Big Red takes on Mooney for third year in a row

CANTON - Last year, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney found itself on the outside of the state championship game looking in. Big Red defeated the Cardinals, 28-16, in the regional semifinals, ending Mooney's season.

It was the first time in four years that the Cardinals, who were the Division IV champs in 2004 and 2006 and runners-up in 2005 and 2007, were watching and not playing in the state finals.

"The one thing I remember is sitting home and watching Steubenville play in the state championship game," Mooney senior offensive lineman Mark Pelini told the Warren Tribune-Chronicle last week. "It was a sick feeling and I don't want to feel that way again."

Steubenville, the Division IV state runner-up last year, can relate. It was, after all, the Cardinals who stopped Big Red's bid for a 3-peat when they defeated Steubenville - the 2005 and 2006 Division III champions - 35-20 in a 2007 Division IV regional final. Mooney had ended Big Red season's three times before, beating the Red in the playoffs in 1981 (49-0), 1982 (13-2) and 1985 (18-16).

The series, to say the least, has been an intense one.

"It's a great challenge for our program and for a team like ours to get to the point where we can compete year in and year out with teams like Youngstown Cardinal Mooney. That says a lot for the kids that we have," Big Red coach Reno Saccoccia said. "Mooney has been there every year, in Division II, Division III and Division IV. Mooney seems to be the team people are always chasing."

The sixth installment of the rivalry will be played Friday when Big Red and Mooney meet for the third-straight year in the postseason at Canton's Fawcett Stadium. This year, the stakes are even higher, as the winner of the game is guaranteed a spot in the Division III state championship game to be played at 11 a.m. Dec. 4 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. Columbus DeSales and Cincinnati Wyoming play in the other state semifinal.

"We reached our goal of a regional championship last week. We reset our goals and now we have chance to reach another one," Saccoccia said.

"It took us 13 weeks to meet our first one and our next challenge is just four days away. It comes that quick. All you can do is get ready for the next game."

Getting ready for undefeated Mooney means getting ready for a much bigger football team. Up front, Mooney has size and a lot of it. At 6-foot-7, 310 pounds, senior left tackle Eric Franklin anchors the line, which also boasts seniors Zach Larson (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), Eric Vendemia (6-foot-5, 267 pounds) and Pelini (6-foot-1, 285 pounds), the nephew of Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.

Behind that oversized line, the Cardinals have ran the ball down opponents' throats. Mooney enters the game with 3,824 yards rushing. They have ran for 53 TDs. Senior Braylon Heard, who has committed to WVU, has carried the ball 160 times for 1,425 yards and 19 scores.

The Cardinals and senior QB Alex Zordich seem to the throw the ball only when they have to. Mooney is 29-of-52-for 554 yards, six touchdowns and a pick. In the first and third rounds of the playoffs, the Cardinals recorded zero passing yards, but against Hubbard in Week 12, they racked up 103 yards and two scores while connecting on just 3-of-3 passes.

"Mooney runs the ball very well, but what is even more impressive is that even though they are a running team they get big plays off play-action passes, especially on running downs," Saccoccia pointed out.

And the Cardinals' defense, Saccoccia says, is both smothering and opportunistic.

"Defensively, Mooney has big strong kids in the box," he said. "But the strength of their defense is that they have 25 interceptions."

Heard has reeled in four of those picks, as has Ray Vinopral and John Stoops. Karrington Griffin and Nick Hargate each have three, while Joe Stoops, and Scott Clarence have two interceptions apiece.

Mooney has forced 13 turnovers in three playoffs games, including three picks against Mogadore Field and four against Hubbard.

To beat Mooney, Big Red must also be opportunistic. The Red can't fall behind by too much or give the Cardinals big gains. Steubenville also has to keep the game moving.

"We have to take advantage of any and every opportunity we get," said Saccoccia. "We have to keep getting them in the huddle and limit their big plays.

"You can't come from behind with a large deficit against their defense. We have to be able to play them close and play them tough. We just have get to the next play. If something goes wrong, we got to get to the next play. If something goes right, we got to get to the next play. The next play is the most important play of the game."

Offensively, Big Red comes into the game with much more balance than the Cardinals.

The Red have 2,962 yards and 39 TDs on the ground and 1,860 yards and 19 touchdowns passing.

Senior quarterback Dwight Macon, a Central Michigan recruit, leads in both categories. He has carried the ball 128 times for 733 yards and nine scores. He is 107-of-176 for 1,508 passing and 15 TDs. Senior Trey Wiggins has been Macon's favorite target. He has caught 35 passes for 607 yards and four scores. Junior Anthony Pierro leads the Red in TD receptions with six.

Sophomore JoJo Pierro, who sat out the first three games with an ankle injury, is second on rushing list with 721 yards and eight scores on 176 carries.

Defensively, junior linebacker Shaq Petteway leads the Red in tackles. He has 92, including seven sacks. Jordon Meyer is second with 75 tackles. The junior defensive back also leads the team in picks with three. Defensive lineman LeShawn Luke has 63 tackles and junior linebacker Jesse Birden has 62. Senior two-way lineman Jamey DeVaul has four sacks.

JoJo Pierro hasn't been the only Big Red player to be sidelined this season. Injuries have hit the Red hard in 2009.

"None of the injuries have been major but they've been nagging injuries. They've kept our best players from playing at the top of their games," Saccoccia said. "Our best players haven't played at the top of their games all season but they've given us all the had to give each week."

The injuries have also kept Big Red's starting lineup off the field for most of the year. Pierro, Macon, Petteway, Birden, DeVaul and Luke as well as tight end Sage Cutri, receiver/DB Najee Murray and senior lineman Jordan Banks have all missed games.

"I think the only game we've had all of our starters in was the Woodland Hills game. But our kids have played through it. To be a good team, and I'm not saying we're good yet, you have to be able to fight through adversity. We've done that," Saccoccia said. "Anybody can win when things are going their way, but to keep going when things hit you and adversity comes up, that's a characteristic of a good football team. We still have to prove we're good, but we've played through a lot."

This weekend, Woodland Hills will play in the WPIAL Class AAAA final, Inkster will play in the Michigan Division II state championship and Massillon will play in the Ohio Division I state semifinals. Poland was a regional finalist, having lost to Mooney last week.

Poland is the only opponent the Red and Mooney have had in common this season.

Defeats to Mooney and Big Red account for the Bulldogs' only losses in 2009.

The Cardinals and the Bulldogs were tied at 7 at the half last week, but Mooney was able to put the game away by not allowing a first down on six-straight Poland possessions and scoring two TDs - both runs by Heard - 69 seconds apart in the third quarter. A.J. Fox hit a 28-yard field goal in the fourth to give Mooney 24 points. The Cardinals finished with 244 yards rushing and none passing against Poland. The Cardinal's defense gave up 110 yards passing and 100 rushing.

Big Red jumped out to a 12-0 lead over Poland in Week 8, scoring on its first two drives. The Red led, 18-6, at the half and 24-6 in the third quarter. Steubenville ran for 210 yards on 53 carries and Macon completed 10-of-12 passes for an additional 146 yards.The Red racked up 22 first downs. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, were held to just 76 yards on the ground. Poland quarterback Colin Reardon finished 13-of-21 for 134 yards.

When it comes to playoff history, Mooney is 47-16 all time and Steubenville is 45-18. The Cardinals have made 23 state playoff appearances. Big Red has made 22.

On paper, Friday's state semifinal should be a good one. The numbers suggest a barnburner. But games aren't played on paper.

"This season has been one challenge after another. We've improved the whole year, but our best challenge is going to take place this week," Saccoccia said. "It doesn't matter what we've done in the first 13 weeks. We're going to remembered by what we do on Friday. We're going to remembered by this game."

Mooney coach P.J. Fecko isn't concerned about what happened in the first 13 weeks either. He isn't thinking about last month, last week or last season for that matter.

"Last year was last year," he said. "At this point, you're going into the state semifinals and you're playing Thanksgiving weekend. There's not too many teams out there that are.

"You don't worry about who you're playing, you worry about taking advantage of the good fortune you have."