History awaits Cathedral’s soccer team in Ridgeland at 1 p.m. today.

The Green Wave enter the second round of the MHSAA playoffs for only the second time in school history.

And the opponent is no push-over, sorry to say.

St. Andrew’s, the Division 5 runner-up to two-time defending Class 1A/2A/3A champ and St. Andrew’s bitter rival of St. Joseph-Madison, plays one of the more stringent schedules of smaller schools.

Saints head coach Eric Johnson said that’s by no mistake either.

&uot;My hand is forced to play those teams because St. Joe’s has beaten them all,&uot; he said. &uot;I have to do that to prepare my boys.&uot;

The Saints have wins over Class 5A playoff teams Brandon and Clinton, while losing and tying Madison Central &045; another 5A playoff team &045; in two showdowns this season.

Pearl, a 4A school regarded as the best next to St. Stanislaus, was on the Saints schedule, along with Northwest Rankin, another 5A playoff team.

The Greenies, who defeated Richland 5-2 Tuesday to get here, and the Saints, who downed Mercy Cross 4-1, share a common opponent in St. Aloysius.

Cathedral split with the Flashes, while St. Andrew’s destroyed St. Al 10-0 in the two teams only meeting.

&uot;These seniors are well-seasoned of going into strange places,&uot; Green Wave head coach Rick Freeman said. &uot;I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody. I’m very confident with out seniors.&uot;

Cathedral will need its defense, which has been its unsung hero for much of the season, to again play above and beyond the call of duty in order to advance to a South State final for the first time in the program’s history.

If the Wave can pull off the impossible, they will face either St. Joe’s or familiar foe North Pike, who finished runner-up to Cathedral in Division 7.

&uot;My boys aren’t overlooking this game; I won’t allow it,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;Anybody that is still around at this point has the goal of winning state. We’re not any different, but because of St. Joe’s being so close, our goal is to play them. I don’t want them to get knocked out. If you wanna beat the best, you have to play them.&uot;