by John Fanta ’13

Friday was like a roller coaster ride, to say the least.

When we turned into Nobby’s Ballpark on the team bus, the sun was still shining, but that was only the calm…the calm before the storm. Saint Ignatius and Toledo Saint Francis were scheduled to face off for the Cleveland Regional crown, but after only the top of the 1^st was played, lightning forced the teams to get off the field. Fans took shelter as the weather took a turn for the worse. Saint Ignatius did get a run off the Knights, as the ‘Cats came ready to hit. Nick Fabian flared a RBI single into left to give Coach Brad Ganor’s team a 1-0 lead. After Cole Nieto grounded into a double play, the delay began. Now, it would take scuba gear to play the game with a make-up at Case Western Reserve University this weekend.

Now, you may think that the rainout would be the end of Friday’s drama. But it was only the beginning. To say that the discussion of rearranging the game into the teams’ schedule was causing a lot of clamor is an understatement. Saturday, Saint Francis celebrates commencement for their graduating class. And you guessed it, Saint Ignatius celebrates their commencement on Sunday. On top of that, the Knights have to take a sizeable trip all the way from Toledo. Now, one may think that the Ohio High School Athletic Association had some back-up plans, but leaving it up to the coaches was the route that was taken. At first, coaches agreed on playing the game at Kent State University at 8 pm on Sunday. The thinking was that Saint Ignatius seniors could get to Kent State quickly after they celebrate the unbelievable thing called “high school.” But, Coach Brad Ganor then got a call from Cuyahoga Community College in Parma.

The next thing you know, we are now playing at noon on Sunday for a state final four berth. After one of the wildest afternoons I have ever seen, Sunday is going to be long awaited now! The game will resume with the bottom of the first starting up. Meanwhile, as the discussion between coaches and OHSAA officials was going on, the faithful Wildcat fans stayed in the rain to support the kids and coaches. Hats go off to them. See you Sunday in Parma, as Coach Brad Ganor has his team fired up for Sunday’s Regional Final conclusion. It should be a fun one.

Never a dull moment, eh?

By John Fanta ’13

CLEVELAND – On a sun-drenched day at Case Western Reserve University, the Storngsville and Lorain District champions faced off at beautiful Nobby’s Ballpark. Saint Ignatius’ Tom Rolle (now 6-0, 2.90 ERA) went up against Avon Lake’s Brett Kisel (now 4-3, 2.78 ERA) in the pitching match-up. The Shoremen, who had come into the game coming off two shutout victories in the district semifinal and final, were riding in with high momentum. Saint Ignatius, who had come into the game at 24-6 with 19 wins in 20 tries, also was on a hot streak.

Avon Lake struck with first blood, but a three-run 2^nd would be just enough for Saint Ignatius to earn a 3-2 victory over Kevin Marlow’s team.

Clean-up hitter Kyle Kuhar got production going early for Avon Lake, as he hit an RBI single by the glove of Saint Ignatius shortstop Tyler Finkler to bring in Jeremiah Campo. Right away, Tom Rolle would answer on the mound by getting a double play ball to short for Tyler Finkler to vacuum up and turn two with a step on the bag and a throw down to first. The momentum kept rolling for Avon Lake, as starter Brett Kisel left the bases juiced for Saint Ignatius, as he worked out of a 1^st-inning jam. So, Saint Ignatius was facing a deficit after one, but the bats would not leave wasted opportunities in the 2^nd inning.

After Alex Panstares walked, no-nine-hole hitter Joe Khoury ripped a single into left. Khoury has earned that nickname because he really is no typical nine-hole hitter. With runners at the corners, Illinois recruit Dan Rowbottom hit a sac fly to left to bring in Panstares, and then the big hits came. Tyler Finkler came up big with an RBI single to left to bring in Khoury, and then Conor Hennessey flared a little fly ball down the right field line that just stayed fair to bring in Finkler, who advanced to second on his RBI single.

In the 3^rd, Saint Ignatius threatened again, with the bases loaded. The Wildcats knocked out Brett Kiser, who was done for the day. The player of the game for the Shoremen came in and kept Saint Ignatius from scoring in the 3^rd, Logan DeLong, as he dealt 3 and 1/3 innings of scoreless ball. Avon Lake kept threatening, but Tom Rolle kept on dealing. Avon Lake left two men stranded in the top of the 5^th as Rolle worked out of it, but then the 6^th came. With two men on and two outs, Coach Brad Ganor took Rolle out of the game as Kyle Pluta came on. Pluta worked out of the jam to leave two Shormen on base as Saint Ignatius still clung to the 3-1 lead.

After nothing happened for the bats in the bottom of the 6^th, MJ Nara came on for the save opportunity for Saint Ignatius in the 7^th. Nara just could not get anything on his side, as the bulk of Avon Lake’s Kyle Kuhar ripped an RBI single up the middle with one out, and runners were still at the corners. Coach Brad Ganor came on to take the ball from the sophomore, Nara, and brought in Nick Fabian. A “Plain Dealer Player of the Week” earlier in the season, Fabian has been a “Mr. Everything” kind of guy for Coach Brad Ganor. He came on and shut the door, but it would not be easy. He got a pop fly to shallow center and a popout to left to seal the deal and keep Avon Lake from getting the game knotted up. A celebration followed, as Saint Ignatius is on their way to the Cleveland Regional Final, where they will play Toledo Saint Francis.

After the game, Coach Brad Ganor could not have been more pleased. “Pitching and defense is as far as you go, and once again, it was as far as we went. I was very, very proud of the guys to get out of it and fight. But like [Pitching] Coach [TJ] Donovan said, we must not get immersed in this game,” said Ganor. This is the deepest Saint Ignatius has gotten since they reached the State Semifinal in 2009 (loss to Cincinnati Moeller).

Now, it’s time for 27-1 Toledo Saint Francis. And oh boy, have they had a season! They are on a 26-game winning streak currently. They are led by pitcher Max Lyon, who fired a complete game in a 4-0 District Final win over Oregon Clay. Ranked  #4 in the state, Saint Francis is also led by twins Eric and Matt Zmuda (both going to Denison University). They have 13 seniors, and come off a 10-5 win over Perrysburg. After a lightning delay in the 6^th inning, the Knights were able to secure a win. Reporter on the game, Jordan Strack, called Eric Zmuda “a very special player.”

So, the first pitch is at Friday at 5 pm at Case Western Reserve University’s Nobby’s Ballpark. The game will be brought to you on the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network, as yours truly called the 3-2 Regional Semifinal dramatic win.

Catch the entire interview with Coach Ganor here

To listen back to today’s Regional Semifinal, go to

http://www.nhsbn.com/play/index.cfm?fuseaction=embstay&id=3B1A1A6FCA&dsplvl=brd&org=nhsbn

On to the Elite Eight for Coach Brad Ganor’s Cats!

Full Regional scores to come tomorrow.

Coach Chuck Kyle’s (Class of ’69) Wildcat Track and Field team rolled through the Lakewood District Meet at First Federal Lakewood Stadium over the past weekend. Then again, how could we be surprised? Saint Ignatius has racked up district title after title, where it is to a point in which the athletic department is checking into how many district championships the program has.

The Wildcats won five events and placed runner-up in eight events, with nine third-place finishes. Strong individual performances included Luke Wagner, who won both the 800 and 1600. While the freshman took those home, senior Jack Miller ran to a 1^st place finish in the 3200.

Saint Ignatius won the meet with 174 total points, with St. Edward as the runner-up with 144 points. Normandy put up 93 points, as the Invaders took third.

Qualifying for Regionals were: The 4×800 meter relay team of Jack Miller, Joe Arquillo, Luke Wagner and Jake Maier; James Norris in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes; Luke Wagner and Vince Bartram in the 800 meter run; Luke Wagner and Tim Trentel  in the 1600 meter run; Jack Miller and Joe Arquillo in the 3200 meter run; Matt McVey and Pat Jeffries in the 110 meter hurdles; Pat Jeffries and Matt McVey in the 300 meter hurdles; the 4×100 meter relay team of Enzo Cannata, Pat Jeffries, Dan Way and James Norris; the 4×200 meter relay team of Nick Cristescu, Scott Arthrell, Tyler Delhees and Dan Way; the 4×400 meter relay team of Pat Jeffries, Matt McVey, Jeff Foerg and James Norris; Mike Zupan in the high jump and Mike Schafer in the long jump; Zach Keirn and Pat Politowicz in the pole vault and Kevin Kavalec in the shot put and discus.

Wednesday, the Amherst Regional Track and Field Meet began, with prelims being run and field events going on. The only finals race for a chance to qualify for states was the 4×800.

Kevin Kavalec got the day started hot for Saint Ignatius. He put up a personal-best in discus of 182-10, as Kevin took runner-up. A guy who has dominated field events this year, Aaron Zedella of St. Edward, had a result of 190-08. Saint Ignatius’ 4×100 team of Enzo Cannata, Pat Jeffries, Dan Way, and James Norris took 1^st in qualifying with a time of 42.61 seconds. It was a night that was going solidly for Saint Ignatius, but then a big 4×800 baton miscue occurred, as the team took a time of 8:00.46 in the 4×800 finals, so they took 5^th. The team, which had much potential to go very deep, takes an early exit.

The future was on hand in Amherst for Saint Ignatius Track and Field. Yes, James Norris had a strong showing in the 4×100 team’s 1^st place finish, but he made a little history when it came to just him running on the track for the ‘Cats. Norris set a new school record in the 100-meter dash of 10.66 seconds. He broke Spencer Small’s 10.70, which was set back in 1996. Norris was not born yet, as he walked off wearing nothing but a smile on his face. James also qualified for Friday’s 200-meter finals with a time of 22.39 seconds in the 200-meter. Senior Pat Jeffries finished with a time of 39.67 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles. In other finals in the field events, Pat Politowicz took 10^th in the pole vault, while Mike Schafer placed 14^th in the long jump.

Regional Standings after One Night:

1. Medina (19 points)
2. Findlay (18 points)
3. Midpark (15 points)
4. St. Edward and Toledo St. Francis (14 points)
5. 5.   Saint Ignatius (12 points)
6. Toledo Whitmer (11 points)

What did we learn?

Freshmen Luke Wagner and James Norris are the future around high school track and field. Get ready to watch these guys go down as outstanding runners in track history at Saint Ignatius. Although the Wildcats had struggles, they have a coach who is so well-respected, that they are absolutely never taken for granted.

The finals are on Friday, with field events at 4:30 pm and track events going on at 6 pm. Admission is $6, with State Meet berths on the line for June 7-8 in Columbus.

by John Fanta ’13

Case Western Reserve University Hosts the Saint Ignatius – Avon Lake match-up, with a Regional Final berth on the line.

First Pitch: 5 pm at Nobby’s Ballpark

The OHSAA Baseball Tournament enters its third week with Regional games beginning Thursday in Division I. In Region 3, two showdowns take place, with Coach Brad Ganor’s Saint Ignatius Wildcats (#17 in AP State Poll), who were knocked out in the Regional Semifinals in 2012, facing off with the red-hot Avon Lake Shoremen.

In the Strongsville District, outstanding pitching from Tom Rolle and Nick Margevicius powered Saint Ignatius. Pitching and defense are as far as you will go, and that phrase has held true for Saint Ignatius.

Rolle fired a three-hitter in six complete innings, as he gave up two runs and struck out seven in the Wildcats’ 6-2 win over Midpark. A three-run third inning and a three-run fifth off much small ball drove the Wildcats. In 2006 and 2011, Midpark was the team who knocked out Saint Ignatius in District Championship games, but the ‘Cats would not be exiting in the District Semifinals. Midpark’s baseball legacy ended, as the school will merge with Berea next year.

On Saturday, the ‘Cats took on a team who had surprised a lot of teams on Friday, Normandy. The Invaders knocked out Brecksville-Broadview Heights in a District Semifinal, 2-0. They would not be stopping Nick Margevicius, who threw a complete game one-run gem. Dan Rowbottom’s go-ahead RBI triple in the 5^th brought in Joe Khoury for the ‘Cats as Saint Ignatius won the Strongsville District Championship to advance to the Sweet 16.

Now, it’s time for the Shoremen. Coach Kevin Marlow’s team had quite a weekend at the Pipeyard in Lorain to win their District crown. It’s the first time since 2005 that Avon Lake has advanced this far. A three-hitter by Brett Kiser in their District Semifinal contest put sailed the Shoremen past stunned Amherst, 5-0. Three errors and two passed balls compiled by the Comets left Stanford recruit Griffin Weir and his team in the dark, as Avon Lake was riding a momentum high heading into the Lorain District Championship Game on Saturday evening. Midview almost never smelled a shot in the District Final. After scoring three runs in the first, Avon Lake relied on Matt Morissette as he delivered a great complete-game effort (also has 25 RBIs on the season). Big RBIs by Kyle Kuhar (27 RBIs this season) and Brad Hamilton, son of Cleveland Indians radio voice Tom Hamilton, in the second kept the scoring going in a 6-0 rout (.429 average, 6 HR, 27 RBI).

So, the fourth-seed in the Lorain District really is on a roll, as they toppled two teams who the Wildcats have both seen. Coach Brad Ganor is extremely impressed, and wants to keep 17-10 Avon Lake from being this year’s version of the state runner-up in 2012, Westlake.

Flashback: On April 26, Saint Ignatius took on the Shoremen at Progressive Field as part of the Cleveland Indians Charities High School Hardball Classic. The Wildcats improved to 10-5 with a 9-1 win over Avon Lake, as Coach Brad Ganor’s team batted around in the first inning with five runs on six hits. In a game that was more for the experience than for the final, Coach Brad Ganor says the result is “irrelevant,” and that this one “is completely different.”

Tom Rolle (5-0, 2.90 ERA) will be on the hill for Saint Ignatius on Thursday afternoon at Case Western Reserve University, while it looks like Avon Lake will go back to Brett Kiser (4-2, 2.78 ERA).

The Wildcats are led by clean-up hitter Nick Fabian (.370) and Illinois recruit and lefty Dan Rowbottom (.366) at the plate. Defensively, Tyler Finkler has been nothing short of excellent for the ‘Cats, as the Ohio U recruit has made great play after great play.

Conor Hennessey’s Flying Around the Base Paths! Coach Brad Ganor calls the single-season individual steals record, “an unbelievable accomplishment to have labeled beside you,” as Conor Hennessey has that right next to his name now on the Saint Ignatius record boards. As a team, the Wildcats are at 100+ steals on the season, with Hennessey having 28 stolen bases on the season. He breaks Frank Desico’s (Class of 2009 and Notre Dame standout) record of 27, set back in the ’09 season. With temperatures lurking towards 90 degrees, it will feel like the dog days of summer tomorrow, but there’s no sleeping on this match-up. Time to get out the Koolaid and get on the edge of your seat! The game will be broadcasted on the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network. Tune in to all the action by going to Ignatius.edu/sibn.

Division I Regional Semifinals (All on Thursday) – All rankings are from final AP State Poll: 

• Cleveland Region: Avon Lake (17-10) v. #17 Saint Ignatius (24-6) at Case Western Reserve University at 5 pm
• Cleveland Region: #5 Perrysburg (26-3) v. #4 Toledo St. Francis (27-1) at Bowling Green State University at 5 pm
• Dublin Region: Gahanna Lincoln (20-9) v. Marysville (21-7) at Dublin Coffman HS at 2 pm
• Dublin Region: Hilliard Darby (19-10) v. #11 Thomas Worthington (24-6) at Dublin Coffman HS at 5 pm
• Cincinnati Region: #3 Liberty TWP. Lakota East (26-3) v. #2 Cincinnati Arbishop Moeller (26-2) at University of Cincinnati at 2 pm
• Cincinnati Region: #1 Mason (26-0) v. Clayton Northmont at University of Cincinnati at 5 pm
• Canton Region: #19 Aurora (26-4) v. North Canton Hoover at Thurman Munson  Stadium at 1 pm
• Canton Region: #12 Bru

nswick (20-9) v. #13 Mentor (22-5) at Thurman Munson Stadium at 5 pm

Let the Sweet 16 in the OHSAA Baseball Tournament begin!

Hear John Fanta’s interview with coach Brad Ganor: