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11/6/05

<H1 class=red>Comets capitalize against Wildcats

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Sunday, November 06, 2005 Bob Fortuna


Plain Dealer Reporter
Solon football coach Jim McQuaide felt he needed a close-to-perfect effort from his team to beat tradition-rich St. Ignatius.

He got his wish Saturday night in front of a sold-out Stewart Field crowd.
The Comets, behind senior quarterback/safety Steve Valentino, senior tailback Brandon Shimits and a stingy defense, defeated the visiting Wildcats, 24-14, in a Division I, Region 1 quarterfinal game.

The victory advanced Solon (11-0) to Saturday's regional semifinal showdown against Glenville (11-0), The Plain Dealer's No. 1-ranked team, at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

"We just turned the ball over too much," Wildcats coach Chuck Kyle said. "We were trying to rev-up the running game; we're trying to get field position. It's a tie game, and we turn the ball over."

Solon senior two-way lineman Zach Stolarsky recovered a Wildcats fumble at the 50-yard line with 4:53 left in the third quarter and the score tied, 14-14.

It was one of five turnovers committed by St. Ignatius, and the Comets responded, going the distance in 10 plays and eating up close to 4½ minutes with Valentino finding Shimits for a 2-yard scoring toss. Pat Jacob's extra-point kick put Solon ahead, 21-14.

It was Solon's second touchdown off a St. Ignatius turnover. The Comets' first scoring drive came on a Valentino interception, which led to a 49-yard touchdown by Shimits that tied the game, 7-7, early in the first half.

The No. 3-ranked Comets added some breathing room with 2:30 left to play when Jacob kicked a 30-yard field goal to cap a 15-play, eight-minute march that started on Solon's 20-yard line.

"That last drive was huge to get the three points," McQuaide said. "But the key was when we got the fumble at midfield, drove it down the field and scored to take the lead for good."

The final march was kept alive by a pair of Charles Matthews receptions, one for 12 yards on third-and-5 and the other going for 26 yards.
Matthews, who grabbed a 34-yard pass from Valentino to key Solon's second touchdown that knotted the game at 14-14 at intermission, finished with three receptions for 72 yards.

"Before the game, our coach told us we really haven't established our passing game," Matthews said. "We saw some holes in the [St. Ignatius] defense, and we just executed."

Valentino completed 7 of 12 passes for 114 yards, while Shimits headed Solon's running attack with 140 yards. Senior Nick Secue was the Wildcats' top rusher with 137 yards. He was, however, held to only 23 yards in the second half.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4479