Studying Up on the ‘Holy War’ Rivalry

Tim Hudak takes the football rivalry between St. Ignatius high schools seriously. He knows just about everything there is to know about the rivalry.

The Cleveland resident has actually written a book — “The Game of the Year” — on the subject.

The story of the St. Edward and St. Ignatius football rivalry begins in 1952. The teams took from a break from each other from 1959 to 1970 — there were too many fights.

Hudak, a 1964 St. Ignatius graduate, will be in the stands on Saturday when the teams meet in the second round of the state playoffs at Brunswick Stadium on Saturday.

The Eagles lost the , 20-17.

This will be the 49th meeting between the two teams. St. Ignatius holds the edge, with a 27-20-1 record against the Eagles.

Hudak is full of interesting facts about the game, which has become know as the “Holy War.”

Saturday’s matchup will be only the second time the teams played each other twice in one season. It will also be only the second time ever that the teams faced off on neutral turf.

He pointed to what he calls the “15-point rule.” St. Ignatius has never lost a game between the schools in which the Wildcats scored more than 15 points.

“I think it’s a great rivalry,” he said. “Both schools are, as the crow flies, within 5 miles of each other. There’s the Canton McKinley/Massillon rivalry, but this is a big one. It’s good clean fun.”

Hudak said his most memorable game of the rivalry came in a triple overtime thriller at in 1993. With 14,500 people in attendance, it also holds the record for the most people at a game in the city of Lakewood.

St. Ignatius won, 35-34.  

So which team does Hudak think will win Saturday’s game?

“St. Ignatius,” he said. “I really think that this year is going to be tough to call.”

But, of course, he’s biased.