Cold conditions and rain are nothing new for Saint Ignatius lacrosse fans, parents and coaches. Mother Nature can be a beast in the spring.
But Saturday's game at St. Edward High School was something else.
The Wildcats and Eagles played in uniquely awful conditions on Saturday, with a driving rain soaking everyone in attendance and a stiff wind sending chills down the spines of players and spectators alike.
Amidst the dreadful conditions, the Lax Cats took care of business and delivered a knockout blow to the Eagles early. The Wildcats carried a 10-2 lead into halftime, sending many fans to the exits prematurely to seek shelter (including this writer). The Lax Cats finished the job in front of a few diehards, 17-3.
In the first minute of the game, the Wildcats found twine. Nate Conry quickly got the visitors on the scoresheet and Anthony Ameo followed it up with a faceoff win and a wonderful goal.
The lead then stretched to 4-0 before the Eagles called a timeout at 9:29 of the first. Michael Boehm and Ameo notched the goals.
The next nine minutes saw the Eagles find twine for the first time, but the Wildcats also tallied three more goals for a 7-1 lead after one.
As the Wildcats sat in complete control and enjoying full possession to start the second, a maelstrom seemed to develop in Lakewood. The rain intensified into a full downpour and the wind destroyed umbrellas (including mine), leaving fans and players to hop up and down to stay warm, with the hope of remaining dry destroyed.
The Eagles did manage to score on a man-up opportunity late in the second, but a pair of Boehm goals and another tally at the end of the half sent a clear message of control and a 10-2 lead. Halftime sent both teams running into the locker room for a respite from the rain.
The second half played out in front of a near-empty stadium behind St. Edward. The Wildcats posted seven goals to one on a man-up opportunity for the Eagles, setting the final score at 17-3 Wildcats.
With the rain descending on a makeshift tent press box on the sidelines, the scorebook did not survive Mother Nature's wrath, according to assistant coach Joe Boehm '05. Final goal and assistant tallies will be provided once they become available from re-watching the game film.
UPDATE: The 7-3 Lax Cats will prepare for the Shaker Heights Red Raiders. Wednesday's contest, scheduled for 7:30 pm, has been moved from Shaker Heights to Wasmer Field, due to the conditions of the Red Raiders' field.
Varsity / JV squads stand strong: The Varsity Blue Lax Cats advanced to 2-3 on the year with a 15-1 triumph over the Eagles on Saturday. The JV Cats advanced to 6-0-1 on the year with an 8-4 victory over Toledo St. John's Jesuit on Friday and an 8-1 win over Dublin Jerome on Saturday.