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Varsity Blue Lacrosse Team Claims Huge Win over Brother Rice

By Joe Ginley, 04/28/18, 10:45PM EDT

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The JV Cats also battled for a couple big wins.

To most fans in Northeast Ohio, Brother Rice is just another school from That State Up North. 

But to the lacrosse community, Brother Rice, a Catholic college prep school in Bloomfield Hills, is a powerhouse program and a paragon of excellence. Brother Rice has won each Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 1 State Championship dating back to 2005.

In fact, the Saint Ignatius lacrosse program modeled its two-varsity-team system off of Brother Rice's program. In the first season of the switch, the results are already evident for the Wildcats. 

The Varsity Blue squad defeated Brother Rice's Varsity B squad on Friday, 6-5.

The visiting Warriors gave the Cats a battle. From the opening whistle, the teams duked it out just as the Indians and Mariners did across the bridge. As fireworks lit the sky after numerous Indians home runs, Brother Rice netted two goals in the first, taking a 2-0 lead into the second quarter. 

The Wildcats then struck back. The Varsity Blue squad rolled to a 6-1 run over the second and third quarters, rocking a 6-3 lead into the final quarter.

Brother Rice did not go quietly. The Warriors tallied two fourth quarter goals, but the Cats held on in the end to earn a clutch victory on Friday evening.

As head varsity blue coach Chris Wancata '07 attested, the Wildcats' defense was locked in. Sophomore goalie Christopher Laska also played great in net, stonewalling the Warriors on a number of key shots. 

The Wildcats also played well on Saturday. Playing University Liggett's top team, the men of Ohio City lost narrowly, 13-8. The Cats now stand at 5-6 on the year entering a home finale vs. Massillon Jackson on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, the JV Cats played wonderfully, notching two big wins on Friday and Saturday.

First, the men of JV Coach Bo Shim '92 took on Brother Rice on Friday. Playing on McLaughlin Field, the Wildcats used a little home cooking to claim a 10-6 victory.

Saturday proved to be more of an adventure. The Wildcats' bus broke down en route to Columbus for a showdown with St. Charles, throwing a wrench in the team's travel plans. The parents of the JV Cats banded together to transport the team to the contest, saving the day for the blue and gold.

The road-weary Wildcats fought the Cardinals tooth-and-nail on Saturday. Thanks to a strong, all-around effort, the Lax Cats managed to take home a 3-2 win. Shim's squad will take a shiny 9-0-1 record into next Friday's home clash with Wooster on Wasmer Field.