A historic moment in the long football rivalry between the St. Ignatius Wildcats and St. Edward Eagles at FirstEnergy Stadium is right around the corner. The teams' annual football rivalry game will kick off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, the final day of the 2016 regular season.
And the stakes couldn't be higher.
St. Edward enters the matchup ranked no. 1 in the OHSAA Division I, Region 1 Football Computer Ratings, while St. Ignatius holds the seventh spot. Only the top eight schools from each region in the final report will qualify for the playoffs.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://saintignatius-ticketroar.eventbrite.com and at the schools' athletic departments. Fans are encouraged to purchase seats online in advance. Tickets may also be purchased at the FirstEnergy Stadium ticket office the day of the game if quantities remain available.
This year's game marks the 54th meeting between the Wildcats and Eagles. St. Ignatius holds a slight edge, 28-24-1, though the Eagles won last year's game, 35-28. The Wildcats and Eagles last played in downtown Cleveland on October 17, 1981, as St. Edward defeated St. Ignatius, 7-3, at Municipal Stadium. The Wildcats have not played in FirstEnergy Stadium since Aug. 25, 2012, when St. Ignatius defeated Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 31-7.
"Obviously, for a young kid growing up in Cleveland, Ohio to play in FirstEnergy Stadium, those kids will remember it for the rest of their lives. So that's special," said St. Ignatius head coach and Browns youth football advisor Chuck Kyle. "Over the years, a lot of people have asked, 'Why don't we do this game at FirstEnergy Stadium?' OK, here we are.
"We appreciate this partnership with the Browns, and we are all eager to have this happen. The Browns are very enthusiastic about youth athletics and youth football and really want to be engaged with it."
The Browns are committed to education and athletics, including youth and high school football, throughout the Northeast Ohio community. As part of their dedication to improving opportunities for youth in Cleveland, Dee and Jimmy Haslam in May announced their commitment to install high-quality synthetic turf at five Cleveland Metropolitan School District fields, three of which were completed for the 2016 high school football season.
"We look forward to welcoming these local high schools' football players and coaches, as well as athletes, students, teachers, parents and faculty from both schools, for what will be an exciting weekend of football at FirstEnergy Stadium," said director of community relations Jenner Tekancic. "We are fortunate to have the opportunity to host this high school football game and a Browns home game during the same weekend for a city and community that are extremely passionate about football at all levels of play."
About Saint Ignatius High School
Saint Ignatius High School is a vital educational institution dedicated to the formation of young men to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ. With a rich tradition of academic excellence, unparalleled athletic achievements, a distinctive arts program and unique and broad-ranging service programs, the school continues to be a regional and national leader in Jesuit, Catholic education.
Located in the vibrant and historic Ohio City neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, the school enrolls more than 1,500 young men who hail from 98 cities in an eight-county region and boasts 109 faculty members, 91 percent of whom hold advanced degrees. Fifty nine percent have spent 10 years or more teaching at Saint Ignatius.
About Cleveland Browns Youth Football
The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns' goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/community.
FAQ: Saint Ignatius-Saint Edward at FirstEnergy Stadium
WHO/WHAT:Saint Ignatius will host Saint Edward at FirstEnergy Stadium for their annual rivalry game
WHEN:Kickoff at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 29, 2016
(Saturday before Browns-Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium, 1 p.m., kickoff subject to change due to flex scheduling)
WHERE: FirstEnergy Stadiu
CONTACT:With questions, fans may call Joe Ginley of Saint Ignatius athletics (216-651-0222 x242) or visit ignatiuswildcats.com.
Ticket Information:
General admission tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online at https://saintignatius-ticketroar.eventbrite.com, as well as at each of the schools' athletic departments. Fans are encouraged to purchase seats online in advance of the event.
On the day of the event, tickets may also be purchased (as quantities are available) at the FirstEnergy Stadium ticket office, located on the south side of the stadium.
Seating information:
General admission tickets will provide entry to FirstEnergy Stadium for fans to select their seating location in FirstEnergy Stadium's lower bowl on a first-come, first-serve basis in. Upon entry, fans will be provided information on which side will be designated to each school's fans.
Entry:
FirstEnergy Stadium's southeast and southwest gates will be open to all fans 90 minutes prior to kickoff (4:30 p.m.).
Parking:
Cash parking on the day of the event will be available to fans as space permits. All lots surrounding FirstEnergy Stadium are managed by the City of Cleveland, which determines the price point for each lot.
**Note: Overnight parking will not be permitted to fans attending Saturday's game. *
Concessions:
A select number of concession stands will be open in FirstEnergy Stadium's lower bowl. More information about items and pricing will be available closer to the game.
Alcohol will not be available for purchase at FirstEnergy Stadium concession stands on the day of the event and is among the list of prohibited items upon entry to the stadium.
Bag policy:
The NFL's all-clear bag policy that applies to all Browns home games will be in effect during the Saint Ignatius-Saint Edward game at FirstEnergy Stadium. It is recommended that fans do not bring bags to games, but each fan is allowed one clear plastic bag that does not exceed 12"x6"x12" OR a small clutch bag approximately the size of a hand. Backpacks and all other bags that do not meet these requirements are prohibited. For more information, visit www.NFL.com/allclear.
Weather:Time and event details are subject to change in the event of inclement weather.
Prohibited items:
A list of prohibited items is available at www.FirstEnergyStadium.com. Detailed information will be available closer to the event date.
