St. Ignatius uses belief, penalty kicks to capture fifth straight boys soccer state championship with win over Archbishop Moeller

St. Ignatius now has 13 state titles overall and 11 in the last 16 years

COLUMBUS, Ohio - It looked like the time was ticking down on the St. Ignatius reign as Division I state champions on Saturday, as Archbishop Moeller held a 1-0 lead late into the contest.

But then it happened, like it always seems to happen for St. Ignatius.

With less than six minutes left in regulation, Senior Nicholas Mikulec served a free kick into the box and Bryce Ince-Lovelace headed the ball past Moeller goalkeeper Austin Nowak to tie the game.

"Most of the free kicks I took today were kind of more central," Mikulec said. "So I feel like it being like kind of on the wing is much easier to deliver it in and I just tried to put in a dangerous area not too close to the goalie. I found Bryce's head luckily and he put it in the back of the net."

St. Ignatius then went on to win in penalty kicks, 5-4 in six rounds, to capture its fifth straight state title and 13th overall. 

The goal by Ince-Lovelace in the 74th minute was the first allowed by Nowak this season, breaking a streak of 23 consecutive shutouts.

"You have to just keep going, keep pushing, keep fighting, keep finding ways and Bryce, he changed the game," St. Ignatius head coach Mike McLaughlin said. "He came on as a sub and he was brilliant and he's only a sophomore."

Once the game headed to penalty kicks, the teams were tied at four goals each after the five rounds and David Salukombo stepped up in round six for St. Ignatius and put the ball in the net, setting the stage for St. Ignatius goalkeeper Colin Monroe.

"Since playoffs have started, we do PKs after practice every single day," Monroe said. "I've spent countless hours of just staying after practice with guys and if they want to take PKs, I'll stand in the goal with them. And for me to get the opportunity as the Ignatius keeper to be put in that situation, it's just unreal." 

Johnny Michel stepped to the spot for Moeller, who wasted no time approaching the ball. He kicked the ball low and to his left. Monroe came off his spot, dove and made the game-winning save with his leg.

"He closed his hips a little bit right before he shot the ball," Monroe said. "I don't like guessing on penalty kicks. I like to read their hips and at the last moment I saw him close his hips and he kind of hit a little bit behind me and I got my leg out there to make save."

St. Ignatius soccer players celebrate winning the 2023 Division I state championship on November 11, 2023 (Photo credit: Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports) / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports

Winning their fifth straight state tile and 11th in the last 16 years came down to a simple philosophy for the Wildcats - belief.

"We talk all the time about what you believe can change your life," McLaughlin said. "We talk a lot about faith in our school, but believing really matters. And I'm just proud that these guys just kept fighting and kept believing and I hope that's what they take with the rest of their life."

It was that belief and the hard work St. Ignatius puts in that helped the Wildcats keep focused as the minutes were ticking off the scoreboard at Historic Crew Stadium. 

"I feel like how coach always says what you believe makes a really big impact on the team and everything," Mikulec said. "Putting the work in day in and day out like practices, I feel like we always grind and we do a lot of fitness and everything. So this game really pushed us and we were ready. And so it was just a battle to the end."

-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh

St. Ignatius beats Archbishop Moeller on penalty kicks: Live updates from Ohio boys soccer Division I state championship

(Feature photo: St. Ignatius players celebrate winning the 2023 Division I state championship on November 11. Photo credit: Jeff Harwell)