EUCLID, OH - After a 40-14 loss to Avon in week one, the Saint Ignatius Wildcats (0-2) were back in action against the Pickerington North Panthers (1-1) from Euclid Community Stadium. The Panthers, who also came into the contest at 0-1 after a 24-0 loss at St. Edward, made the trek up I-71 for the second week in a row. This would be the first time the Wildcats and Panthers faced each other on the gridiron.
During the first quarter, the Wildcats and Panthers looked stout defensively. The two teams combined for four punts and a turnover on downs during the first. But, with 34 seconds left in the quarter, Panthers quarterback Jarin Mock found receiver Grant Williams along the sideline for a 71-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 7-0 in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats started the second quarter with excellent field position after a Billy Cole 38-yard return brought them to midfield, but disaster struck on the first play of the quarter. Owen Colwell got stripped, and Geo McKnight returned the fumble 50 yards to make the score 14-0 in favor of the Panthers.
Saint Ignatius responded quickly on the offensive end. Dane Donovan found Luke Simms across the middle, and Simms took it 64 yards to the house, bringing the score to 14-7 with 10:35 left in the half. This marked the second straight week that Simms scored a long touchdown, along with his 46-yard touchdown against Avon last week.
Pickerington North answered back with a long, methodical drive, ending in a Brandon Fowler 43-yard field goal, propelling the Panthers to a two-score lead with 2:35 left in the second.
With the ball on their 49-yard line, the Wildcats attempted to go for it on fourth and three. Donovan handed it off to Colwell, and the ball was hit loose and recovered by North's Malachi Taylor with 59 ticks on the clock.
The Panthers got into the red zone and worked the ball inside the five with 20 seconds before the half. This time, though, the Wildcats made a goal-line stand, keeping the Panthers off the board and giving the student section life at the break. Pickerington North took a 17-7 lead into halftime.
The second half was a defensive slug fest, with neither team able to establish an offense. The Wildcats totaled just 20 yards in the third quarter. Pickerington North picked up 74 yards, but it was a scoreless quarter.
Beginning the fourth, the Panthers threatened, getting into the red zone, but the Wildcat defense once again prevailed. This led to a 26-yard field goal by Fowler, extending North's lead to 20-7 with 10:53 left in regulation.
The final 10:53 was all Panther defense, thwarting any comeback from the Wildcat offense.
Pickerington North improved to 1-1, and they will head home to face Pickerington Central. The loss dropped the Cats' record to 0-2. They will look to record their first win of the season next week at Mentor.
