Parma, Ohio - The now 10-1 Wildcats of Hall of Fame Head Coach Chuck Kyle '69 found themselves trailing Perry, 7-0, with 11:56 remaining in the first half and 7-3 at halftime before adjusting to Coach Keith Wakefield's vaunted Wing-T offense and controlling the final 24 minutes.

 Top-seeded Saint Ignatius, making its 28th OHSAA postseason appearance since its remarkable playoff run began in 1988, advances to next Friday's 7:30 pm Region 1 Semifinal matchup with fourth-seeded Euclid at a site to be determined by the OHSAA on Sunday. Wildcats outstanding Athletic Director Rory Fitzpatrick '88 said Lakewood Stadium and Bedford Bearcat Stadium could be among the OHSAA's considerations.   

The Euclid Panthers of Head Coach Jeff Rotsky improved to 9-2 by dominating fifth-seeded Massillon Jackson, 49-21, in a Regional Quarterfinal at Euclid Friday night. Euclid standout Ronald Lee broke the Panthers' single-season rushing record that was set 28 years ago by former two-time Ohio Mr. Football, the legendary Robert Smith.

 Saint Ignatius, in its Week 3 home opener this season, rallied from a four-point halftime deficit and defeated Euclid, 34-20, on Byers Field. The Wildcats lead their all-time series with Euclid, 12-1, including playoff victories in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1999.

This seasoned playoff observer will preview the 14th meeting between Saint Ignatius and Euclid early this coming week.

 HERE IS A CORNER'S VIEW OF FRIDAY NIGHT'S HARD-EARNED TRIUMPH OVER MASSILLON PERRY, WHICH WAS FACING THE WILDCATS FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE GRIDIRON.

 "I knew this would be a tough game, I just knew it," said Coach Kyle while walking off Byers Field after his Wildcats, behind an impressive second half, ended Perry's season at 9-2. Coach Wakefield's eighth-seeded Panthers were the Division II State Runner-Up in both 2015 and 2016 before moving up to Division I this season under the OHSAA's new competitive balance system.

 "That offense (the Wing-T), it caused us problems," Coach Kyle continued. "A great job by Ryan (Ryan Franzinger '02, Saint Ignatius' Defensive Coordinator), Dave (Wildcats' outstanding Defensive Line Coach Dave Cicetti) and Kevin ('Cats Defensive Secondary Coach Kevin Johnson '10) at halftime.

"The way they (Perry) were down blocking and kicking out, there was just this little seam, a seam gap area just a little bit, and they have some good backs. Boy, they came through there. We had to blow that up a little better. We started moving the line a little bit with their cadence and I think that helped a bit, too, so they didn't have a clear shot of where we were at. That helped.

 "They had a little drive (at the start of the second half) and we stopped them," said the man who has now guided his storied football program at Cleveland's Jesuit Preparatory School to a playoff mark of 71-16. "The offense then started to take it down field methodically and we came up with a big turnover when the defense was just charging and caused a fumble that we got down there on their 3. That was huge. And our last drive allowed the defense to rest and get organized.

 "They are good at what they do, there is no doubt about it," Coach Kyle said in reference to the Perry Panthers.   

 Perry, a winner of 18 Federal League Championships, took a six-game winning streak into Friday's game, which was the Stark County school's ninth OHSAA football playoff appearance.

 Led by the fab five that key its Wing-T - quarterback Max Baker and running backs Tyler Cowan, Jarin Curtis, Richard Coleman and Sha'VeA  (correct) Lightner, Coach Wakefield's Panthers put together a 9-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by Baker's second-effort, 9-yard scoring run and the ensuing extra-point kick by Caden Basham with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.

 Perry outrushed the Wildcats, 187-64, in the first half and for the game that Panthers had a net 304 yards on the ground off 52 rushes. Saint Ignatius totaled a net 149 yards rushing on 38 carries.

 The 'Cats, who finished the regular season as the top-ranked Division I team in the Associated Press State Poll and the No. 1 team in Cleveland.com's Top 25 seven-county area poll, closed to 7-3 by halftime on a 38-yard field goal by gifted senior kicker Matt Trickett.

 The second half belonged to the three-time national champs (1989, 1993 and 1995), as Coach Kyle watched his senior quarterback Danny Alexander hook up with multi-skilled junior tailback Jahadge "Bo" Floyd on a 32-yard, in-stride touchdown pass down the home sideline that highlighted a nine-play, 88-yard drive. Trickett's PAT made it a 10-7 game with 2:56 left in the third quarter.

 After the key fumble recovery at the Perry 3-yard line that Coach Kyle referred to above, a savvy and strong recovery by tough and talented senior nose tackle/fullback Aidan Gill, oh so promising sophomore running back/defensive back Jack Welcsh scored off a third-and-goal at the 1 for his first touchdown on the Varsity level. Another Trickett extra point gave Saint Ignatius some breathing room at 17-7 with 2:03 to go in the third quarter.

 With Coach Franzinger's defense continuing to make the adjustments, a 5-yard scoring run by Alexander and Trickett's third PAT put the 'Cats in control at 24-7 with 8 minutes and 46 seconds remaining to be played. Danny's savvy read resulted in his seventh rushing touchdown on the season.

 Alexander was also 11-of-19 passing for 154 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, giving Danny's arm 1,101 yards and 11 TDs for the season. Perry managed just a net 4 yards through the air.

 Helping key Danny's strong night was junior wide receiver Nigel Drummond II with 64 yards off four receptions.

 Floyd led the ground game for Running Backs Coach Terry Fergus '72, as "Bo" added to his TD reception by picking up 114 yards on 20 carries. Welcsh finished with 25 yards and a TD on seven carries. "Bo" now has 866 yards rushing off 137 carries.  

 Perry spread its wealth in the rushing department. Baker had 78 yards off 13 carries, Cowan totaled 72 yards off eight carries, Lightner also had eight carries that produced 65 yards, and Curtis carried 17 times for 54 yards.

 STAT OF THE NIGHT: Perry ran 57 plays for 308 yards and Saint Ignatius ran 57 plays for 303 yards.

THE MEN UP FRONT: Saint Ignatius' defensive line played a huge role in Saint Ignatius' second-half adjustments, as Gill, fellow senior Bradley Andrich , junior Zach McMahan and junior Aidan Wells, among others, made their presence known, as did outstanding junior linebacker Tommy Eichenberg.

 AND THE MEN IN THE SECONDARY: This corner tips his cap to savvy cornerbacks Cam Toppin and Jett Elad, and safeties Danny Scelza, Matt Viancourt and John Wetula for their efforts under the Friday night lights of Byers Field.

 FROM AIDAN GILL, THE PRIDE OF OUR LADY OF ANGELS: "Obviously they were running the ball very effectively. So the main thing we had to focus on was working together. We worked on it all week (the Wing-T), but they came out pounding the ball. As a defensive line, we were trying to free up the linebackers."

 FROM ZACH MCMAHAN: "In the first half we were missing a few of our keys. I feel that in the second half we really tightened it up. When we started the season, we really weren't sure who was going to play on the defensive line. But we've stepped up. We try to make it possible for our linebackers to make plays. Our linebackers are great, all of them. They play off of us. We work inside the defense."   

 AIDAN ON HIS FUMBLE RECOVERY:  "The big running back was in a pile and we had stood him up a little bit. I saw him holding the ball, so I literally just took it out of his hands. I thought I was running free, I was really excited. But the running back came up and tackled me from behind. It was really fun. I haven't done that since grade school. So it was a little rush. All credit to Perry, though, they're very good."

 Gill and McMahan share a true motto for a defensive lineman - "No glory, no stats. Just working in the trenches so guys can make some plays." And they love it.  

 FROM JACK WELCSH: "We knew we had to come back or this season was done," Jack said. "Honestly, when Danny saw "Bo" running down the sideline and hit him with that pass it changed everything. We started going after that.

 "For my place, I just give "Bo" breathers. It is sort of my role right now. I love it."

 And this old-timer loves the privilege to cover and report on such talented, yet humble young men. Coach Kyle's 'Cats are truly "Men for Others."