Lakewood, Ohio - In handing the Eagles their first loss of the season, Saint Ignatius clinched the No. 1 seed in Division I, Region 1 for the OHSAA Football Playoffs, which begin on Friday night (November 3rd).

 The 9-1 Wildcats, who for the second consecutive week defeated Ohio's top-ranked Division I team by the Associated Press, 9-1 St. Xavier on October 21st and now 9-1 St. Edward, will be making an OHSAA-best 28th playoff appearance on Friday night. Saint Ignatius carries an outstanding postseason record of 70-16.

 If the latest ratings by computer playoff guru Joe Eitel hold up, it appears the record 11-time state champion Football 'Cats will host eighth-seeded Massillon Perry (9-1) in a Regional Quarterfinal Friday night at 7:30 on Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium.

 Under the OHSAA Harbin Playoff Format, the top eight teams in each of the state's regions after last night's final regular season games will qualify for the Regional Quarterfinal Playoffs and the top four are awarded a home game.

 Keep in mind that the official OHSAA final computer ratings and first-round playoff matchups are scheduled to be announced today (Sunday). However, there is a Monday night game, yes Monday night, involving a Florida team (Broward) that could determine whether or not Cincinnati Elder makes the playoffs in Region 4.  

 Saint Ignatius, which entered Saturday night's 56th matchup with St. Edward as Ohio's second-ranked Division I program by the AP, leads its all-time gridiron series with the Eagles, 31-24-1. The Wildcats have now defeated the Eagles three consecutives times, including last year's regular season and OHSAA Regional Final playoff triumphs.

 Barring an upset in the Region 1 playoffs, Saint Ignatius and second-seeded St. Edward could meet for a second time again this season. The Wildcats are 3-0 versus the Eagles in the OHSAA postseason, having also eliminated St. Edward from postseason play in 2008 (in the first round) and 2011 (in the second round).

 On what was a brisk, but perfect football weather Saturday night in Lakewood Stadium, Hall of Fame Head Coach Chuck Kyle's Wildcats showed the 8,632 who packed "The Madhouse on Madison" why they should be crowned the AP poll champions when the final poll is released by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters on Monday evening.

 With the respective defenses imposing their will in the early going, the Wildcats rode their special teams to a 7-0 lead with 7 minutes and 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

 Senior Matthew Trickett, one of the premier kickers/punters in the entire Midwest, got off a booming punt deep into St. Edward territory that the Eagles' return man fumbled. Wildcats sophomore running back/linebacker Jack Welcsh, a name to remember my friends, pounced on the loose football at the St. Edward 8-yard line and two plays later standout junior tailback Jahadge "Bo" Floyd scored from 6 yards out. Trickett's extra-point kick capped Floyd's effort.

  After driving nearly the length of the field, Saint Ignatius capped an 18-play drive with a 24-yard field goal by Trickett and it was a 10-0 game with 9:24 left in the first half.

 Thanks to the efforts of a Wildcats defense fueled by its outstanding outside or edge linebackers, senior Logan Joyce and junior Tommy Eichenberg, and secondary mainstays, senor corner Cam Toppin and junior safety Danny Scelza, it remained a 10-0 game entering the halftime break.

 Toppin came up with his sixth interception on the season and Scelza made an athletic pick along the St. Edward sideline with 1:24 to go in the first half after the Eagles advanced to the Wildcats' 27-yard line.

 The story defensively for Saint Ignatius was definitely Joyce, as Logan was a disruptive force from start to finish. He finished with 10 tackles and a key fumble recovery, and his partner on the other side, Eichenberg, had five solo tackles, seven assists and a key sack. Along with his interception, Scelza had six solo tackles and three assists. Promising junior safety/wide receiver John Wetula was in on eight tackles, including five solos.

  "It helps having Tommy (Eichenberg) on the other side, he's a great player, as you know," said Joyce after he received  the Most Valuable Player medal and trophy from the Great American Rivalry Series, which is presented by the United States Marine Corps. The Wildcats-Eagles rivalry has traditionally been part of the series and the 'Cats' were also awarded Saturday night with the Great American Rivalry Series Championship Trophy.

 "Our whole defense just came together tonight," Joyce continued. "We were putting pressure on their quarterbacks (senior Zach Kincaid and junior Garrett Dzuro) and our DBs (defensive backs) were doing their job in the back. We were ready. A very good team St Eds, we'll see them again (this season)."

  St. Edward, which was ranked among the best of the best Nationally and in the Midwest this past week by USA Today, unleashed some of those credentials in the second half, especially the fourth quarter.

 The Eagles got on the scoreboard off  a 32-yard field goal by senior Blaine Stencil with 11:50 remaining to be played and, after recovering an ensuing onside kick at midfield, Coach Tom Lombardo's Eagles tied the score on an eight-play drive that was capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by powerful senior tailback Ty Rice and the ensuing PAT by Stencil. Rice and the Wildcats' man in the middle up front defensively, senior nose tackle Aidan Gill, were grade-school teammates at Our Lady of Angels in West Park.

 It was, however, a night that belonged to the Wildcats, many of whom who don't recall those early state-championship days when Saint Ignatius' home field was none other than Lakewood Stadium. Coach Kyle's 'Cats were almost unbeatable on Bunts Road and Madison Avenue.

  After being shaken up in a previous series, senior quarterback Danny Alexander went back under center after Saint Ignatius' defense forced the Eagles to again punt from deep in their territory.

 Taking the reins at the St. Edward 45, Alexander led a four-play drive that featured a 43-yard, picture-perfect pass and catch combination down the middle to junior wide receiver Nigel Drummond II and Danny's 2-yard, game winning touchdown keeper that was followed by another extra point by Trickett with 1:13 left on the fourth-quarter clock.

 St. Edward's final possession began at its 20-yard line after Trickett sent another kickoff deep into the end zone and, after some outstanding pressure from Joyce and junior lineman Zach McMahan resulted in a tipped pass, the Eagles' night ended on an incomplete pass with just 23 seconds remaining.

 "I've never lost to them and I wasn't going to let it start," said Danny of the success on all three levels (Freshmen, Junior Varsity and now Varsity) that his class (Class of 2018) has experienced against St. Edward. "This game gets everybody fired up. You bring something to it that you didn't know you had. You play above your ability sometimes. If you have a little pain it goes away, because you know you have to do what is best for your team.

 "An excellent team," Danny continued in reference to St. Edward. "They have some phenomenal players. Hats off to them. They gave us a great game that was hard fought and came down to the last minute. We have some improvement to do, but we'll be ready when we meet them again."

 "A BEAUTIFUL CALL": That is what this old gridiron grinder wrote in my well-seasoned notebook after Saint Ignatius' outstanding Offensive Coordinator Nick Restifo slowed down St. Edward's momentum with a screen pass from Danny Alexander to Jahadge "Bo" Floyd off a third down-and-13 yards to go from the Saint Ignatius 33-yard line. "Bo" caught the high pass that had to be thrown over a charging defensive lineman and ran for a first down at the Eagles' 47.

FROM COACH KYLE: "They have been cornerstones on our defense," Coach Kyle said of the 1-2 punch of Joyce and Eichenberg. "We play great team defense and tip your hat to the defensive line. We're not the biggest guys, but we fill our gaps and have good technique.

 "Tommy Eichenberg and Logan Joyce, they make plays," Coach Kyle continued. "They can run, they can cover."

 Coach Kyle also referred to Coach Restifo's "great call" and credited St. Edward for executing the onside kick when it did. "I didn't think they were going to call it then. I thought they would kick us deep down the field."        

 CONGRATULATIONS FROM THIS CORNER: Go out to Wildcats outstanding senior center Jivan Meguerditchian, who prior to Saturday night's opening kickoff received a Student Athlete Scholarship Award  from the United States Marine Corps as part of the Great American Rivalry Series. Jivan plans to attend Case Western Reserve University and study Engineering.

AND MORE CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO FORMER WILDCAT MAINSTAY TIM FITZPATRICK: On Saturday night, Tim was recognized by the Great American Rivalry Series for his exceptional all-around efforts in Saint Ignatius' 14-5 victory over St. Edward in 1986. That game marked the 'Cats' first victory over the Eagles since 1979, although there was a 14-14 tie in 1983. Tim is the brother of Saint Ignatius' outstanding Athletics Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88.  

A TIP OF THE CAP FROM THIS CORNER GOES TO EAGLES OUTSTANDING SENIOR LINEBACKER OMAR FATTAH, WHO MADE 12 TACKLES ON SATURDAY NIGHT, AND HIS TEAMMATE, SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK RICHARD WHITE, WHO CAME UP WITH TWO INTERCEPTIONS.

 Have a wonderful Sunday and this corner will have the latest from the OHSAA when it becomes available.