The St. Edward Eagles and the St. Ignatius Wildcats will renew their historic football rivalry this Oct. 26 on the field of FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns announced Thursday.
It will be the fourth time the two high school powerhouses have met in Cleveland since the stadium opened in 1999. Ignatius has won two of the previous three showdowns, including a 34-7 victory in front of 17,000 fans two years ago.
"By hosting high school football at FirstEnergy Stadium, we have an exceptional opportunity to continue our support of education and youth football in Northeast Ohio," Browns Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic said. "It was an incredible atmosphere for everyone in 2016, and we look forward to creating another special experience for the Wildcats and Eagles when this historic rivalry game returns this fall."
Northeast Ohio is rich with traditional football rivalries, and the one between St. Edward and St. Ignatius rules the Greater Cleveland area. The all-boys Catholic schools have combined to win 14 OHSAA Division I state championships, with the Eagles most recently taking the crown back in 2015.
The two teams have faced off 55 times in their history, with Ignatius holding a 30-24-1 advantage (including the last three in a row). The Wildcats share a long and deep connection with the Browns, playing 27 times at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium between 1932 and 1980.
“The experience as a player was amazing,” Ignatius head coach Chuck Kyle, who played at Municipal Stadium twice, said. “Coming onto the field where Jim Brown and all of these legendary players played was tremendous. For today’s kids, it’s just a great environment."
More details regarding tickets and parking will be available on ignatiuswildcats.com closer to the Oct. 26 kickoff.
