UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH - The Saint Ignatius Wildcats (0-4) returned home this week to take on the Division II powerhouse Walsh Jesuit Warriors (4-0). The Wildcats were coming off a 14-point loss to the Mentor Cardinals (4-0) the week prior, although they looked much stronger in the defeat. The Warriors were victorious in their Week three matchup against Football North (ONT), a team the Wildcats will face in Week 10.
In last year's meeting, the Warriors beat the Wildcats 42-7 despite an early first-quarter touchdown pass from Daniel Chalhoub to Marcus Tekancic. The Warriors scored 28 unanswered first-half points following the Wildcats' early score. Out of the half, the Warriors stood on business, driving downfield, bleeding nearly nine minutes off the clock before punching in on a Marty Tobin Touchdown. The Warriors would score one more time in the fourth quarter, solidifying their 35-point victory.
This week, the Wildcats were looking to slow down 6'5" 210-pound senior receiver Milan Parris, an Iowa State commit. Parris entered the game with four touchdowns and 280 yards. Despite the looming threat through the air, the Cats also had to keep an eye on the two-headed dragon of Marty Tobin and Carlos Smith, running backs for the Warriors. The duo totaled three touchdowns and over 400 yards through the first three weeks.
The Wildcats entered the game missing key pieces in Nick Rivera, Caleb Cupp, and Dane Donovan. Cupp and Rivera suffered injuries in last week's game against the Mentor Cardinals, and Donovan was still out due to precautionary measures.
With the Warriors having won the coin toss and elected to receive, sending their offense out first. After picking up two first downs, the Walsh offense stalled, and they elected to punt the ball away, turning possession over to Jacob Mikin and the Cats' offense.
The Wildcats' first offensive drive followed in Walsh's footsteps. After Mikin used his legs to pick up a clutch first down, the Wildcats stalled out and punted.
The Warriors settled in on their next drive; however, after two plays for no gain, Marty Tobin broke loose on the ground, rushing for 67 yards to the house, and put the Warriors on top 7-0 with 5:23 left in the first quarter.
In desperate need of a response, the Wildcats looked to be at risk again of going three-and-out as they were faced with a third and twelve. Mikin dropped back and found Luke Simms across the middle, and he fought for a first down, extending the Cat's drive. On their next set of plays, the Cats were faced with yet another third down, and this time Mikin found Tekancic on the outside, but he was ultimately stopped short of the line to gain, and the Cats sent the punt team on. While looking to flip the field, the Warriors' John Wollschleger and Vinnie Courtad got through to JT Hummer and blocked the punt, setting their offense up in the Wildcat's half of the field.
The Warriors were set up in the red zone after a 31-yard David Ternosky completion to Campbell Lann. The Wildcats' defense held firm, though. After a 5-yard gain on first down, they forced a negative play and an incompletion, sending Freddie Marcell out to attempt a 31-yard field goal, which he drilled, making the score 10-0 Walsh with 17 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Freddie Marcell made magic happen on the ensuing kickoff, unexpectedly kicking an onside kick and recovering it himself, sending the Walsh offense right back on the field. After picking up a first down, Ternosky dropped back to throw but had his pass deflected at the line, and then he was picked off by Quinn Kennedy during the last play of the quarter.
The offense returned to the field after an extended quarter break due to the 1995 Wildcats' state championship recognition. However, the Wildcats' offensive struggles continued as, on a third-and-three, Mikin was sacked, forcing the Cats to punt yet again.
The Warriors' next drive started from their own 31-yard line. Walsh picked up back-to-back first downs, getting themselves into Saint Ignatius territory. On second and ten from the Wildcat 40-yard line, Ternosky dropped back and found Parris wide open across the middle for an easy Walsh score, putting themselves up by three scores. It was 17-0 with 7:58 left to go in the half.
Action was limited until 46 seconds remaining in the half when Ternosky overthrew a receiver as his pass landed right in the bread basket of Jayshon Thomas for an interception. Thomas returned the pick all the way to the Walsh 24-yard line before getting wrestled out of bounds.
The Cats had 37 seconds left to work with. After two incompletions and a sack, the Wildcats sent out Griffin Roberts to attempt his first field goal of the year from 44 yards away. However, Roberts' kick was blocked, and Walsh had 15 seconds left to try and get points on the board. Walsh only ran one play as David Hughes III picked up a sack, sending the game to halftime.
Out of the half, the Wildcats elected to give authority back to senior quarterback Daniel Chalhoub. Chalhoub had not played since week one when he left the game after the first quarter with an injury. Chalhoub's first drive was a quick three-and-out after two handoffs for little gain and an incomplete pass intended for Trey Haddad.
Following a Saint Ignatius punt, Walsh got right back to work. On third and seven, Ternosky found old reliable Parris streaking downfield for an easy completion, completely flipping the field as he got near the Wildcat 26-yard line. Tobin got the Warriors into a goal-line situation three plays later, taking a pitch 18 yards down to the eight-yard line. Two plays later, Ternosky fired to Vinnie Courtad out of the backfield for another Walsh Touchdown, extending their lead to 24 points with 6:16 to go in the third.
The Wildcats' next drive started hot with two consecutive receptions to Luke Simms and then a deep shot to Billy Cole that got the Cats down to the Walsh 24-yard line. On the next play, however, Chalhoub was hit as he threw, and Walsh's Ben Biel picked it off.
The Warriors' next drive was the last drive of the game, resulting in points. On second and ten, Marty Tobin took a handoff 87 yards all the way to the house for his second long touchdown of the day, putting the icing on the cake, giving Walsh a 31-point lead.
The Wildcats dropped their fourth straight game to start the season, their worst start since 1947. Despite their struggles, the Wildcat defense tallied two takeaways and two sacks on the evening. Next week, the Wildcats will take on the Riverside Beavers (3-1) for the first time in program history.
