Week 14: QUINNER

Definition of QUINNER

Quinn·er noun \ˈqwi-nər\

: one that wins: as a : one that is successful especially through praiseworthy ability and hard work b : a victor especially in games and sports c : one that wins admiration.

Now understanding that this is ACTUALLY the definition for the word “winner”…we will just naturally transpose the Last name of our senior quarterback and emotional leader into that line!

As I’ve said numerous times…Cardinal Mooney High School has been blessed with many, many talented QBs over the 50+ years of football. Some are better at this and some are better at that! Young Mr. Quinn is pretty good at everything, but may be the very best at LEADERSHIP! This young man has done his very best, to “will” his team into week 15! Even when he’s watching from the sidelines as the defense is on the field…he’s firing up his teammates AND his fans with his spirit and emotion!

There may have been Mooney QBs with better arms or better legs…but I will take PJ Quinn as my quarterback any day of the week! His toughness and leadership qualities are as good, if not…possibly even better, than anyone that I can remember. It’s a TEAM game and you need 22 players playing in unison to be successful…but you NEED a leader…and #15 is all that and more!

Now give us just FORTY-EIGHT more minutes men and…GO CARDS!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                      

Week 13: S-E-V-E-N-T-Y

“LIVE BY THE SWORD, DIE BY THE SWORD”!

That old saying appropriately explains what happened at Mooney’s home away from home (Canton’s Fawcett Stadium) this past Friday night! The Cardinals’ opponents were the Tornadoes of Dover. Their name and mascot are very fitting for the type of football they like to play. A tornado, by nature, is nothing but an offense assault on everything in it’s path. It does not care what else happens before it or after it…it just continues to try and cause destruction! THAT is how Dover likes to play the game. Using one of the most prolific high school passing attacks in the State of Ohio…they choose to basically bypass the defensive end of things and just try and outscore everyone they play. Two weeks prior to meeting up with the Cards, they ousted the Generals of Thornville Sheridan 68 to 53! (Sheridan, is a former victim of a Mooney State Title victory in 1987 at Ohio Stadium). Dover has scored 40+ points 4 times this season, 50+ twice and 60+ twice.
Unfortunately for Tornado Nation…

CARDINAL MOONEY had a BIGGER SWORD! …Way to GO CARDS!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                      

Week 12: Resiliency and Conor Durina

Two things that allowed us to once again defeat the Mighty Big Red of Steubenville…RESILIENCY and the leg of one…Mr. CONOR DURINA!!!

The 2011 Cardinal Mooney football team has fought uphill battles all season long! Week #1 - Opening day in Canton…McKinley jumps out to an EARLY 18-0 lead. MANY teams would have packed it in…these young men did not…28-24 MOONEY WINS! Week #2 @ Boardman…trailing most of the game…2 late TDs…MOONEY WINS 27-20! Week #3 in Lakewood…LESS than 2 minutes into the game, Cards fall behind 14-0 to the D1 State Champions…we fight back and make it a game, but fall short! Week #4 vs Lake Catholic…we’re losing 21-7 with a few minutes remaining…we make a miracle comeback to take the lead, but then gave up a crucial kick return and fell 27-22. Week #5…beating Red Lion for 3 quarters, we fall behind 16-14 in the 4th…we have a long drive for a TD to win 21-16!   Week #9 vs UHS…we’re trailing 12-0, only to come back and take the lead on 3 occasions, but fell short 25-21. Then the EPIC comeback win last night in Canton. Again…trailing Big Red from the 2nd quarter ‘til late in the 4th…then to have them regain the lead with LESS than 2 minutes remaining. The team fought the odds and drove into FG range…ENTER the SANDMAN…Conor Durina…with 5 seconds remaining on the clock…trailing 22-21…the ice water in his veins flowing like a river…calmly, coolly DRILLS a 30 yard field goal to seal one of the greatest comebacks in Mooney Football History!!! All I can say is…
Way to go Conor…Way to GO CARDS!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                      

Week 11: The Dreaded BIG RED

These 2 storied football programs have met 6 times on the field of play…each time in the OHSAA Playoffs. The Cardinals of Mooney High hold a 5 games to 1 advantage over the boys from the ‘Ville, with our only loss coming at Fawcett Stadium in week 12 of the 2008 season (28-16 Loss).

This game has always been a very “spirited” match-up, as Steubenville brings it’s entire town in support of their Big Red. Cardinal Nation usually does a fine job representing as well. This year will be no different. I fully expect 10-12,000+ in Canton Friday night. So pack up the cars and trucks and SUVs…throw on some warm clothes…leave early…and GET TO CANTON Friday!!!

1981 - DII Playoffs @ Fitch: Mooney 49 – Big Red 0
1982 – DII Playoffs @ Steubenville: Mooney 13 – Big Red 2
1985 – DII State Semifinal @ Akron U: Mooney 18 – Big Red 16
2007 – DIV Regional Final @ Fawcett: Mooney 35 – Big Red 20
2008 – DIV Playoffs @ Fawcett: Big Red 28 – Mooney 16
2009 – DIII State Semifinal @ Fawcett: Mooney 45 – Big Red 7

This will be a game won by the team that makes the fewest mistakes! These 2 teams are fairly evenly matched, with the only common opponent being Ursuline. While the Cards lost to the Irish by 4 (25-21), Big Red defeated the Irish by 5 (22-17). Strap on the helmets men…BIG RED is comin’ at ya!!! GO CARDS!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                      

Week 10:”Second Season”

You start the football season in the weight room, right after the Holidays. It continues through the spring with conditioning and into the summer with doubles. Then you have a scrimmage or two before your season begins in week #1. 192 teams out of OVER 700 throughout the great State of Ohio get to participate in “the 2nd Season”…the OHSAA Playoffs.

For the 9th consecutive year…the Mooney Cardinals will NOT be turning in their gear and cleaning out their lockers…not yet! Hopefully they can pay the dues for 5 more weeks of practice leading up to the ultimate reward for all of those months of hard work and sacrifice!

This is the time of year when DESIRE and HEART really come into play! EVERY team is tired! EVERY team is banged up! EVERY team that’s still alive hopes to wear the crown. The team that WANTS it the most…and puts in the hard work…and plays the best 48 minutes of football over the next 5 weeks WILL be that team that is crowned in each of the 6 divisions of OHSAA High School Football.

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                      

Week 9:”CONSISTENT”

con – sis – tent: marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity : free from variation or contradiction.
THIS is one thing that the 2011 Cardinals lack and will need if they have hopes of reaching their lofty goals. They will need to find a way to play good, solid, CONSISTENT football for 48 minutes from here out.
This will be a telling week for the Cards. They have clinched a play-off spot, but not a hone game...as of yet. A victory against Lake gives the Cards a much desired HOME game for week 11. A loss more than likely puts the Cardinals on the road...possibly a distant road (depending on outcomes).

This year's team has really confused me. I have seen signs of greatness and signs of mediocrity...IN THE SAME GAME at times? There have literally been games/times that I thought we could play with ANY team in the State, regardless of division. Then there have been times that I wasn't sure who I was watching. The time for consistency starts right now. If this edition of Mooney Football has ANY hopes of post-season success...once again…they need to play 48 SOLID minutes of football the rest of the way.

Personally...I think they can do that…Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

Week 9: Cardinals Vs. Irish - Part 2

This is the week we’ve been waiting for…URSULINE WEEK!!!

The Cards are fresh off a total domination of another Irish team from Summit County. Despite the futile effort of the “so-called OFFCIALS” and their attempt at even-ing the playing field…the men from Mooney would have none of it…Pounding ASVSM 41-21 in Akron.

Now comes the horse of the SAME color, but with a different attitude!

The “other” Parochial team from Youngstown comes a calling! Last year…after the Cards clung to a 7-6 lead into the 3rd quarter…things got a little “heated” on the field. 2 ambulance trips and 4 Mooney players knocked out of action later…Ursuline was doing all the celebrating on the field, off the field and everywhere else! Some say there were some VERY questionable hits delivered by our sister school from the wrong side of the river…that’s for fans who witnessed them to decide. All I know is THIS year, the Cardinals are 5 & 2 against one of the toughest schedules in ALL of Ohio and the Irish are struggling against their brutal schedule at 2 & 6. They NEED to beat the Cards to have ANY shot of defending their Division 5 crown.

The “Crooked Stick” needs to take it’s RIGHTFUL place back in the trophy case at YOUNGSTOWN CARDINAL MOONEY HIGH SCHOOL!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!                     

Always,
The Rock

Week 8: Cardinals Vs. Irish - Part 1

Now that our Cards took care of business this past Friday night in Lewistown, Pennsylvania…it’s time to focus on the task at hand…back to back games against those nasty Green & Goldies (ASVSM & UHS)!

The boys from Youngstown will make the trip to Green Street Stadium in Akron, Friday night. Saint Vincent/Saint Mary is currently 7 & 0 and scoring an astounding 46 points a game, while giving up 18 a game! We come into this game at 4 & 2 and currently in 4th place in the computer play-off rankings. The top 8 advance to the post-season, while the top 4 host a week 11 game! For the Cards to be assured of a play-off spot (let alone a home game in week 11), they must defeat the Irish of ASVSM! The final 2 opponents will NOT offer many computer points, if the Cards should defeat them.

ASVSM will more than likely be favored by the local prognosticators, in spite of the fact that Cardinal Mooney leads the all-time series 19 to 1! The last Irish victory came in 1988. That year, the Cards won the regular season game at YSU 24-7…but then fell in the play-offs to the Irish 17-0 at Akron University en route to a DIII State Title of their own! 

The mere fact that Cardinal Mooney has such a dominant record against them…will add fuel to their desire to defeat the Cards Friday night. These young men will need great support from their loyal fans. I fully expect to see a packed visitor stands at game time!

BIG GAME men…48 minutes of great football will be needed!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!

Always,
The Rock

Week 7: The Playoff Run

For all intents and purposes…the 2011 Cardinal Mooney Cardinal play-off run begins this Friday night in Lewistown, Pennsylvania!
Coming off a much needed open week, after arguably the toughest 5 game stretch in Mooney Football history…the Cards are sitting at 3 & 2 and in the 8th and final spot in the OHSAA D3 Region 11 computer rankings. So let the scenarios begin, with 4 games remaining in the regular season:
* If the Cards can win their final four (7&2), they will probably host a 1st round play-off game in week 11!
* If the Cards win three of four (6&3), they will probably finish in the top 8 and live to play another day, albeit on the road in week 11!
* If the Cards only manage to win two of four (or less), there’s a very good chance the season will end the night of October 28th!
So men…strap on the helmets and give ‘em hell! One game at a time, ‘til there’s no time left!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!

Always,
The Rock

Week 6: Slaying the Lions

The Cardinal Mooney Cardinals took on one of the most interesting High School Football Programs in the Country this past weekend. Red Lion Christian Academy of Delaware…is basically the equivalent of a National-Traveling AAU football team. Because of their ability to enroll students from various states and even Canada…Red Lion is NOT permitted to participate in the Delaware High School Athletic Association play-offs, not any conference affiliated championship!

For this reason…they have a schedule that includes 7 away games…3 at Ohio teams (Mooney, Ursuline & Massillon), 3 Maryland teams, and 1 each from Pa., New Jersey, Virginia & Florida. They FLY to away games and are “sponsored” by the father of highly recruited (verballed to USC as a 7th grader!) QB David Sills…who basically pays for everything!

The team was featured on the front page of the USA Today sports page earlier this season. They came into Stambaugh Stadium, Nationally ranked and already having pounded (arch-rival) Ursuline, 54-18 in week one at YSU! Most experts gave the Cards no chance, especially after coming off 2 tough losses to #1 ranked D1 St Edward and #1 ranked D3 Lake Catholic. Some were just hoping the local boys didn’t get embarrassed! Well….after outplaying, out-coaching, out-hearting and yes…OUTSCORING the mighty Lions…the Boys from YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO Cardinal Mooney shocked everyone and won 21-16!!! NEVER underestimate the heart of a Mooney Cardinal!!!!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!

Always,
The Rock

Week 5:”High School Football”

High School football, more than ANY other level of football…before or after…is strongly affected by 2 commodities that most other sports don’t require as much of…HEART & DESIRE!

I have seen many teams over the years outplay bigger, stronger and faster teams…simply because they “wanted” it more! Granted, once you get to the College level and especially the Professional level…just “wanting” it more, usually isn’t going to get the job done.

Now I’m not saying that you can simply show up with more heart & desire and go 15 & 0 every year. You still need to execute and not turn the ball over and not make mental mistakes and not have numerous injuries…but in High School football…more than ANY other sport…at ANY other level…playing with “heart” and “emotion” and “desire” and “intensity” can win you many, many football games!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!

Always,
The Rock

Week 4: My Annual Rant!

Now that the Lakewood St. Edward game is in the books…other than suspect special teams play and then a worn out defense…the Cardinal showing was very respectable! I once again feel the need to voice my opinion on the schedule our young men are forced to play!

With the LOWEST number of boys in all of Division III…and basically having no choice other than to open against FOUR big, Division I football teams (Glenville/scrimmage, @ Canton McKinley, @ Boardman and @ defending DI State Champion Lakewood St. Edward) I look around the Mahoning Valley and am sickened by the fact that there are 3, 4, 5 local teams in our division or higher…all with more boys than we have…that flat out refuse to play Cardinal Mooney…even if they BOTH have open dates the same week!

In today’s day and age of Open Enrollment Public Schools and even the Bounded Publics finding ways to get students in from outside their school district…there is NO reason for this! Some of these schools would rather remain open or even travel more than an hour away, than to play Cardinal Mooney.

Coach Bucci always told us, “To be the best, you have to play the best!” and Mooney has done that for decades…but there comes a point in time where you have to step back and realize what you’re asking your young men to do. I fear that this trend will only get worse and that the day may come when ONLY the big DI Parochial powers (St Ed, Moeller, Ignatius, Xavier, Elder and so on) will play us! I hope not!

Best of luck to the team and coaches this season…stay healthy, stay focused and never forget…

WE ARE MOONEY!!!

Always,
The Rock

Week 3:  Cardinals Vs. Eagles