Soccer Joe Mertens ’15
OHIO CITY, OH – With the loss to Soccer North (5-4) on Friday evening, 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 sport, lacing up the cleats. Saturday got here round, and the OHSAA introduced that John Marshall would choose out of the match. This could 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 bought a telephone name from Rory [Fitzpatrick], who informed 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 group. We get to play extra soccer.”
Monday shortly modified from an tools return to follow on Wasmer Subject to arrange for the First Spherical of the OHSAA Match towards the Perrysburg Yellow Jackets (8-2). The Wildcats are in a novel scenario. With the brand new match format, 12 regional groups certified for the playoffs. The Cats are considered one 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 towards Soccer North after lacking the final two weeks because of an damage.Mikin would end his evening, 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 towards Mentor.
The Wildcats will face a Perrysburg protection that has saved 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 lively protection, we noticed that lots of their sport towards Clay,” Franzinger says. “They largely 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 group 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 e book 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 not too long ago seen a heavy uptick in targets and caught six passes for 50 yards final week.
As vital because the air sport will probably be, the Wildcats should set up the bottom sport with Owen Colwell and Jake Bobinski. Per week in the past, towards 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 sport, and 253.8 yards per sport.
SAINT IGNATIUS DEFENSE VS. PERRYSBURG OFFENSE
With their backs towards the wall and the possibility it will be their remaining sport taking part in collectively as a unit, the Wildcat seniors on protection left all of it on the sphere towards Soccer North, retaining 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 fingers.
Senior Jayshon Thomas continues to point out off his athleticism. Thomas, who not too long ago eclipsed 200 profession tackles, has been an Iron man for the Wildcats, taking part in in each varsity sport 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 sport as a security since injuring his hand and taking part in with a forged.
“These guys have not thought twice; they wished 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 strive their hand at line of defense. This week, Peter Whiteside, Grayson Halkiadakis, and Michael van der Oord have seen some reps with the protection, in prep for Perrysburg. The explanation for that’s the energy of the offensive entrance. “I feel their offensive line is their greatest energy,” notes Franzinger. “It is a numbers sport; now we have 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 together 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 sport through which he struggled towards 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 sport 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 subject targets. Ritt hit from 30 yards out per week in the past, and Phiri from 39 yards. Phiri did have a subject purpose blocked final week.
Senior Brayden Heitmeyer does the kicking and punting for the Yellow Jackets. He has punted 19 occasions, averaging 39.8 yards per punt. He has totaled 53 factors via PATs and subject 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 evening. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. from Steinecker Stadium and the SIBN will have coverage. Perrysburg is situated in Wooden County, and it will likely be the primary time the Wildcats will face a group from that county. This marks the twenty first county of 88 in Ohio that the Wildcats can have a sport towards. 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 report within the OHSAA Match.
Complete Regional First Round Game Notes
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