by John Fanta ’13
Derek Sloan scored 26 points to lead Saint Ignatius in the scoring column, but that would not be enough to top Danny Young’s Shaker Heights Red Raiders, who advance to the Sweet 16 of the OHSAA State Tournament. The Wildcats finished the season at 21-4, as their 12-game winning streak was snapped. Francisco Santiago was contained offensively for most of the day, as he put up 12 points and could not find a real burst of momentum during the afternoon. Eric and David Black combined for 10 points, but the contributions from the Wildcats outside of Sloan and Santiago were lacking.
Shaker Heights could not stop hitting at Solon HS, especially from the free throw line. Esa Ahmad scored 21 points to lead the Raiders’ athletic, fast-paced offense, but it was 5’11 senior guard Mel Leach who composed the offense efficiently and moved through the lane all day. Defensively, the ‘Cats had trouble finding an answer for Leach throughout the afternoon. He was the reason for so much production from the other Raiders. Kaleb Roy scored 12 points and post presence Kash Blackwell out up 10 points for the Raiders. Shaker Heights only missed one free throw all day, as that was the difference maker to the Wildcats’ weakness at the charity strike. The winner of the Brecksville District Championship between St. Edward/North Royalton will take on Shaker Heights on Wednesday night at 8 pm at Cleveland State University.
The Wildcats finish the season strongly, with AP Northeast Lakes District Player of the Year Francisco Santiago scoring 354 points in total on the season, as Sloan finished with 384 points on the season. They both combined for over 40% of the team’s points. Alec Papesch scored 12.4 points per game with the Wildcats, and although his season was shortened by injury, he still fought hard for the ‘Cats and will do great things at New York University. Austin Sterpka and Bryan Fisher rounded out the senior corps for the Wildcats, and senior manager Pat Gibbons worked his tail off day in and day out.
Key wins for Saint Ignatius were a season sweep of St. Edward, two triumphs over Cleveland Heights, and a victory over the top team in Division IV, VASJ.
Through one quarter, the Red Raiders led 17-16, as both teams were trying to get a feel for each other. Throughout the second quarter, both teams were held down offensively as it was 26-25 Shaker Heights. The Wildcats had 15 points from Derek Sloan, but outside of that, nothing much more. The Red Raiders began to separate themselves in the 3rd, as they led 41-35. The Wildcats just did not have enough offense to counter the Red Raiders, as Shaker Heights would finish off the game with free throws to go on to win, 61-52.
What a crazy district it is out in Solon, as the likes of Garfield Heights, Cleveland Heights, and now Saint Ignatius have to sit back and watch the rest of the tournament. The Solon District features four teams in the Cleveland area top 25, and only one can move on. The ‘Cats are bumped out of the tournament by Shaker Heights for the second straight year. Danny Young moves on to the next round. This Shaker Heights squad is tough to contain offensively, as they run the floor exceptionally well. They are loaded with talent, as the backcourt is filled with athleticism and talent with Mel Leach and Kaleb Roy dishing it to Esa Ahmad and Kash Blackwell. In front of a sold-out crowd in Solon, the fans saw a dandy. The Solon District was a success for the Ohio High School Athletic Association once again.
