Last August, a young Saint Ignatius soccer team traveled to Cincinnati with a long winning streak and the Jesuit Cup in tow. 

The Wildcats came home empty-handed last year, due to a tough St. Xavier team. This season, the Soccer Cats will return with the trophy.

Bent on revenge and bringing the Cup back home, the Wildcats dominated the Bombers on Sunday, 6-2, carrying the Cup home from Toledo St. John's Jesuit. 

The Wildcats were motivated from the very start. Kory Nekeloff started off the scoring in the 11th minute. Taking a pass from Matthew McLaughlin, Nekeloff found the back of the net with an important starting goal. The Bombers managed to tie the contest in the 20th minute, but that would the last goal for St. Xavier for quite some time. 

In the 31st minute, the Soccer Cats recaptured the lead for good. McLaughlin found twine off a pass from Theo Kudlo, adding to his growing goal total. The junior scored again just five minutes later, converting a penalty kick for what would be the eventual game-winning goal.

The Wildcats tacked on another goal right before the end of the first half. Bryce Horton scored his first of three goals in the 39th minute, granting the Wildcats a 4-1 lead heading into the half. 

The scoring continued early in the second half. Taking a pass from Kyle Healy, Horton tallied a goal in the 41st minute. Just a few minutes later, Horton completed the hat trick off a pass from Kory Nekeloff.

Horton's third marker of the game ended the scoring for the Wildcats at six goals. The Bombers scored a goal with just nine seconds left, setting the score at 6-2. 

With the victory, the Wildcats accomplished the first of three team goals this season.

"We have something to prove this season and we are going to try to prove it every time we play," said Head Soccer Coach Mike McLaughlin '85. "Today we beat a top 10 team in the state by a good score. The boys are excited to bring the Jesuit Cup in our hands, that was one of our goals this season. Tomorrow, we get back to work. We have more things to prove."

The Wildcats return to action on Thursday, hosting the Solon Comets at Krenzler Field at Cleveland State at 7:15 pm.