Bedford, Ohio - The Region's top-seeded Wildcats of Hall of Fame Head Football Coach Chuck Kyle '69 defeated the Panthers for the 13th consecutive time in what are now 14 meetings on the gridiron between Saint Ignatius and Euclid. The 'Cats are 7-0 all time versus the Panthers in the OHSAA Playoffs. Euclid's only triumph over Saint Ignatius in football came in Week 2 of the 1987 regular season, 30-7. 

 Fourth-seeded Euclid closed its fall to recall at 9-3, with two of its setbacks coming to Saint Ignatius, including a 34-20 loss in Week 3 of the regular season on Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium. The Panthers were also defeated by Mentor during Week 9 of the regular season, 61-59, in the Cardinals' Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium. No, that final score is not a misprint.    

 The record 11-time Division I State Champion Wildcats will take a four-game winning streak and an 11-1 record into next Friday's (Nov. 17) OHSAA Region 1 Final matchup with the third-seeded Mentor Cardinals. The Cardinals of Head Coach Steve Trivisonno are also 11-1 after turning away second-seeded  St. Edward, 21-13, in Friday night's other Region 1 Semifinal on Byers Field in Parma's Robert M. Boulton Stadium. The Eagles wrapped up their season at 10-2.  

 Next Friday's 7:30 pm kickoff with Mentor will be at a site to be determined by the OHSAA this weekend. The Cardinals are currently on a 10-game winning streak after losing to Saint Ignatius, 41-31, in Week 2 of the regular season at Mentor's Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium.

 Although the Wildcats lead their all-time gridiron series with the Cardinals,13-8, Mentor has won the last two OHSAA postseason playoff games between the perennial big-school powers - a Mitch Trubisky-led 57-56, three-overtime Regional Final classic in 2012 and a Connor Krizancic-led 26-3 Regional Final victory in 2013. If Wildcats fans thought Friday night's victory over Euclid in Bedford was cold, all I can say is that you should have been at the Mentor-Saint Ignatius Regional Final in 2013 on Byers Field. Coldest conditions I have ever encountered in more than four decades of area high school football coverage.

 As always, this corner will be previewing next Friday night's Regional Final matchup with Mentor early this coming week.

Now on to the Friday night lights highlights that took place at the newly re-turfed Stewart Field in Bedford High School's atmosphere-rich Bearcat Stadium.

 EARLY MISTAKES ALLOW EUCLID TO STAY IN STRIKING DISTANCE

 Thanks to a leaping interception by strong, savvy and quick off the ball junior linebacker Tommy Eichenberg that saw Tommy make a great read off an attempted screen pass, and some impressive quick-burst running by junior tailback Jahadge "Bo" Floyd, the 'Cats were knock, knock, knocking on touchdown's door in the early going.

 A turnover raised its ugly head, however, and the Panthers took possession deep in their territory.

 Saint Ignatius' defense came up big again, however, and forced Coach Jeff Rotsky's team to punt from deep in its territory. With Eichenberg applying the pressure off the snap, the Euclid punter got off a kick that went almost straight up in the air before coming to rest at the Panthers' 23-yard line.

 Coach Kyle's top-ranked in Ohio Wildcats would go on to take a 3-0 lead on a 39-yard field goal by outstanding senior kicker Matthew Trickett with 6 minutes and 36 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

 After a heads-up run off a scramble by Saint Ignatius' talented two-dimensional senior quarterback Danny Alexander, the Wildcats were in Panthers territory again. A key procedure penalty, however, and a sack by Euclid's aggressive junior linebacker Sean Jackson thwarted that potential drive.

 Saint Ignatius' defense put together another exceptional series that was highlighted with two sacks from the ever-present Eichenberg. After the D forced Euclid to punt from its end zone, the Wildcats, following another punt that was certainly not a distance maker, went to work again deep in striking distance.

 In what was an up-and down first half, the 'Cats' fumbled the ball away at the Panthers' 20.

 THE DEFENSE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE, THE OFFENSIVE LINE TAKES CONTROL, THE YOUNG BUCKS RUN TO DAYLIGHT AND ONE OF THE AREA'S TOP PASS/CATCH COMBOS HAS ITS MOMENT 

 Taking possession at its 27-yard line, Saint Ignatius, faced with a third-and-six from its 31, clicked on a pass from Alexander to multi-skilled senior wide receiver Connor Kennedy, who put together a smooth catch and run off a crossing pattern.

 With his team facing a third-and-16 from the Euclid 31, Alexander took charge with his uncanny vision and pocket presence.

 First Danny saw nothing available through the air, tucked the ball away and rambled for a first-and-goal at the 9. Then Offensive Coordinator Nick Restifo's field general took it home off a great read and went untouched into the open end zone of Bearcat Stadium off a nice move to his right with 4 minutes and 20 seconds left in the first half. Trickett's extra-point kick was high and true, and the ever-faithful and creative Wildcats' Student Body could have been heard out on Northfield Road.

 Leading 10-0, Saint Ignatius, ranked among the nation's best in USA Today's Midwest Top-10 Rankings and Super 25 National Computer Poll, continued to get exceptional pressure up front defensively from Eichenberg, All-District first-team senior linebacker Logan Joyce, tough and as determined as they come senior nose tackle Aidan Gill and All-American senior offensive tackle/defensive lineman Darian Kinnard, who is a University of Kentucky recruit.

With Coach Adam Rini's and Coach Paul Yappel's offensive linemen hungry for some second half test of wills in the trenches, Coach Kyle and his staff turned to their young, but oh so talented running backs, "Bo" Floyd, sophomore tailback/linebacker Jack Welcsh and sophomore linebacker/running back Mike McNamara.

 Saint Ignatius, scoring five touchdowns off five second-half possessions, sandwiched touchdown runs of 3 yards by Floyd and 6 yards from Welcsh around an exceptional 75-yard catch and run for a TD by the Panthers' gifted wide receiver Dre'Von Lindsay.

 The Wildcats would then seal another spot among Ohio's Division I football elite eight on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Alexander to All-District first team senior wide receiver Sammy Snyder, an effort that saw Sammy catch the ball across the middle on the dead run and, after outrunning the pursuit to the corner of the end zone, putting on a clever little move to get past the pylon, a highlight-reel, 33-yard second-effort TD run up the gut by Welcsh in which Jack broke several tackles, and McNamara's 2-yard score off a drive that saw Mike account for all of the 60 yards off five carries.

 Saint Ignatius' defense did an exceptional job of keeping Euclid's record-setting tailback Ronald Lee under control, as Lee finished with a hard-earned 100 yards on 24 carries. The Panthers' Brandon Wright totaled 71 yards on nine carries.

 Floyd led the ground game for the 'Cats with 118 yards on 14 carries, Alexander had 76 yards rushing on just seven carries, and Welcsh totaled 74 yards on 10 carries. Through the air, Alexander was 7-for-11 for 109 yards. This old gridiron grinder also tips his cap to junior cornerback Jett Elad for his coverage in the end zone that prevented a touchdown and sophomore defensive back Connor Cmiel for his pass breakup on a deep ball.  

 FROM COACH KYLE: "The first half, we had opportunities we did not capitalize on and that was frustrating. The defense was doing a great job.

 "Danny (Alexander) was finding some seams and with his threat of running, they had to honor it," Coach Kyle continued. "That got the dive (play) going. The just couldn't close on the dive, they had to honor Danny."

 Coach Kyle added that Tommy Eichenberg showed everyone in attendance what he can do. "Tommy's been doing that all year," Coach Kyle said with a wide smile. "We're so fortunate to have Tommy and Logan Joyce on the other side. They are two outside backers who just make so many big plays. I thought the interior line did a very good job, too. Euclid is a team that runs the ball. Lee is amazing, but I thought we did a real good job of bottling that up and closing the seams.

 "We still haven't played four full quarters all year, and, with whose left, we can't have a bad quarter."

 FROM TOMMY EICHENBERG: "We have to come out and play our way, whether the offense is having a good night or not. That was our mindset the whole game.

 "I blitzed, and the tackle just kind of let me go," said Tommy of his big-time interception off an attempted screen pass. "The coaches were emphasizing that they like to do a lot of screen passes. The tackle didn't block me, I saw the running back release and I popped out

 " A great team," Tommy added in reference to the Mentor Cardinals and next Friday's Regional Final matchup. "We're going to have a great week of practice and it's going to be an awesome game. They have a great quarterback (Cardinals senior Tadas Tatarunas)."

 Have a great rest of the weekend and I pray for all of our Veterans on this day and remember my late brothers, my heroes, John Dwyer (United States Marine Corps) and Jerry Dwyer (United States Army).