by Pat McGuire ’14
James Byrne
A three year letter winner, James Byrne was a tremendously important figure on the Wildcat offensive line. Byrne, a towering figure played tackle for head coach Chuck Kyle for three years, with three different quarterbacks of varying style. After being a mainstay for the Saint Ignatius offensive line, Byrne will be moving on to the collegiate level for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Byrne says that he has found a good fit both athletically and academically in the University of Notre Dame, similar to his alma mater, but in a larger scale. Jim was recruited heavily by colleges during the 2011 Wildcat state championship campaign, protecting a very talented quarterback in Eric Williams. Byrne will be mentored in the coming years by a very talented Fighting Irish coaching staff including offensive line coach Harry Hiestand and head coach Brian Kelly. James Byrne look to build on a very successful Saint Ignatius Wildcat career and play on Saturdays this coming fall for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
Jacob Maruna
Jacob Maruna looks to build off a very successful, final-four 2013 lacrosse season, and finish his Saint Ignatius career well before heading to the Crusaders of The College of the Holy Cross. A very talented midfielder and a captain, Maruna took a lead role in the 2013 regular season as well as into the tremendous run in the OHSAA playoffs. Jacob Maruna, having collected a total of 42 points in his 2013 campaign, looks to return to Wildcat Lacrosse as a senior leader on a very young, but talented squad. Following his senior season, Maruna will become a Crusader for The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Maruna said that Holy Cross separated itself from the rest is a solid athletic fit as well as academic fit for him. Maruna will continue his Lacrosse under head coach Jim Morrissey in the Patriot league.
Dominic Santora
To say that Dominic Santora takes pride in his boats in the Wildcat Navy is a tremendous understatement. Santora has led his boats to outstanding results in prestigious regattas such as races 
with the fastest crew teams in the nation. The numbers don’t lie: Dominic’s boats placed incredibly well. Starting in the spring of 2012, Santora led his boat to 8th place in the nation; in the fall of 2013, he boat placed 10th nationally; and then in the spring of 2013 a 13th place finish. Dominic says he looks forward to finishing his senior year well this spring with his dedicated teammates Charlie Casa, Andrew Turk, and Aidan Blake, whom Dominic says he couldn’t do it without. Santora will be moving on to Syracuse University to join an already strong top 10 program in the Orange. Look for Dominic Santora to be competing for national championships in the coming years in Syracuse University Navy.
Kyle Berger
Three year letterman, Kyle Berger, will be heading to The Ohio State University next year to play for Coach Urban Meyer and don the scarlet and gray. Kyle Berger became well known throughout 
the state of Ohio as one of the toughest and scrappiest players in the high school after a phenomenal junior campaign. Utilizing quickness on blitzes to outrun linemen and strength to overpower running backs, Kyle forced the Wildcats’ opponent to game plan specifically for his tremendous defense. Berger wrecked havoc on even the most talented quarterbacks like Shane Morris, Mitch Trubisky, and Ryan Fallon. Needless to say, scouts took notice of the Medina native. Offers started flooding in, including the then top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, but Kyle chose Ohio State based on a variety of factors. The two most significant factors for Berger were the coaching staff of Urban Meyer and Luke Fickell as well as the proximity to family. Kyle is confident he has found the right school for him both academically and athletically. Kyle plans to plan football at a very high level this coming year for the Bucks in the Big Ten.
Nick Fabian
Nick Fabian, arguably the best all-around athlete in Saint Ignatius baseball is coming off a tremendous 2013 season, culminating in the state runner-up trophy. Fabian, both a pitcher and an outfielder, is the kind of player who can alter a team’s season throughout the course of every game. Nick showed in the 2013 season that he is perfectly capable to striking out 10 while pitching and then turning around to hit a bomb in his next at bat. Fabian was a crucial part of the Wildcat starting rotation as well as a mainstay in Left Field. Nick will look to have an even more significant role in his senior year for coach Brad Ganor and the Saint Ignatius Wildcats before heading to West Virginia University in the Big 12 conference. Confident that he has found the right school, Nick says that he is excited for his senior year and future career as a Mountaineer.
Nick Longo
Another very talented Wildcat outfielder, Nick Longo gave the 2013 a powerful left-handed bat further down in the lineup, challenging opposing pitchers to throw strikes. Longo, the starting right fielder for Brad Ganor’s 2013 Wildcats, was the fifth batter in a lethal Wildcat batting order, who made pitchers pay for leaving the ball over the plate. Longo looks to continue his success in this coming season as well as at the collegiate level for the Miami Redhawks. Nick decided on Miami rather earlier based on various factors like the coaching staff and opportunity to impact the team even as a freshman, giving him all the tools to be successful at a higher level. Longo plans to finish his career well as a Wildcat this spring and bring that momentum to coach Dan Hayden next year for the Miami Redhawks.
Peter Simcox
Pete Simcox is finishing an extremely successful career as a Wildcat swimmer for coach Jeff Ridler. Pete, a very consistent competitor, swam as the sprinter as well as in the butterfly for the 2013 Wildcat swimming and diving team. Simcox was part of some the most successful swim teams at Saint Ignatius, along with Nathan Christian. He plans to continue his swimming career next year at Miami (OH.) for head coach Pete Lindsay. Simcox says that he was drawn to Miami for a variety of reasons including athletically the coaching staff and facilities for the swim team as well as the business school in terms of academics. Pete is confident he has found the right match for him and will compete for the Redhawks at the collegiate level.
Dameon Willis
An integrral part to very talented Saint Ignatius Wildcat defenses, Dameon Willis proved himself to be one of the most talented and hardest-hitting defenders in the state of Ohio. Dameon 
Willis, a three year letter winner, played outside linebacker as well as safety for coach Chuck Kyle, developing the skills to defend the pass but also be able to step in and stop the ground game. In 2013, Dameon played a type of rover position in the secondary, allowing him to stay matched up one-on-one with his man or almost the entire game. Even against more talented wide receivers like Brandon Fritts, Dameon locked down the Cardinal receiver in meaningful games for the ‘Cats. He will now move on to play Division I football for the Indiana University Hoosiers. Dameon says that he is looking forward to playing or head coach Kevin Wilson because of the opportunity for early play. Look for Dameon Willis to continue to lock down talented receivers as he will be tested against Big Ten opponents in the coming years.
Nick Margevicius
Nick Margevicius was a stellar starting pitcher for the Wildcats during their state runner-up effort in 2013. Margevicius went 9-1 in the 2013 campaign, helped by his senior-led infield of Tyler Finkler, Dan Rowbottom, and company. This coming season, Nick will look to keep his momentum from last season’s already tremendous performance. A southpaw, Nick will be a mainstay in the 2014 starting rotation for coach Brad Ganor and the Wildcats. Nick Margevicius will be heading to Lawrenceville, New Jersey to become a Rider University Bronc and play baseball for head coach Barry Davis. Nick says that he enjoyed meeting with coach Davis and was impressed by the opportunity to play early for the Broncs. Nick will follow his senior season at Saint Ignatius by moving onto greater competition with the Broncs in the MAAC conference.
PJ Malik
A three year varsity letterman, PJ Malik will become a Flyer as he is heading to the University of Dayton. Malik was a very impressive player on Coach Brian Becker’s 2013 golf team, shooting his lower scores on the most difficult courses in Ohio. As a senior Malik shot a 76 at the Windmill Lakes Golf Course and a 75 at Firestone Country Club as well as a 71 in the sectional tournament at Sweetbriar, each an impressive feat in its own right. Malik recently received his scholarship offer from Dayton following his senior season and accepted, saying that he was immediately impressed during his official visit. Malik will be playing for head coach Gip Hoagland and the Flyers in the Atlantic-10 conference this coming season. PJ Malik likes his decision of Dayton based on the great coaches and the direction of the Flyers’ golf program. Says Malik, “Overall, it was an easy choice for me.”
Michael Vitale
Coming off a very impressive team run to the final four this past season, Mike Vitale will finish his Saint Ignatius career and then play collegiate lacrosse for Siena College. Vitale was a solid attacker for coach Patrick McManamon during the 2013 campaign. Vitale and the Wildcat Lacrosse team will have a very difficult season ahead of them as they will play arguably their most difficult schedule in years. As a senior, Vitale will take a leadership role along side other seniors like Jacob Maruna in leading a very talented, but young Wildcat team. Mike will finish his Saint Ignatius career this coming spring before heading to Siena College to play for head coach John Svec and the Saints. Vitale will be joining a Saints program that has found recent success, becoming MAAC tournament champions three out of the last five years. Watch for Mike Vitale to finish his Saint Ignatius career this spring for coach McManamon before heading to a bright future at Siena College.
Anthony McLaughlin
Senior Anthony McLaughlin, chosen as a captain for the 2013-2014 Wildcat wrestling team, will be moving on to wrestle at the United States Air Force Academy. Anthony wrestles for Saint Ignatius head coach Mark Sullivan at the 182 pound mark for the 2013-2014 season. McLaughlin will continue to compete against some of the strongest wrestlers in the area as well as in the State of Ohio this season. Anthony will wrestle at the Air Force Academy for head coach Joel Sharratt as well as other very talented assistant coaches. This season, Anthony hopes to be wrestling in the Schottenstein center in late February for a shot at a state championship before he heads to a well-regarded Air Force wrestling program.
Matt McVey
Following in the footsteps of previous McVey brothers, Matt McVey found success on the defensive side of the ball for coach Chuck Kyle and the Saint Ignatius Wildcats. Matt was part of a very talented defense along with seniors like Scott Arthrell and Dameon Willis. Among the many highlights of McVey’s season was the performance that he and his fellow defenders pitched against the Saint Edward Eagles. Matt and the Wildcat defense held the prolific Eagle offense to only 17 points, essentially secure the Wildcats’ week 8 upset of the then undefeated Eagles. McVey will be heading to Erie, Pennsylvania, this coming year to compete for head coach Brad Rzyczycki at Gannon University. Matt has found the right match in terms of both academics and athletics and is very excited for what the future holds.
Michael Siragusa
Michael Siragusa, a star Wide Receiver for coach Chuck Kyle and the Saint Ignatius Wildcats, will be heading to New Haven, Connecticut, to play for Yale University. Siragusa completed his Wildcat career with very impressive numbers, especially since he saw quarterbacks of varying styles. Arguably Siragusa’s biggest moment came during the 2012 regional final matchup against the Mentor Cardinals. Siragusa caught a final minute, game tying touchdown to send that unforgettable game into its first overtime. Michael racked up double digit catches as well as over 200 yards receiving in that game alone, making for one of the most memorable games in Saint Ignatius history. Siragusa will be heading to New Haven, Connecticut, to play for head coach of the Bulldogs, Tony Reno. Michael says that on his visit there about two months ago, he knew nearly immediately that Yale was the best opportunity for him both on and off the field.
Michael Dobscha
Michael Dobscha, a very strong and talented rower in the Wildcat Navy will be heading to Syracuse, New York after the conclusion of his spring season of crew at Saint Ignatius. Michael has consistently raced for Saint Ignatius in some of the fastest boats in years, qualifying for a multitude of national honors. Michael will be moving on to be an Orangeman for the already prolific Syracuse University crew program for coach David Reischman. He says that he has found the right match for both academics as well as athletics. Michael plans to enter the Forensic Science program at Syracuse University as well as continue his rowing career at the collegiate level. Michael says that he was immediately drawn to Syracuse because of their tremendous academic courses and study abroad opportunities as well as the opportunity to be part of a special crew program at Syracuse. Look for Michael to finish his Saint Ignatius rowing career before moving to the next level at Syracuse University.
