Without a doubt, the Saint Ignatius prep team knew that this week, with three tough games in six days, would pose quite a challenge.
Indeed it did. The Wildcats lost their first home game of the year on Monday against a strong team in Everest Academy. The Lax Cats then fended off a hungry Hudson squad on Wednesday.
On Saturday afternoon, a cold and windy April day in Northeast Ohio, the Wildcats batted away a steep challenge from the Hartland Eagles. A top program from Michigan, Hartland did not quit, remaining in the game for the full 48 minutes.
In the end, the Lax Cats walked away with the 12-10 victory, but not before one heck of a battle on the field.
Be it football, hockey, or lacrosse, teams from That State Up North always bring a battle south. That was true from the very first faceoff. Hartland used a physical style of play to hinder the Wildcats at times, especially early on. The hosts had to scratch and claw to score.
The Wildcats scored first at 9:45 of the first, on a Jack Moriarty goal. But the Cats would not score again until one minute showed on the scoreboard in the first quarter. Boehm did the honors, on a wonderful turnaround tally. Meanwhile, Hartland found twine, setting the score at 2-1 after 12 minutes. Stick checks by Hartland slowed the Saint Ignatius offense and stemmed the tide from turning early in the contest.
The Wildcats' offense roared to life in the second, however, as the Cats exploited small openings near the net. Jack Moriarty notched his first of the day before Boehm tallied his second on the afternoon. Hartland responded just 32 seconds later to narrow the deficit to 4-2, but that did not stop the Wildcats' train.
Moriarty ripped a shot into the net off an assist from Boehm at 7:55 before Connor Cmiel sniped just 40 seconds later. The Wildcats held a nice 6-2 lead near the halfway point of the second.
Hartland managed to keep things interesting with a couple goals. Boehm then completed a first-half hat trick with 2:26 left in the second, sending the teams into the break with a 7-4 lead, a stable but susceptible advantage.
Noah Catanzarite and Bill Beegan added to that lead with beautiful, cheer-inducing goals in the first portion of the third quarter. The tallies sent the score to 9-4 in favor of the Cats.
But then the Wildcats' offense ground to a halt. Hartland managed to sustain lengthy possessions in the third, aided by several Saint Ignatius penalties. Calling a close game, the referees did not tolerate any extracurriculars, or any overly physical plays.
The Eagles scored twice in the third, each on a man-up opportunity. Hartland remained within striking distance at 9-6 heading into the fourth.
Wildcats fans began to grow nervous early on in the fourth. Hartland's offense rolled quickly to start the quarter, tearing off two goals, including one on a quick breakaway, to stun the Cats. The Eagles trailed by just one, 9-8, with 9:30 left.
The teams traded shots and possessions, but the defenses stiffened. Missed passes haunted each team in the offensive zone, and neither offense saw much daylight near the net.
With 3:45 remaining, the Wildcats received a golden chance on a man-up opportunity. Merick Hartley cashed in with a marvelous ripper from deep at 3:18, as the Cats screened the 'tendie enough to allow Hartley's rocket to scream into twine.
While the Cats held a 10-8 lead, the last two minutes were anything but relaxing. Hartland narrowed the deficit to one again with a goal before the Cats scored with one minute left. Even then, the Eagles responded in quick succession.
Only a Boehm tally with 5 seconds left sealed the deal. LSM Jack Welsch made it possible, clearing the ball on a pass to Bain Kurtz while being pushed to the turf by an Eagle. Kurtz set up Boehm for the finisher.
The scoreboard showed a goalfest, but Charlie Minerd served as the savior for the Wildcats. The sophomore stood tall in net, often coming forward to contest close shots. Minerd used his body and stick on several occasions to knock down dangerous Hartland opportunities.
On the opposite side, senior Jake Gallaher netted five of Hartland's ten goals. Gallaher played out of his mind with some incredible plays for the visitors.
The Lax Cats have a notably more relaxed week ahead, with just one game upcoming. The Wildcats will host Massillon Jackson on Wednesday at 7:30 pm for Senior Night. The squad will celebrate the 14 seniors on the roster and the incredible achievements these young men have had on and off the lacrosse field.