MaxPreps 2012 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 23 St. Ignatius

After its state title in 2008, St. Ignatius (Cleveland) celebrated its 10th state title by printing T-shirts with the motto “One for the other thumb,” referring to the school’s 10th state title ring.

Now, following a 2011 season in which it won another Division 1 state title, the Wildcats have more rings than fingers, a testament to the amazing dynasty that head coach Chuck Kyle has orchestrated.

The 2012 Wildcats bring back more than Kyle is accustomed to returning, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, which have been critical in the team’s success during Kyle’s tenure.

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Offensively, Michael Cray and Steve Frank both return at guard, giving St. Ignatius two athletic, experienced linemen who understand the system. Also returning up front is junior tackle Jimmy Byrne. One of the top recruits at his position, Byrne started down the stretch as a sophomore and already has several scholarship offers, including Ohio State and Notre Dame.



Running back Tim McVey returns to carry the ball for Ignatius. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season and could also return kicks for the Wildcats.

Taking over the reins of the offense will be 6-foot-2 Mike LaManna. LaManna looked good in limited duty as a junior and has the size and frame that has become the standard for quarterbacks at St. Ignatius. At this point, he’s unproven, but has the potential to blossom into a leader on offense.

He’ll be throwing to a receiving unit that will be almost entirely new, though Kyle speaks highly of the young players he has coming up at the position. Senior Rocky Zingale should be the leader of the group.

The team’s defense will be led by the defensive line, which returns three starters in David Katusha, Matt Gawlik and Kevin Kavalec. Both Katusha and Kavalec are Division I talents, while Gawlik, an excellent basketball player, is a fine athlete.

Kyle needs to replace the team’s linebackers, which featured Rustom Khouri, Zach Ryan and Jim Sheehan a year ago. It will go from a strength to a weakness of the team, at least early on.

The secondary returns two starters in Zach Baker and Tom Fanning. Baker should thrive at safety while Fanning was a shutdown corner last season.



Local look: “Certain things never happen in December. You never see water skiers on Lake Erie, there is never baseball at Progressive Field and St. Ignatius never loses a football game.”
- Tim Rogers, Cleveland Plain-Dealer

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Size: Division 1


Enrollment: 1,500 (approx.), all boys


2011 finish: 13-2, Division I state champion


Head coach: Chuck “Chico” Kyle


Career record: 290-67-1




Years at school: 40 (29 as head coach)


Notable players coached:
QB Brian Hoyer (Michigan State, NFL)
WR Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio State, NFL)
OL Jacob Bell (Miami University, NFL)
LB Scott McVey (Ohio State)
OL LeCharles Bentley (Ohio State, NFL)
LB Jake Ryan (Michigan)

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No. of returning starters: 5 (offense), 5 (defense)

Key losses:
QB Eric Williams

LB Mike Svetina

TE Blake Thomas

LB Rustom Khouri



Key returners:
RB Tim McVey

OL Jimmy Byrne

DL Kevin Kavalec

DL David Katusha

Key newcomers:
QB Mike LaManna

WR Michael Siragusa



WR Jack Hyland

K Matt Colella

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Toughest game: Mentor. Although it loses many key defensive pieces, Mentor returns prolific passer Mitch Trubisky, who thrived in the team’s wide-open offense.

Question mark: How quickly will this team jell? Ignatius struggled at times during the regular season last year, but was spectacular in the playoffs. By the end of November, it was a very, very good team. Will this year’s squad be able to come together more quickly?

Local look: In addition to Mentor, St. Edward should also be very strong. Ignatius defeated St. Edward in the “Holy War” last season, but the game can go either way this fall. Solon, one of the area’s top public school programs, is also a threat to emerge from Region I.

Overall outlook: This team is deep in the trenches - on both sides. With a solid if unproven quarterback, a reliable running back, and two key defensive backs all returning, there’s no reason that St. Ignatius can’t be as good or better as the 2011 iteration of the Wildcats. If it jells early on, an undefeated season is not out of the question. If it develops more slowly, a three or four-loss season and an early playoff exit is certainly possible.



Coach quote: “We just battled it out. If you look at the teams we played, we had a rough route. We just found a way to win. It was a fun team to work with, kids that really loved being together and believed in the idea of improving.”
- Head coach Chuck Kyle on the 2011 St. Ignatius team

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