While the Bombers of St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) are Xavier men forever and hail the white and blue, the St. Ignatius Wildcats (Cleveland, Ohio), their cross-state counterparts, hail the blue and gold.
The friendly rivals have more in common than their school song. Both are among the largest all-boys schools in the country. Both are run by the Jesuits. Both have outstanding athletic programs that transcend their powerful football teams.
In many ways, St. Xavier and St. Ignatius are mere reflections of each other from across the state, which is what makes Saturday’s showdown in Cleveland between the 8-0 Wildcats and the 7-1 Bombers all the more intriguing.
"This is going to be 48 minutes of very, very intense football," St. Ignatius head coach Chuck Kyle told MaxPreps.com’s Adam Spencer, who is covering the game as part of Nike’s 5 Days 2 Friday National Road Tour. "We have the greatest respect for the Xavier program."
St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle sees a capable opponent in
St. Xavier.
Scott Seighman
Kyle demonstrated this respect over the summer as head coach of the U.S. Junior National Team. When he began to assemble his coaching staff, he immediately thought of St. Xavier head coach Steve Specht.
"He was the defensive coordinator. He was the first phone call I made for the coaching staff," Kyle said of Specht.
Kyle’s Wildcats have been very impressive thus far, after opening the season with a 14-13 victory over talent-laden Glenville. They’ve since beaten teams from New York and Michigan in addition to in-state foes Massillon and Warren Harding.
Offensively, Kyle relies on 6-foot-4 quarterback Mark Myers, a Pitt commit, and tough running back Bobby Grebenc, to move the chains. On defense, linebackers Scott McVey, a returning all-state selection, and Jake Ryan lead the way.
"Our defense is playing well. Offensively, we’ve been running the ball pretty well, and our passing game is coming along fairly nicely. Our kicking game is good. But you could say the exact same thing about Xavier," Kyle said.
The Bombers have also played well this season, capturing wins against Colerain, Elder and St. Edward. Their only loss came against Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), which is on track to have another state title-caliber season across the river.
Quarterback Luke Massa is responsible for keeping the St. Xavier offense moving. The 6-5 signal-caller is very familiar with St. Ignatius, as he was around two years ago when the Wildcats almost upset the juggernaut 2007 Bombers squad.
Sophomore Conor Hundley will run behind an offensive line that is led by 6-7 senior Matt James. James, one of the nation’s top recruits, has also played at the varsity level since his sophomore season. Defensively, the team’s best player might be junior linebacker Steven Daniels, who is also attracting major Division I interest.
The last two matchups between St. Ignatius and St. Xavier have each ended in overtime. In 2007, St. Xavier traveled to Cleveland and escaped with a 17-14 victory. Last season, in a game played in Cincinnati, the heavily favored Wildcats barely survived the Bombers’ upset bid, as they kicked a game-winning field to secure a 19-16 win.
Given their similarities and recent history, it’d be foolish to expect anything but a back-and-forth affair that will come down to the final minutes.
"If you get the ball near midfield, you better get some points. Because you’re not going to be there for long," Kyle said. "That’s just the way this is going to be for 48 minutes."
