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Free virtual survival game, Fortnite, enjoys its rise to the top

By Peter Nichols ’18

For the first time since seventh grade, online gaming is as popular as ever. Although, really only two games are leading the way: Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG). Even though arguments may ensue whether playing ‘with the boys’ is better on Xbox One or Playstation 4, the real argument is whether Fortnite or PUBG is better.

Imagine combining two of the most popular games of all time, Minecraft and Call of Duty. Together, this combination makes Fortnite. I find absolutely no flaws in this game. Each player starts with the same equipment, emphasizing that there are no advantages or disadvantages to start out with, which is a major problem in today’s gaming industry if one does not keep up to pace with other online players. In addition, each player chooses where they spawn, and thus allows for players to easily form their own unique strategies without one being more overpowered than another. Besides being an overall fun survival game, the main difference between Fortnite and PUBG is that Fortnite is free. It is already hard enough to scrape up some money to buy some Chipotle on the weekends, so it is much easier to download Fortnite than buy PUBG, even since that both games are virtually the concept with the same developers.

When reviewing the game overall, Aymin Bahhur ‘18 states, “Fortnite, as an online multiplayer game, is reminiscent of the Hunger Games. I like the suspense and thrill of this survival game, and I also like the fact that it is free.” Looking back at his first ‘victory royale,’ Bahhur tells, “My first victory was a duo, and the moment of elation was indescribable. I cried for thirty straight minutes. Also, my first solo win I, in fact, had zero eliminations.”

Now, Fortnite faces the test of time to see if it is truly one of the greatest games of all time, or if it is only a fad that will lose popularity soon to come.

PodCats #8 Matt Clemens ’85

Board of Regents member Matt Clemens ‘85 gives the keynote talk at the January State of the CAT meeting.

Produced by James Slife ’21

Saint Ignatius commits: The future is bright

Alex Claus and his parents signing to SC

By Andrew Chaloub ‘18

Once again Ignatius has been blessed with many talented athletes, some fortunate enough to receive offers to play at the college level. Currently, we have 22 student-athletes who have committed or are planning to commit to play at the college level next year.

Darian Kinnard – After coming to Saint Ignatius his sophomore year, Darian Kinnard has been nothing short of spectacular on the football field. The 6’ 7”, 330 pound offensive lineman has earned himself the honor of being a 4-star recruit to Kentucky.

Anthony Ameo – Committing to Ohio State as a sophomore, Anthony Ameo has been spectacular on the field. Anthony was called up as freshman to play on the varsity lacrosse squad. He specializes in face-offs, winning about 75% of his matchups. Anthony is one of the best at his position in the country and while he is looking forward to his time at Ohio State, he is focused and ready to make his mark on his upcoming senior season.

Alex Claus – Swimming and diving is not one of the more covered sports, but that has not stopped Alex from being one of the best divers in the state and earning himself a commitment to the University of South Carolina.

Justin Sands – Sands will be signing with the University of Pennsylvania for football. Justin was called up to the varsity football squad his sophomore and has been a starter at free safety since his junior year. He cemented himself as one of the best free safeties in northeast Ohio earning All-District honorable mention this year.

Connor Kennedy – The star wideout will be signing with the College of Holy Cross for football. Connor earned himself the honor of being named team captain his senior season, and is already putting in the work for next season.

Phil Zuccaro – Phil will be signing with Yale University for track and field. Phil is one of the best sprinters the school has seen in recent memory. Phil is excited about starting at Yale but is looking to break school records this year.

Juan Penn – Juan committed this week to play rugby for St. Bonaventure University after helping the Rugby Cats win the state title in 2017.

Matt Trickett – Matt is a 4.5 star kicker and punter. Trickett set a new school record for longest FG in school history. He will be committing Spring Signing Day.

Matt Gildea – Matt will be signing with Aurora University to play lacrosse.

Chris Larson – will be signing with Trinity College to play lacrosse.

Kyle Katibak – will be signing with Otterbein University to play lacrosse.

Michael Donahue – will be signing with Alma College to play lacrosse.

Connor Sims – will be signing with Swarthmore College to play lacrosse.

JJ Conway and Jordan Asimes – will both be signing at Kenyon College to play baseball.

Griffin Fox – Griffin recently committed to row at Lehigh University.

Billy Corte – Billy committed this week to play football for Stetson University after starting at right tackle in 2017.

Ice Cats unanimous No.1 going into playoffs

By Alec Stimac ‘19

Head Hockey Coach Pat O’Rourke ‘90 says the Prep team is currently 23-4-1 and is “playing a meat grinder of a schedule.”

The season is wrapping up with 3 tough weeks of competition left. He hopes it will prepare the team for states.

As for the players, the leading scorers on the team are senior captains Bain Kurtz and Mike McCaffrey. Kurtz has 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points and McCaffrey has had 11 goals and 23 assists totaling 34 points. Starting goaltender, junior Benny Savarino, has a 17-4-1 record with 5 shutouts, a 93.9% save percentage and a 1.77 goals against average.

Coach O’Rourke says other stellar players include senior defenseman Santino Pignatiello, junior forwards Connor McGowan, Eric Lile, and Charlie Klenkar, and sophomore standouts Michael Boehm, Greg Langermeier, Alex Bilardo, Joey Trobenter, Aidan Millett, and Cam Kurtz. Back-up goalie Nick Bernstein is 6-0 in net and many other youngsters are contributing, as well.

Be sure to get out and support the Ice Cats anytime you get the chance. Lately, the Wildcats have been dominating in all aspects.

Last Saturday, the Ice Cats were able to come out with a close win to the Hill Academy. One of the most elite teams in Canada. With an international roster, the Hill Academy came in on Friday night and with a point to prove, beating the Cats 4-1. This handed the wildcats only their third loss of the season.

Following the weekend split, the Wildcats will play in the MIHL Showcase in Trenton Michigan this weekend. The following weekend, the Wildcats will head north of the border once again, for the Barrow Tournament.

With the playoffs nearing closer, the Wildcats are playing some of their best hockey yet.

Campus Security: Lockdown

By Tommy Baker ‘19

On November 20, 2017, a man was seen on the mall who looked like he did not belong. A student went over to this man and the man informed the student that he was carrying a firearm. There was no evidence to suggest that this individual was carrying a weapon. This student walked away and told the first adult he saw on campus. Security was informed and the school went into lockdown.

We were all affected by this incident and every student on campus was told to remain quiet in a classroom. According to Mr. Dan Bradesca ‘88, “The response was superior. It worked in the exact way that it was designed.” He went on to say that the student who first responded to this individual acted precisely the way that every student should. When asked about the student, teacher, and student response, Officer Diaz, a school resource office for the Cleveland Police Department, stated, “It was as good as you can get.”

Mr. Richard Klingshirn ‘79, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, who also oversees campus security, explained that communication is key in these situations. “The purpose of a lockdown is to create a barrier of time to allow law enforcement to respond,” he said. He went on to say that law enforcement may take anywhere from three to ten minutes to arrive on campus, so it is vital that the student body follow the protocol.

This incident had a significant impact on the student body and the administration. Various changes have been made on campus in response to the lockdown. Many students have noticed bullhorns in the senior lounge. Mr. Klingshirn explained that Rade and the Senior Lounge were problematic areas during the lockdown because of the noise levels. As a result, the bullhorns will allow proctors to communicate effectively. A gate between the Senior Lounge and Rade is being looked into for the purpose of securing the area. The security team is also considering an electronic locking system for the exterior doors which will block an individual from entering the building. Finally, the school is examining the most effective methods to communicate with people off campus to inform them of the situation.

Officer Diaz stressed that students must be familiar with the phone numbers on the back of the their IDs, as they are essential to the success of the system. He also encouraged students to take the drills seriously because they are the most effective way to prepare for these types of situations. Officer Diaz reinforced that it is critical for all students who see something suspicious to tell someone immediately.

Letter from the Editor: Time for a Cavs reset

Let’s face it. The Cleveland Cavaliers are not getting any younger. As the NBA season continues to progress at a leisurely pace, our hometown team sits at a surprising 3rd place position in the Eastern Conference. They find themselves behind the infamous Boston Celtics, led by former Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving, as well as the Toronto Raptors, who boast an All-Star backcourt in Lowry and Derozan. Because we have the best player in the world who is complemented by capable all-stars, such as Love and Thomas, basketball fans begin to wonder why it is we are struggling. Is it our coaching? Is Lebron too controlling? Is our veteran presence too weak? The amount of questions raised makes it seem as if our season is a reality TV show, nothing short of a rocky roller coaster ride. However, this all-star break as well as the trade deadline could symbolize a fresh start for the Cavs, as the players have the distinct opportunity of an extended rest period. Additionally, the front office can purge the franchise of any player that fails to perform to their lofty contracts, a.k.a JR Smith and Tristan Thompson. Recently, we have heard the Cavaliers express their interest in franchise cornerstones, George Hill from the Sacramento Kings and DeAndre Jordan from the Los Angeles Clippers. The solution to our poor 1st half is simple: adjust the roster to compete with the Golden State Warriors. The common preconception that our season as well as our playoff push is a race with the Bay Area squad is true, especially since Kevin Durant joined the rivalry. How can we compete with them, you ask? The Cavaliers need to shift their scope toward supplementing the lineups with speed and length. In order to compete with the Warrior’s high-powered offense, they must add “3 and d” guards, such as George Hill, to contain Curry and Thompson. The “small ball” lineups can help defend their three point attack and preference towards the fast break. The league appears as if it is being dominated by the likes of the Warriors, as all teams are making adjustments just to defeat them. I see no better team to reverse this trend than our very own Cleveland Cavaliers.

The West-side bias for snowdays?

By Bradley Anderson ‘18

In Cleveland Ohio, winters filled with large snow storms, sporadic weather, and random ice days, make life difficult for Ignatius students. Even the largest and toughest cars parked in the senior lot at West 30th and Lorain at Saint Ignatius sometimes struggle. Yet, it could be said that one side of town gets put on blast every time our lady lake brings in snow flurries from the north. The east side, known for its large variety of shopping complexes, Paul Noce’s house, and beautiful metroparks, is often a receiver of a large amount of snow, much greater than that of its westside counterpart.

Approximately 29 percent of Saint Ignatius’s student body lives on the east side. Split between 3 sides, this roughly accounts for ⅓ of the student body. Usually what happens during a large snow shower day, roads are slippery, cars are slow, and morning commutes at least double. East side schools like Lake Catholic, NDCL, and Beaumont on these days get called off for their students’ safety. Matt Christopher, a senior from NDCL, talks about his tough drives into school: “When the roads get bad, I see kids in ditches and I also see them on top of hills unable to move, cause me to swerve around them. I’m always very nervous that these factors can cause me to get hurt or even worse cause fatal injuries.” With these tough conditions, these east side schools are often called off during these extremely dangerous times. Yet their buddies at Wildcat High, must warm up their car fifteen minutes early, wipe off the car, and make the boldacious commute.

Now the real question that impedes is: why do east siders have to make bigger risks than that of other wildcat students to get to school? Could it be because that the administration lives more west? Would things be different if the school staff lived mostly east side? Does the school believe that it must affect a larger percent of its students to call school off?

East siders hope that this article can start a conversation. Alex Misencik ‘18 says “It usually takes me 20-25 minutes to get to school, and some days when school is on and it’s snowing it’ll take me up to one hour and twenty. Aslo, impeach Abdelnour.”
Adding on, rugby captain and Chesterland native Nick Zolikoff ‘18 says “you can’t take a test if you can’t get there.”

These rough rides, filled with big accidents, unnecessary cautious drivers, and those “hold steady (insert original car name)”, make students dream for snowdays. Many of which never come. Ignatius has been famous for no snow days for centuries. Is it time to change that? What will convince the school that it is truly dangerous? Will a big accident need to happen involving students make it change?

On the other side, the administration stresses that if you feel unsafe traveling to school due to snow, stay home and don’t drive. The school does not want any danger imposed on any student.

However, some students or student’s parents would rather risk their lives than miss a day of school. Thus starting an internal war of every student east of the Keybank Tower.

Dominic DiNunzio and his transformation into one of the strongest centers in the area

DiNunzio going inside grabbing a rebound Photo Courtesy of Ryan Grabowski ‘18

By BRAD ANDERSON ‘18

At the start of his freshman year, Dominic DiNunzio weighed in at an unimpressive 135 lbs and a short 5’7”. Now weighing in at 215 lbs and a 6’4 stature ,DiNunzio is one of the strongest centers in the area. What led him to such a dramatic change? “Hard Work” DiNunzio says.

A large part of DiNunzio’s motivation came from survival.

“After the freshman basketball season I knew I’d have to start working hard to make the 15 man JV team and I thought the weights were where I needed to improve the most. I noticed I was a lot less athletic and strong than the teams we were playing against.”

His long workouts and countless lifts with Coach Anthony Rubino started to really transform the Saint Bernadette graduate. “I’ve been working with coach since sophomore year and he’s been great. All the different stretches and lifts he’s given me over the years, along with nutrition and rehab help have made me into a better athlete.” he started to see his time go up on the court. In his junior year, he had cosistat minutes acting as Matt Davet’s ‘16 backup. That made Dinunzio play against some of the largest players in the area as a junior. Now as a senior, he has been making centers double his height fools of themselves. Most notably Cleveland Heights Tyreke Smith, a 6’ 3” 260 pound Ohio State Football commit, who had 3 rebounds all game against the wildcats.

DiNunzio continues to gets better and thanks his friends, family and teammates for motivating him everyday “especially my brother Aymin Bahhur. We’ve been pushing each other since freshman year and he’s been a great motivator.”

Passport Cats: The Spring Sports go global

The Rugby Cats in France Last spring by Joe Ginley

By Patrick Francis ‘19

Being able to handle practices, homework, games, finals and so many more things can all be overwhelming at times for the student-athletes here at St. Ignatius High School. But the reason people keep playing their sports is because of their love of the game and for some, once in a lifetime perks, like traveling to different states and countries with your athletic team to compete against different high caliber teams.

This Spring sport season is going to be filled with many new experience for all the coaches and athletes in Rugby, Baseball, and Lacrosse.

One of the newer sport teams here at St. Ignatius High School, the 6 year old rugby program will be traveling to South Africa for a tournament against the best high school rugby teams in the world. South Africa, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, England, and Argentina, are just some countries represented. At the moment, the wildcats are the only American team in the tournament.
The news of the South African trip is fairly new to everyone. Coach Dan Arbeznik ‘00 was looking to local schedule for the 2018 season, not planning on leaving the country. Plans changed though right before Thanksgiving, when the Representatives of Heyneke Meyer, the former coach of the Springboks (South Africa’s national rugby union team) reached out to Coach Arbeznik, extending an invitation to play in the first-ever World Schools Festival located in South Africa.

“This is an amazing opportunity for us,” Coach Arbeznik said. “The trip presents a unique opportunity for our students to acquire a larger perspective on culture, history, and civilization.”

Along with Rugby, the Baseball team will be traveling for the first time out of the country, heading to Nettuno, Italy. The baseball team will face the very skilled Nettuno Baseball Academy team in 4 exhibition games and will be traveling to several historic cities including Capri, Pompeii, and Rome. While the baseball team is in Italy, the team will be exploring the culture, food, and historic facts of the country and it’s cities.

Though baseball is widely known and played here in the USA, it is also extremely popular in Italy. Popularity for the sport grew after World War One when it was played by the soldiers from America, then caught on to the locals of the city. The city is now called “The city of Baseball” by many.

The lacrosse team, under new head coach Gary Cintron, will leave for California on March 30th to play against 3 very skilled LAX teams from the Southern California region.

The Wildcats will face Coronado High School, Torrey Pines High School, and Loyola (LA) High School while there. All three of these programs are well-respected in the sport of lacrosse. Loyola LA and Torrey Pines near the top of last season’s final Under Armour / Inside Lacrosse high school lacrosse rankings, coming in at the No. 4 and No. 5 teams in the entire West region.
The experiences that these men will experience will be unforgettable. It is put best by athletic director Rory Fitzpatrick;
“Playing premier teams is great, but the goal of this type of trip is to expose our students to new experiences, ideas, and cultures, expanding their worldview along the way.”

Chatham Training Facility Enters Phase II

By Tim Zvoncheck ‘19

Just months after the completion of Kyle and McLaughlin Fields, plans for an athletic training facility are already in progress. The building will help out many groups and teams, including baseball, lacrosse, golf, soccer, football, track and field, band, sports camps, SEP, Arrupe and other community outreach programs. Overall, the building will benefit the school, neighborhood, and community. In the words of head baseball coach Mr. Ganor, “This project will separate our baseball program and all of athletics from anyone else in the area. Having the opportunity to practice in an environment that most closely resembles actual baseball conditions will ensure that we can continue to produce at the highest level.”

The facility is the second phase of a potential three-part plan. It would be used quite often, especially during times when the Cleveland weather does not allow for outdoor practice. Also, it is conveniently located near Kyle and McLaughlin Fields, as it is in between West 31st Street and West 32nd Street. However, a building like this does not come cheap. Thankfully, Peter Carfagna ‘71 and his family were extremely generous, funding around half of the project that includes not only the facility, but also Kyle and McLaughlin Fields, which were phase one. While more funds are still being raised, the school has already acquired the necessary real estate and begun getting approval from the city of Cleveland, a process that should last about five or six months. After getting approval, construction will begin and end all before the end of 2018. The potential phase three of the plan would include building permanently affordable housing on West 32nd Street. The land is currently vacant and shows potential as a great spot to carry out the school’s mission.

The addition of the athletic training facility will make Saint Ignatius students even better at offering up their talents to God, which is the reason behind everything done at the school. Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer Mr. Klingshirn ‘79 summed it up by saying, “Most importantly, this facility provides yet another opportunity for the young men of Saint Ignatius High School to focus on mind, body and spirit as ‘Faith on the Field’ and ‘Magis’ are major themes of this project.”

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