SEASON OUTLOOK
There are plenty of trophies at St. Ignatius, but they're willing to make room for more this season.
Photo by Scott Seighman
Mentor. Although it loses many key defensive pieces, Mentor returns prolific passer Mitch Trubisky, who thrived in the team’s wide-open offense.
Conor Hennessey and company will face a Mentorsquad capable of pinning a loss on St. Ignatius.
Photo by Scott Seighman
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
