OHSAA Division III State Championship - December 2, 2011
Springfield Shawnee (14-0) @ Mooney (10-3)   3:00pm at Fawcett

Nickname: Braves
2011 Record: 14-0
Previous Meeting: First Time Opponent
Head Coach: Rick Meeks (9th Season, 67-35)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro/Spread
Defensive Set: Even
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570AM in Youngstown / www.570wkbn.com to listen online

Mooney will be playing in their 11th State Championship on Friday against the Shawnee Braves from Springfield, Ohio, making their first ever Finals appearance.  The Braves are undefeated this season at 14-0.  The combined records of Shawnee's opponents is 88-66.  Shawnee's closest contest was in week 3 in an overtime win versus Urbana 23-17. 

The Braves offense is balanced between run and pass that can power run when the need arises.  Senior quarterback Brad Jarzab (5-10, 190) is a dual threat to run or pass and has over 1,500 yards both passing and rushing.  He was recently named the Ohio Division III Offensive Player of the Year.  He makes quick decisions with the ball and will run with it if he sees a lane open.  The running game is led by junior Alex McCrory (6-2, 220) who is a hard runner between the tackles.  Nick Hines (5-7, 180) is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. The offensive line is designed to run block, with seniors Joel Schilke (6-5, 290) and Zach Ruf (6-4, 275) leading the way.  The Braves' offense is averaging 41 points per game, scoring more than 50 twice in the playoffs this season.

The Shawnee defense has played very well all season, allowing only 13 points per game.  Defensive standouts include seniors Ryan Mayfield (6-0, 205), Haygan Blain (6-4, 215), and Lucas Sparks (6-1, 225). 

The placekicker is senior Carly Gregory (5-10, 150) while the punting is handled by McCrory.

Mooney will be the home team on Friday.  The game will be webcast on 570wkbn.com and will be televised live on SportsTime Ohio (Time Warner channel 36 basic/1308 HD or Armstrong 61 basic/177 HD).

OHSAA Division III State Semifinal- November 25, 2011
#4 Mooney (9-3)  @ #1 Chagrin Falls (13-0)   7:30pm at Lake

Nickname: Tigers
2011 Record: 13-0
Previous Meeting: 2004 (CM-42  CF-13)
Head Coach: Mark Immarino
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro
Defensive Set: Even
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570AM in Youngstown / www.570wkbn.com to listen online

The Division III State Semifinal will feature Mooney going against the undefeated Chagrin Falls Tigers.  Chagrin Falls defeated Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary by a score of 30-12 last week.  The Tigers' marquee win was over Division II State Semifinalist Aurora (12-1), 17-10 in overtime.  The combined records of Chargin Falls' opponents is 93-51. Chagrin Falls finished first in Region 9 computer rankings this season.  The Tigers are looking to advance to their third consecutive State Championship. 

The Tiger offense is a balanced attack with a very efficient passing game.  They run best between the tackles.  They are a very sound, disciplined offense that does not turn the ball over often.  The quarterback is junior Thomas Immarino who has thrown for over 1,200 yards this season.  The running backs are the featured component of the offense led by juniors Jack Campbell (5-11, 190) and Brad Munday (5-8, 155) who have combined to rush for 2,000 yards this season.   Senior Anthony DeCamillo (6-0, 190) is the top receiver.  The offensive line is very experienced and is led by senior Daniel O'Kane (6-3, 275).  The Tiger offense is averaging 33 points per game.

The Chagrin Falls defense is very good, holding opponents to less than 13 points per contest (10 of their 13 games, holding their opponent to less than 14 points).  They do everything well; apply pressure, cause turnovers, and take good pursuit angles. The top defenders are seniors linebacker Kurt Vidmer (6-1, 210), defensive back Everett Dishong (5-11, 180), and defensive lineman Mike Tozzi (6-2, 225).

Senior kicker Alex Hallwachs (5-9, 180) leads the special teams.

The winner of this game will play the winner of the Elida (10-3) vs. Springfield Shawnee (13-0) contest on December 2 at 3pm at Fawcett Stadium in the Division III State Championship.

OHSAA Division III Region 11 Final - November 18, 2011
#2 Dover (11-1)  @ #4 Mooney (8-3)     7:30pm at Fawcett

Nickname: Tornadoes
Conference: East Central Ohio League, Scarlet Division
2011 Record: 11-1
Previous Meeting: First Time Opponent
Head Coach: Daniel Ifft (152-41 overall, 17th season at Dover)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
Defensive Set: Even
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570AM in Youngstown / www.570wkbn.com to listen online

For the seventh time in the past eight seasons, Mooney will play in the Regional  Final, this time versus the 11-1 Dover Tornadoes.  Dover's only loss of the season was to Canfield in week three by a score of 43-42.  Dover defeated Minerva last week 41-35.  The Tornadoes finished #2 in Region 11 this season.   Their opponents' combined record is 76-51. 

The Dover offense is a wide-open spread attack that has put up almost unbelievable numbers this season.  They average more than 40 points per game, throw for an average of nearly 300 yards, and rush for more than 125 yards.   They run their offense with great precision, more so than any team Mooney has played this season.   The quarterback is senior Derik Swinderman (6-4, 180) who has 38 touchdown passes this year.  The experienced receiving group includes junior Josh Bennett (6-2, 155), junior Travis Vance (5-9, 145), and senior Dalton Ryan (6-0, 190).   The leading rusher is junior Logan Maholm (6-0, 185).  The offensive line is built for pass blocking, but with Dover averaging over 100 yards rushing per game, the line blocks the run equally well.  Junior Nick Sutterluety (6-0, 215) and senior Joe Shaw (6-2, 220) lead the linemen. 

The Dover defense has given up nearly 24 points per game and an average of 325 yards.  The linebackers lead the defense and include juniors Hunter Scheeberger (5-10, 190) and Damon Bennet (6-2, 180). 

Sophomore Felipe Bravo (5-9, 165) is the kicker. 

This will be Mooney's third game played at Fawcett Stadium in 2011.  Mooney has played at Fawcett Stadium eight times over the past four years.  According to the OHSAA brackets, Mooney will be the home team, despite being the lower seed. 

The game will be webcast on 570AM WKBN in Youngstown and webcast on www.570wkbn.com

OHSAA Division III Region 11 Semifinal - November 11, 2011
#4 Mooney (7-3) @ #1 Steubenville (11-0)     7:30pm at Fawcett

OHSAA Division III
Conference: OVAC
2011 Record: 11-0
Previous Meeting: 2009  CM-45  STEUB-7
Record Vs. Mooney: 1-5
Head Coach: Reno Sacoccia (302-52 overall)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
Defensive Set: Odd
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570AM in Youngstown / www.570wkbn.com to listen online

For the third time in the last four seasons, Mooney will play the Steubenville Big Red, this year in the Region 11 Semifinal.   Steubenville enters the game undefeated and as the top-ranked team in Division III.  The lone common opponent is Ursuline, who Steubenville defeated by a score of 21-17 in week five.   The combined record of Big Red's opponents is 53-52. 

The Big Red offense is very well balanced, running and throwing with great success.  The quarterback is senior  Marcus Prather (6-3, 200) who has a great arm and throws well on the run.  The running game is led by senior JoJo Pierro (5-8, 180) who has three years of varsity experience.  Senior receiver Najee Murray (6-0, 170) is very athletic and is a threat to outrun the secondary on any play.    The offensive line is experienced.  The Big Red offense is averaging close to 40 points per game. 

The Steubenville defense has held opponents to less than ten points per game.  The are a typical tough Big Red defense, with several players swarming to the ball. They are very quick and are physical.

Head Coach Reno Sacoccia has won three state titles at Steubenville in his illustrious career.  His teams are well-disciplined and always prepared for the task at hand.  Congratulations to Coach Reno for achieving 300 wins in his coaching career, putting him in select company in the history of Ohio High School football.

The game will be broadcast on 570 AM and will be webcast on www.570wkbn.com

OHSAA Division III Region 11 Quarterfinal - November 4, 2011
#4 Mooney (6-3) @ #5 Northwest (8-2)     7:30pm at YSU

OHSAA Division III
Conference: Independent
2011 Record: 8-2
Previous Meeting: First-time opponent
Head Coach: Vic Whiting (106-43, 14th season at Northwest)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
Defensive Set: Odd
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570AM in Youngstown / www.570wkbn.com to listen online

The Cardinals' opponent in the OHSAA Division III Region 11 Quarterfinal this Friday is the Northwest Indians from Canal Fulton.  Northwest finished #5 in the Region 11 rankings with an 8-2 record.  their losses came at the hands of Orrville in Week 1 by a score of 41-27 and against Poland in week seven by a score of 42-41 in overtime.  The Indians are an independent.

The Northwest offense has put up a lot of points this year, averaging 37 points per contest.  Their spread offense is directed by senior quarterback Nick Riley (6-5, 190) who has thrown for over 2,200 yards and 23 touchdowns.  The formations typically involve four wideouts or no-back, five wideout formations.  Riley has a quick release and due to his height, his great vision of the field.   His top targets are seniors J.C. Pawlyk (5-10, 185) and Daniel May (5-10, 180) who have combined for 1,000 yards and twelve touchdowns.  The running back is Ronnie Beers (5-10, 185) who is very versatile as a running and receiving threat accounting for over 1,600 offensive yards combined.  The offensive line blocks well, especially in pass protection.

The Indians' defense has given up an average of 18 points per game.  The defensive leaders are senior end Matthew Schely (6-2, 220), linebackers Jay Strelecki (6-2, 200) and Brian Pawlyk (5-10, 180).  The secondary is the strength of the unit.

Senior Jordan Benson (5-8, 150) is the placekicker and May is the punter.

Head Coach Vic Whiting is one of the most successful coaches in the history of Ohio, winning two state championships at Delphos St. Johns in 1997 and 1998. 

The game will be broadcast on 570 AM and will be webcast on www.570wkbn.com

Week 10 Preview - Mooney (5-3) @ Lake (2-7)     7:30pm at Uniontown

OHSAA Division II
Conference: Federal League
2011 Record: 2-7
Previous Meeting: First-time opponent
Head Coach: Jeffery Durbin (46-38, 8th season at Lake)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro
Defensive Set: Even
Website: lakebluestreaksfootball.com
Radio/Internet Broadcast: None

The first meeting between Mooney and Uniontown Lake will take place Friday at 7:30pm at Lake Blue Streak Stadium.  Lake enters the game with a 2-7 record.  The most recent game for the Blue Streaks was against Austintown Fitch, with the Falcons winning by a score of 34-7.  Common opponents this season have been Canton McKinley (McKinley 50-Lake 27) and Boardman (Boardman 34-Lake 17).  Lake is 2-4 in the Federal League this season.

Senior quarterback Josh Peach (6-2, 180) leads the Blue Streak offense.  Top players on offense include senior running back Jarrod Daugherty (5-9, 180), junior wide receiver Ethan Dutton (6-2, 190) and senior tight end Dylan Seibel (6-5, 218).  The Blue Streak offense is averaging 20 points per game. 

The Lake defense has allowed an average of 26 points per game this season. Leaders of the defense are senior linebacker Corey Paulino (6-3, 206) and senior defensive lineman Nathan Henry (5-11, 240).  The standout in the secondary is junior Kyle Crites (6-0, 162).

Senior placekicker Matthew Gallegly (5-11, 171) leads the special teams.  Sophomore Matt Blasiole (5-10, 176) handles the return duties and is elusive in the open field.

Lake has an excellent football website at lakebluestreaksfootball.com.  Lake has a top-notch facility that Mooney played at last season against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in week 12.  Kickoff is set for 7:30pm and there is no known radio broadcast or webcast. Follow @mooneyfootball on Twitter for game updates.

Week 9 Preview - Mooney (5-2) @ Ursuline (2-6)     7:30pm at YSU

OHSAA Division V
Conference: Independent
2011 Record: 2-6
Previous Meeting: 2010  CM-7  UHS-44
Record vs. Mooney:  17-36-3
Head Coach: Dan Reardon (70-29 overall)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro
Defensive Set: 3-4
OHSAA State Champions: 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010
Radio/Internet Broadcast: 570 AM / www.570wkbn.com

The 57th Mooney-Ursuline game is set to kickoff at 7:30 this Friday at YSU's Stambaugh Stadium.   Mooney will be the home team.  The Irish are the three-time defending Division V State Champions and enter the game with a 2-6 record.  The most recent game for the Irish was against Cleveland East Technical, with the Irish winning by a score of 39-0.  Ursuline has played a brutal schedule this season, including state-ranked teams such as Mentor, St. Edward, Steubenville, and Lake Catholic. 

The Irish offense is led by sophomore quarterback Chris Durkin (6-4, 195).  Spearheading the Ursuline rushing attack is senior Jesse Curry (5-11, 200) who is joined by Trevor Smith (5-10, 190).  The main receiving target are seniors Anthony Davis (6-1, 190) and Kevin Cylar (5-10, 172).  The offensive line is led by the massive Vasquez-Atkins twins, Troy (6-2, 320) and Ty (6-5, 335).  The Irish offense is averaging 18 points per game.  That number is deceiving due to the level of competition they have played this season.

The Irish defense has allowed 23 points per game this season.  The linebackers are the strength of the defense led by senior Trevor Smith.  The defensive line is anchored by Troy Vasquez-Atkins.  The defensive backs have not given up deep passes with Davis and junior Jermaine Williams (5-11, 185) forming the strength of the unit.

Mooney leads the all-time series 36-17-3.  This game is always filled with lots of emotion by both sides.  Alumni from each school continue the spirit they had for this game during their high school years.  You will notice that a large number of people travel great distances to attend this game.  No matter what the records are in any given year, this game continues to have the highest attendance of any game in the Mahoning Valley.  The rallies and school decorations make for a fun week for the students and should make for an exciting game Friday night!

Week 8 Preview - Mooney (4-2) vs. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (7-0)

  Friday, October 14, 2011    7:00pm      John Cistone Field

OHSAA Division III
Conference: Independent
2011 Record: 7-0
Previous Meeting: 2010   CM-27  STVM-20
Record vs. Mooney: 1-19
Head Coach: Dan Boarman (36-16 at STVM, 153-86 overall)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro
Defensive Set: 5-2

The Cardinals will take on the Irish of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School this Friday evening at John Cistone Field in Akron. The Irish come into this game with an unblemished 7-0 record. Most recently, the Irish destroyed Marion Harding by a score of 62-13.

Head Coach Dan Boarman is in his fifth season at his alma mater.  This Irish team is senior-laden, with several players having two or more years of varsity experience. Offensively, the Irish offense has been unstoppable, averaging close to 45 points per game!   The quarterback is senior Kevin Besser (6-3, 200), who has been putting up big numbers throwing the ball.  The backfield has an excellent combination of speed and power running.  Seniors Sae'Von Fitzgerald (5-8, 170), Matt Matuska (6-0, 180) and Austin Manna (6-0, 190) comprise a trio of runners all very capable of turning a simple run into a big play.  The receivers are led by senior Tyler Bischof (5-10, 180) and junior Jordan Hargrove (6-0, 180).  The offensive line is led by seniors Matt Olszewski (6-1, 260), Evan Gorbach (6-2, 260), and Matthew Perry (6-3, 275).  The Irish offense has been held under 40 points once this season.  They are very explosive and can put teams in a hole very early in the game.

Defensively, the Irish front five is anchored by senior Stewart Smith-Thomas(5-11, 260) .  The linebackers are outstanding tacklers, using good fundamentals to prevent most runs from getting to the second level.  The senior leadership comes from Brent Meyers (6-0, 190).  The defensive backfield is the strength of the defense, led by senior Tyler Bischof.  The defense is giving up an average of 18 points per game, with several games being out of hand at halftime and points were scored with reserves in the game..

The kicking duties are handled by senior Antonio Manfut (5-7, 155).

A large crowd is expected for this game, and if you have never been to John Cistone Field, the areas for public parking are quite small.  An arrival past 6:30pm at the stadium will likely result in a lengthy walk!

In the Division III AP poll, STVM is currently ranked second behind Steubenville.  As in years past, a rematch with the Irish is possible if Mooney qualifies for the playoffs. 

Be sure to visit the excellent St. Vincent-St. Mary football website at: http://www.stvmfootball.com

Week 7 Preview - Mooney (3-2) Vs. Mifflin County (PA) (3-2)

OHSAA Equivalent: Division I
Nickname: Huskies
2011 Record: 3-2
Previous Meeting: First-time Opponent
Head Coach: Steven Hayes (First Season)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Pro
Defensive Set: Even

Mooney will travel more than halfway across the state of Pennsylvania to play a first-time opponent, the Mifflin County High School Huskies.  This is Mifflin County's first year of existence, as it was created by the merger of two high schools, Indian Valley and Lewistown. The Huskies are currently 3-2 on the season. 

The Huskies offense is led by talented junior quarterback Shane Whalen, who is a dual threat to run or pass. Mifflin County is primarily a running team, with the leading running backs being seniors David Yale, Harry Lowber, joined by sophomore Kyle Kahley.  The top wideout is senior Cole Welham.  The Huskies offense is averaging 30 points per game.

The Huskies' defense has given up an average of 17 points per game.  The defensive line is good against the run, led by Trevor Peachey and Tyson Searer.  Senior David Monsell leads the linebackers.  Defensive backs John Maclay and Brandon Michael defend the pass well and have multiple interceptions each.  

The kicker is senior Alex Leight who has an excellent leg.  Welham handles the punting duties.

Head Coach Steven Hayes has an impressive coaching resume with over 40 years of coaching football on many levels, including NCAA Division I.  Mitchell Field is a natural grass facility.  Kickoff is set for 7pm.

This game will have limited Twitter updates posted as MooneyFootball.com will not be attending the game.

Week 5 Preview - Mooney (2-2) Vs. Red Lion Christian Academy (2-1)

OHSAA Equivalent: Division V
Nickname: Lions
2011 Record: 2-1
Previous Meeting: First-time Opponent
Head Coach: Dwayne Thomas (First Season)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
Defensive Set: 4-3

Mooney hopes to put an end to their two-game slide this week against the Red Lion Christian Academy Lions from Bear, Delaware.  Red Lion enters the game with a 2-1 record, with wins over Ursuline (51-18) and Annapolis Area Christian (41-6), and a loss to Calvert Hall by a score of 28-27.  For those unfamiliar with Red Lion, the are a Nationally-known football program mainly due to the fact that this summer Red Lion made an arrangement with the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association that they cannot compete for state championships nor play any DIAA member school in the state of Delaware.  The arrangement stems from the fact that Red Lion offers scholarships to students who play football, have two extra weeks of practice each summer, and conduct spring practices.  Red Lion desires to give their student athletes national exposure while promoting the Christian beliefs.  Red Lion has several athletes who have committed to BCS schools.

The other reason you may have heard of Red Lion Christian Academy is freshman quarterback David Sills (6-1, 150).  Many scouting publications rate him as one of the top quarterback prospects in decades.  Last season as an eighth grader, he led Red Lion to a 6-3 record.  His mechanics and quick decision making are rarely seen at the high school level, let alone from a freshman.   The top rusher is junior Wendell Smallwood (5-11, 190) who has nine rushing touchdowns in three games.  The receivers are led by junior Neiko Creamer (6-3, 196) and sophomore Frederick Canteen (5-11, 150).  The offensive line is enormous and has been dominant this season.  The explosive Lions offense is averaging 40 points per game.

The Lion defense has given up good amounts of yardage, but keeps opponent scoring low.  Ursuline had over 500 yards of offense against Red Lion.  The defensive line is big and holds their ground well on runs between the tackles.  Senior Eli Ankou (6-3, 255) and junior Denair Hardrick (6-0, 234) lead the defensive line.  defensive backfield is led by junior Daikiel Shorts (6-0, 190) and sophomore Michael Gaynor (5-11, 170).  The Lion defense is giving up an average of 17 points per game. 

Red Lion has blocked three punts this season.  In the game versus Calvert Hall the tying Red Lion extra point attempt was blocked.  The kicker is senior Shawn Decloux (6-0, 150) who has an excellent leg. 

This game will be their second of three trips to Ohio this season, they play Massillon Washington in week 7.

Week 4 Preview - Mooney (2-1) Vs. Mentor Lake Catholic (3-0)

OHSAA Division II
Nickname: Cougars
Conference: North Coast League
2011 Record: 3-0
Previous Meeting: 2009   CM-42 MLC-21
Record vs. Mooney:  2-10
Head Coach: Mike Bell (79-36 in 10th season at Lake Catholic)
Offensive Formation: Multiple Spread
Defensive Set: 4-3
OHSAA State Champions (Division III): 1991, 1992, 2001

Mooney hopes to bounce back after their loss to St. Edward this week against the Mentor Lake Catholic Cougars.  Lake Catholic enters the game with a 3-0 record, with wins over Strongsville (21-15), Ravenna (27-14), and Ursuline (9-0).  The last game between Mooney and Lake Catholic was in 2009, with the Cardinals winning 42-21. 

The Cougar offense returns several skill players from last season.  Leading the offensive attack is junior running back Evan Gormley (6-0, 195) who has rushed for 5 touchdowns this season.  Junior John Stepec (6-4, 225) is a good short-yardage runner.  The quarterback is junior Mark Baniewicz (6-1, 175) who has an accurate arm but has not needed to pass many times due to the success of the running game.  His top target is senior receiver Zach Hawkins (6-1, 185).  The offensive line is led by senior Jordan Andrews (6-1, 250).  The Cougar offense is averaging 19 points per game.

The Cougar defense most recently shut out an explosive Ursuline offense that had been averaging 22 points per game.   The defensive standouts are senior linebackers Kyle Schinke (6-0, 200) and Steve Freiberg (5-10, 190), and senior defensive back Adam Phillips (5-11, 175).  The Cougar defense is giving up an average of less than ten points per game. 

The kicking and punting are handled by Gormley.. 

Week 3 Preview - Mooney (2-0) at Lakewood St. Edward (2-0)

OHSAA Division: I
Conference: Independent
2010 Record: 15-0
2011 Record: 2-0
Previous Meeting: 2010   CM-3  STED-37
Record vs. Mooney: 3-2
Head Coach: Rick Finotti (21-6, 3rd Year)
Base Offensive Set: Multiple Pro
Base Defense: Odd/3-5 Stack
Returning Starters: 10
OHSAA State Champions: 2010

Mooney will face the defending Division I State Champion St. Edward Eagles on Saturday.  The Eagles are 2-0 on the season, edging Glenville 17-14 in overtime in week one and defeating Penn Hills (PA) 47-6 last week.  Last season, Mooney was humbled by a final score of 37-3.  St. Edward is currently the top-ranked team in the state and is ranked in the top 10 in several national polls and is riding a 17-game winning streak. 

The strength of the Eagle offense is that no one plays both ways.  This allows the Eagles to wear down opponents in the second half.  The offensive line is led by seniors Kyle Kalis (6-5, 310) at tackle, and Thomas Orlosky (6-4, 290) at guard.  Getting a bulk of the carries so far this season has been junior running back Dwayne Aaron (5-5, 165) who has five rushing touchdowns.  The quarterback is junior Ryan Fallon (5-10, 175) who is a threat to run as well as accurately throw the football.   His top targets are receiver Chris Connors (6-1, 190) and senior tight end Sam Grant (6-7, 240).

St. Edward utilizes eleven different players on defense.  The front seven are the strength of the Eagle defense.   Senior defensive linemen Darryl Render (6-3, 250) and junior Greg Kuhar (6-3, 265) are both outstanding against the run, constantly commanding double teams.  The linebackers are experienced and move well behind their defensive line, led by junior Lavonte Robinson (5-9, 235).  The Eagle defense held explosive Glenville to 14 points. 

Special teams are led by placekicker Jake Wilhelm (5-6, 130). 

Kickoff is at 7:00pm on Saturday.  The game will be webcast by St. Edward High School on ihigh.com, with Adam Mendoza calling the play-by-play.  The link to the webcast is located HERE. 

For those who have not been to Lakewood Stadium before, there is limited parking at the stadium, you will likely have to park on residential side streets, so keep in mind you may have quite a walk to and from your vehicle.  For those using GPS navigation, input '2000 Bunts Road, Lakewood, OH' for your destination.

Week 2 Preview - Mooney (1-0) at Boardman (0-1)

OHSAA Division: I
Conference: Federal League
2010 Record: 6-4
Previous Meeting: 2010   CM-28  BDM-6
Record vs. Mooney: 15-22
Head Coach: Mark D'Eramo (0-1, 1st Year)
Base Offensive Set: Multiple Pro
Base Defense: Odd
Returning Starters: 9

One of the area's greatest rivalries presents the 37th game between the Boardman Spartans and the Cardinal Mooney Cardinals.   Mooney prevailed last season with a 28-6 victory.  The Spartans play in the Federal League, finishing 4-3 in the conference last season.  In their opening game, they were narrowly defeated by Cleveland Benedictine by a score of 31-30.

This year, the quarterback is senior Ryan Pollifrone (6-2, 210) who is joined in the backfield by senior running back Devin Campbell (6-0, 190).   Campbell had an excellent game against Benedictine, both rushing and receiving out of the backfield.  Senior Allen Starkey (5-10, 180) will share running duties with Campbell.  The receivers for Boardman are tall and athletic, led by senior Dayne Hammond (6-5, 195).  The offensive line blocks both run and pass very well. 

Defensively in their first outing, Boardman held the Benedictine offense in check while extending their lead to 21-3, then Benedictine scored the next 21 points of the game to take the lead.  The defensive line is quick and gets good penetration into the backfield, as well as good pressure from the ends on pass plays. Senior Zach Zidian (6-2, 280) leads the defensive front.  Senior Dan Popio (5-9, 200) leads the linebackers.   

The game will be played at Spartan Stadium in Boardman. Before kickoff, Cardinal Mooney and St. Charles Parish are hosting a tailgate party at the St. Charles pavilion that starts at 5pm.  Details are on the main page of the site.

Below is a brief history of the Mooney-Boardman series over the years:

Played 37 times from 1968 to 2003, and 2009-2010 (No game in 1980 due to teacher's strike)
Mooney has won 22 times, Boardman 15
@ BHS: Mooney 10 wins, Boardman 8
@ South: Mooney 4 wins, Boardman 2
@ Rayen Mooney 1 win, Boardman 0
@ YSU: Mooney 7 wins, Boardman 5

There were 2 overtime games with each team winning 1
Mooney 27-24 in 1988, Boardman 17-16 in 1990

Mooney's longest winning streak was 8 games, from 1971 thru 1979
Boardman's longest was 3 games (3 times) 1968-70, 1989-91, 2000-02

Mooney's largest margin of victory: 52-8 in 1974
Boardman largest margin of victory: 42-7 in 2001

There were 4 one point games, with each team winning 2 of those
There were 17 games decided by seven points or less, with BHS winning 10

In 1987, Mooney and Boardman both played for a State Championship in their respective divisions.
That 1987 game between the two, was won by Mooney 7-6 at YSU
Cardinal Mooney defeated Thornville Sheridan 35-7 to win the DII Crown
Boardman lost a controversial heartbreaker (in DI) to Cincinnati Princeton 14-7

Between the 2 schools, they won or shared over 30 conference championships

Week 1 Preview - Mooney at Canton McKinley

OHSAA Division: I
Conference: Federal League
2010 Record: 8-3
Record vs. Mooney: 4-7
Previous Meeting: 1993 (McKinley 22 - CMHS 0)
Head Coach: Ron Johnson(22-13, 4th Year)
Base Offensive Set: Multiple Pro
Base Defense: Odd

The Cardinals will open the 2011 season against the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley High School.  Last season, the Bulldogs finished 8-3 and qualified for the OHSAA Playoffs, losing to Medina in the first round.  They return several starters from last season on both sides of the ball.   The quarterback this season is senior, Tyler Foster (6-2, 185) who played the majority of last season at wide receiver.  Top players in the backfield include seniors Saveon Holloway (5-11, 197) and Robert Beach (5-10, 180).  Other skill position players include senior wide receivers Zach Sweat (5-11, 180) and Malcolm Robinson (6-1, 185).  The offensive line has a lot of experience led by seniors Kevin Mills (6-5, 265) and Chris Moore (5-8, 272).  The Bulldog offense is balanced and can run or pass with efficiency. 

The McKinley defense is captained by senior defensive end Savon Pittman (6-5, 235), who has committed to Michigan State.  Joining Pittman on the defensive line is junior Antoine Miles (6-3, 253).  Linebackers are led by seniors Chad Fite (6-0, 200) and Malcolm Carter (6-1, 210).  The defensive backfield is experienced and led by top recruit Jermaine Edmondson (6-2, 175) and senior Tyler Carney (5-11, 165).

This will be the twelfth game between Mooney and McKinely with Mooney holding a 7-4 advantage.  The last meeting in 1993 resulted in a 22-0 McKinley victory.  The game will be broadcast on WKBN AM 570 and WHBC AM 1480 in Canton.  You can listen live at www.570WKBN.com.  

Real-Time Scoring Now Available

MooneyFootball.com will be sending real-time score updates of every game.   The updates will be done through Twitter.  Those of you who have Twitter accounts will know how to become a follower. The account username to follow is @mooneyfootball. 

For those of you without a Twitter account, you can still receive the updates.  First, just to make sure you understand how Twitter works.  In our situation, every time there is a score during a game, I will sent out a score update through Twitter.  This message gets sent out to everyone who is 'following' the @mooneyfootball account.  The updates are sent out in the form of SMS text messages (or 'texts' as they are more commonly referred to as).  Because of this, you need to have adequate texting plan with your mobile carrier, or you will be charged for each text message.   I know that Verizon charges $0.20 per message.  The average game will likely have 10-12 updates, so you would be billed about $2.00 for the text messages (if you don't already don't have a text plan where you get a certain number per month or have unlimited texting, then there is no additional charge).  I am just making you aware of this because over the course of the month's worth of games, this could cost you upwards of $10.00 if you don't have a text plan. 

Now that the basics are finished, to have the updates sent to you, simply text the following to 40404 (you enter 40404 in the 'To:' field on your phone): 'FOLLOW mooneyfootball' (without the quotes).   If you want to stop receiving the updates, simply send:   'LEAVE mooneyfootball' (again without the quotes) to 40404.

You can email me directly at eriksardich@gmail.com if you need help with this feature and i can help you out where I can.  

I am providing this as a courtesy to out of town Mooney fans to follow games live.  I will try my best to send updates as often as possible, but things like inclement weather may make updates less frequent. 

Thanks, Erik.