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The WTAM 1100 Playoff Preview
Sunday 11-01-2009 8:45pm ET
The 2009 WTAM 1100 Playoff Preview will be posted Wednesday night right here on WTAM.com at this page. As you may know, last season WTAM 1100 had one of the most in-depth postseason previews in the state of Ohio. We will look at each game for every team in the area. Check back here Wednesday for the WTAM 1100 Playoff Preview. WEEK TEN: Previews
Wednesday 10-28-2009 11:26pm ET
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# 1 St. Ignatius Wildcats VS. St. Edward Eagles
10/31 Kickoff at 2:00 P.M. @ Lakewood Stadium Even this season, when St. Ignatius comes into Saturday’s afternoon matchup undefeated at 9-0 and ranked first in the Division I AP Poll as well as the WTAM Power 11, while St. Edward stumbles in following a 40-10 loss to Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller and probably will not make the playoffs in Region I with a 4-5 record, we have to throw the records out. No “Holy War” between the Wildcats and Eagles can ever possibly be played on paper. Head coach Chuck Kyle and the Wildcats are atop the Division I Region I Computer Point Standings and a win over their struggling rival should clinch the top seed for the upcoming postseason. St. Ignatius will look to run the ball behind a huge offensive line with junior running back Robert Grebnec first, and if for some reason the ground attack fails, Wildcats senior quarterback Mark Myers will find a way to get the job done through the air. Although Myers sometimes lacks weapons at wide receiver, tight end Brendan Carozzoni is a sure target while wideout David Joseph is another strong option. St. Ignatius’ defensive unit is the best all around unit in Ohio, gifted with both speed and playmakers. Linebackers Scott McVey, Jake Ryan and George Newrones will be all over Eagles quarterback Kevin Burke so head coach Rick Finotti’s squad needs to run the football if they are going to knock off the visiting Wildcats and possibly make the playoffs. The Eagles defense is led by defensive end Dionte Gibson and safety Seth Cunningham, the two of them helped St. Edward hold a very talented St. Xavier team to just three points two weeks ago. In order for Finotti to get his first ever win in the “Holy War” the Eagles have to do two things: run the football and don’t give up the big play. The 1-2 combo of running backs Terrell Bates and Brandon Cardinal has worked at times this season, but will have to be perfect if Ed’s wants a chance to get the “W”. Whatever the case, Burke cannot be counted on to throw all night; the Eagles need to run the football. In any normal game, with these two squads on paper it would favor St. Ignatius, but this is the “Holy War” and those familiar with it, understand why this game is a toss up.
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# 5 Shaw Cardinals VS. Euclid Panthers
10/30 Kickoff at 7:30 P.M. @ Sparky DiBiasio Stadium Whichever team wins this game Friday night should pass Warren Harding and Youngstown Boardman and qualify for the 2009 OHSAA Playoffs in Region I. Even if No. 5 Shaw does not come out victorious, they still have an outside chance of making the postseason if the allegations against Cleveland Heights of using an ineligible player are found to be not true. Euclid is coming off of an impressive 34-30 win over a talented Maple Heights squad and have now won two games in-a-row to get themselves back into the playoff picture. Panthers quarterback Chuck Bradford is the engine that makes the offense go, and if he’s on, opposing defenses need to look out as he gets things done both through the air and on the ground. Especially a defense like Shaw’s that tends to give up big plays, head coach Rodney Brown’s squad has to contain Bradford if they want to avoid a shootout. A shootout? Yes, an offensive shootout, but only if Tom Gibbons’ squad holds up their end. The Cardinals are a lock to put up over 40 points Friday night at Sparky DiBiasio Stadium behind quarterback Rob Small and his two favorite receivers Tyrone Williams and Ronald McCloud. If the Panthers respect the dangerous receivers too much, Small and senior running back Kenron Drake will hurt Euclid on the ground as well. Being at home certainly helps the Panthers, but Shaw is the better overall team and knows they deserve to be in the playoffs next weekend.
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Strongsville Mustangs VS. # 2 Solon Comets
10/30 Kickoff at 7:30 P.M. @ Stewart Field Some people may be thinking…”How can the undefeated second-ranked Comets have a Game of the Week with the 3-6 Strongsville Mustangs? Won’t this be a blowout?” Not so fast! Yes, Solon is legit and has the coaching and talent to compete with both No. 1 St. Ignatius and No. 3 Glenville and possibly get out of Region I; but Mustangs head coach Russ Jaques knows the Comets too well for Solon to simply overlook this NOC Conference showdown. Strongsville leads the overall series between the Comets and Mustangs 11-9 and won last season 24-0 at Pat Catan Stadium. Despite their sub-.500 record the Mustangs past two games have been their most impressive. In Week 8, a late score by Brunswick was the difference in the longtime rivalry game that saw the Blue Devils sneak by Strongsville 14-13 and last week the Mustangs finally put everything together and destroyed Nordonia 35-0. Solon is looking to go undefeated in the regular season for the sixth time in the past 10 years and look like serious contenders to win Region I. The Comets’ defense is only surrendering 9.4 points per contest while the offense is full of playmakers beginning in the backfield with signal caller Jake Voigt and junior running back Kyle Hammonds. Tailback Christian Jackson has also been strong out of the Comets backfield, while Tres Barksdale is one of Voigt’s favorite targets at wide receiver. And if defenses are lucky enough to put the clamps down on all of Voigt’s options, the senior can take it himself on the ground or look for 6-7, 280 lbs. tight end and Ohio State recruit Darryl Baldwin. In any other season this game would be a toss up, even with the game at Stewart Field and the records as lopsided as they are; but Solon’s Jim McQuaide really has a special group of Comets this season and could win handedly Friday night.
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© 2009
