ninth-grade Trojans, and of course at Robert M. Boulton Stadium on Saturday night.

 Just FYI, the Junior Varsity Football Wildcats return to action on Monday at Cleveland Central Catholic. For times on all Freshmen and JV Games, go to the Saint Ignatius Athletics site.

 And, just for your football mind to ponder, below is a breakdown from computer playoff guru Joe Eitel on the opponents that Clarkson Football North has played this season and its upcoming opponents.

 The  2016 Division I state runner-up and state champion back-to-back. Good Luck.