Soccer Joe Mertens ’15
OHIO CITY, OH – With the loss to Soccer North (5-4) on Friday night time, the Saint Ignatius Wildcats (1-9) thought the season was over because the Medina Bees (3-7) defeated the Lorain Titans (2-8). Gamers got here collectively, emotional, with some seniors believing that was their final recreation, lacing up the cleats. Saturday got here round, and the OHSAA introduced that John Marshall would choose out of the match. This might shake up Area I, as Medina moved to the eleventh seed, and the Wildcats had been again in at 12.
“I used to be with our coaches Saturday afternoon and received a telephone name from Rory [Fitzpatrick], who instructed me the information. And I used to be shocked,” explains Head Soccer Coach Ryan Franzinger ’02. “There was a breath of contemporary air with the crew. We get to play extra soccer.”
Monday shortly modified from an gear return to follow on Wasmer Subject to arrange for the First Spherical of the OHSAA Match in opposition to the Perrysburg Yellow Jackets (8-2). The Wildcats are in a singular state of affairs. With the brand new match format, 12 regional groups certified for the playoffs. The Cats are one in every of two groups that completed with fewer than 4 wins to qualify. Little Miami (3-7) of Morrow County certified in Area IV.
There’s new life throughout the soccer program, and so they have a shot at shaking the Area I bracket. The Cats will play Perrysburg for the primary time in program historical past. The winner of this contest will transfer on to the Regional Quarterfinal to play the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (8-2). Whitmer earned a first-round bye, ending fourth within the area after defeating Perrysburg in Week Ten to earn a share of the Northern Lakes League Title (NLL).
SAINT IGNATIUS OFFENSE VS. PERRYSBURG DEFENSE
Sophomore Jacob Mikin returned because the starter for the Wildcat offense in opposition to Soccer North after lacking the final two weeks resulting from an harm.Mikin would end his night time, finishing 14-of-23 passes for 161 yards.
Mikin has accomplished 56.5% of his passes this season, throwing for 768 yards and 5 touchdowns. He has taken care of the ball, solely throwing one interception, which occurred in his varsity debut on a Hail Mary go in opposition to Mentor.
The Wildcats will face a Perrysburg protection that has stored its opponents out of the top zone. In six of their ten video games this season, the Yellow Jackets have restricted their opponents to single-digit scores.
“They’ve an energetic protection, we noticed that quite a bit of their recreation in opposition to Clay,” Franzinger says. “They principally run a three-front, with a number of blitz packages. Whitmer took benefit of their aggressiveness per week in the past.”
The Yellow Jackets function a powerful line backing corps that features senior Jonathan Butterfield. This season, he’s the crew chief in tackles with 41. He has additionally added three go break-ups. Sophomore nostril guard Giano Walkosky is the Yellow Jacket chief in sacks with 5. He additionally leads the protection in tackles for a loss with 10.5.
The Wildcats will hope to take a web page from Whitmer’s ebook and expose an overaggressive protection. Junior Trey Haddad is coming off a 119-yard, seven-reception efficiency per week in the past. Senior Shane O’Leary has lately seen a heavy uptick in targets and caught six passes for 50 yards final week.
As crucial because the air recreation will likely be, the Wildcats should set up the bottom recreation with Owen Colwell and Jake Bobinski. Per week in the past, in opposition to North, the Wildcats had been restricted to simply 55 yards on the bottom.
This season, the Wildcats have been restricted to 16.2 factors per recreation, and 253.8 yards per recreation.
SAINT IGNATIUS DEFENSE VS. PERRYSBURG OFFENSE
With their backs in opposition to the wall and the prospect it could be their remaining recreation enjoying collectively as a unit, the Wildcat seniors on protection left all of it on the sector in opposition to Soccer North, protecting them inside hanging distance. Senior Quinn Kennedy would lead the protection with eight tackles, one for a loss, and a go break-up. Kennedy was inches from getting a possible pick-six, however the ball slipped via his outstretched palms.
Senior Jayshon Thomas continues to indicate off his athleticism. Thomas, who lately eclipsed 200 profession tackles, has been an Iron man for the Wildcats, enjoying in each varsity recreation since his sophomore season, which is 33 video games. He added six tackles final week.
The protection has additionally seen a pair of receivers, Haddad and Luke Simms, serving to out the secondary. Haddad had three tackles and a go break-up that prevented a North landing on a trick play. Simms added 4 tackles, his second recreation as a security since injuring his hand and enjoying with a solid.
“These guys have not thought twice; they needed to play protection,” explains Franzinger. “Simms and Haddad have been superior in bolstering our secondary.”
All through this week, the protection has introduced over a handful of offensive linemen to attempt their hand at defensive position. This week, Peter Whiteside, Grayson Halkiadakis, and Michael van der Oord have seen some reps with the protection, in prep for Perrysburg. The rationale for that’s the energy of the offensive entrance. “I believe their offensive line is their largest energy,” notes Franzinger. “It is a numbers recreation; we’ve got to interrupt via these double groups and disrupt their offense.”
Junior Brady Maxwell is the sign caller for the Yellow Jackets and is a harmful dual-threat quarterback. He has accomplished 64% of his passes along with his arm for 1,397 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has 776 yards on 117 carries and 14 touchdowns when he decides to tuck and run. He has rushed over 100 yards in three video games this season for Perrysburg.
Maxwell has thrown 12 interceptions this season and is coming off a recreation through which he struggled in opposition to Whitmer. He threw three picks whereas throwing for 165 yards. Junior Ethan Devries is the main receiver for the Jackets. He has 41 receptions for 627 yards and eight touchdowns.
This offense averages 341.3 yards per recreation and has scored 40-plus factors in 5 video games this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sophomore Griffin Roberts missed the final two weeks for the Wildcats. That allowed Kyle Ritt and Ian Phiri to hit their first varsity area targets. Ritt hit from 30 yards out per week in the past, and Phiri from 39 yards. Phiri did have a area purpose blocked final week.
Senior Brayden Heitmeyer does the kicking and punting for the Yellow Jackets. He has punted 19 instances, averaging 39.8 yards per punt. He has totaled 53 factors via PATs and area targets.
Freshman halfback Dakota Jackson leads Perrysburg in kick return yardage with 176 yards. Senior Lucas Graham will deal with the punt return duties; he has 112 yards on 32 returns.
The Wildcats and Perrysburg will meet for the primary time on Friday night time. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. from Steinecker Stadium and the SIBN will have coverage. Perrysburg is positioned in Wooden County, and will probably be the primary time the Wildcats will face a crew from that county. This marks the twenty first county of 88 in Ohio that the Wildcats could have a recreation in opposition to. That is playoff look quantity 35 for the Wildcats, and for Perrysburg, that is their eleventh. The winner will advance to the OHSAA Regional Quarterfinal to face the Whitmer Panthers. In program historical past, the Wildcats have a 79-23 file within the OHSAA Match.
Complete Regional First Round Game Notes
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