KENT, OH - The Saint Ignatius Wildcats were back in playoff action on Wednesday night, taking on the St. Edward Eagles in the Regional Semifinal. The highly anticipated contest was challenging for the Wildcats, as it was their third time facing off against the Eagles this season.
The Cats won the tip and immediately came out firing. Alex Mack hit the first bucket of the game on a wing three, and Jimmy Thomas found holes in the defense to score quick layups. The Eagles wanted to slow things down like they did the last time these two teams played in Sullivan Gym.
The Cats didn't waver and played tough defense, limiting St. Edward to just seven points in the first. They led 19-7 after one, with stellar perimeter shooting from future Golden Flash Quinn Woidke leading the way, who beat the buzzer with a trifecta to end the opening period.
Saint Ignatius piled it on in the second quarter, continuing to dominate their rivals. Damon Friery scored two and-one buckets in the period, contributing to his final tally of 17 and pulling down 14 rebounds. This marked his sixth double-double of his incredible senior season.
The Cats finished the first half up by 20, by a score of 35-15. They thwarted the Eagles offensive efforts at every level.
However, the Wildcats could not stay complacent and needed to finish the job to clinch their spot in the Regional Final. St. Edward made a run, cutting the lead to sixteen at one point, but the Cats answered back every time.
With time winding down in the third quarter, Woidke beat the buzzer with an acrobatic double-clutch three, putting the Wildcats up by twenty-two. The Kent State commit had an incredible game in his future home, scoring nineteen points while going four of six from behind the arc, adding seven assists and five rebounds.
His partner in crime, Thomas, had another fantastic performance. He scored sixteen points on an efficient 87.5 percent from the floor, earning him Player of the Game honors for the second consecutive contest.
The Wildcats emptied their bench halfway through the fourth quarter and never looked back, taking down the Eagles 73-49. This was their sixth straight win against St. Edward, dating back to 2022.
The Wildcats will be back in action on Saturday night, taking on the Canton McKinley Bulldogs from Kent State University, with a trip to the Final Four on the line. The Wildcats beat the Bulldogs on December 29 by a score of 96-69 in the Shot Clock Showcase at the Historic Canton Field House, but in the playoffs, anything can happen. The SIBN will have live video coverage, with the game scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.
The winner will advance to the State Semifinal, played on Sunday, March 16, and will play the winner of Reynoldsburg/Olentangy Liberty. The OHSAA will announce tip time and location after the Regional Finals conclude. As a reminder, the Division I State Championship will be hosted at UD Arena in Dayton on Saturday, March 22, at 8:30 p.m.
Gallery: (3-7-2025) Saint Ignatius vs. St. Ed's(Regional SF)
