John Fanta ’13
Coach O’Toole’s philosophy for every single one of his teams is “take one game at a time.” As OHSAA Basketball is looming towards the postseason, it is so important to avoid assuming anything. The Solon Sectional/District, which may very likely be the toughest district in the state of Ohio, can be unpredictable as ever. 14-3 Saint Ignatius was given the #1 seed by the district committee, as the Wildcats’ win at St. Edward (71-67 on February 8) in the Eagles’ Nest was definitely enough to pull the advantage to the Wildcats’ side.
No matter where seeded though, there is one thing for sure. If you are going to get out of Solon High School on March 9 (Day of the District Final), it is going to be because you went through a three-game path that is, by no stretch, simple. Behind the Wildcats are #2 Garfield Heights, #3 Shaker Heights, #4 Cleveland Heights, #5 Bedford, and #6 Maple Heights. Those are the top six teams that are the most-hyped in the district. Saint Ignatius will play in their Sectional Final game against the winner of Lincoln West-John F. Kennedy (2/26) on the 1st of March. “We can not look too ahead. We must live in the moment guys. There is no reason to rush anything. We are going to have to beat good teams to get to our ultimate goal, and that’s Columbus,” said Coach O’Toole in practice this week.
On the Wildcats’ side of the bracket is the 4th-seeded Cleveland Heights Tigers. The Wildcats have Cleveland Heights in a road battle on Thursday night (2/14), and that match-up could very likely be a preview of a District Semifinal game.
On the other side of the bracket, the main contenders are second-seeded Garfield Heights and third-seeded Shaker Heights. Both of these teams have great athleticism and love to run the floor. All three of the teams right behind the Wildcats run a quick-paced style that Saint Ignatius must be ready for defensively.
It is the most unpredictable district in the state of Ohio by far, as action officially begins with first round games on February 26. Here is the Wildcats’ outlook if they want to get through their district play. It takes six wins to hoist up that Division I state championship trophy, and the way Saint Ignatius is playing right now, there is no reason why this Wildcat team does not have the potential to make a big-time run.
- March 1st Sectional Final at 6 pm
- March 6th District Semifinal at 7 pm (if advanced)
- March 9th District Final at 2:30 pm (if advanced)
Solon High School is a fantastic venue for the talented district, as the fun should be rolling as March arrives. It’s one of the best times of year as March is almost here. There are so many phenomenal reasons for you fans of the blue and gold to be there.
