NEAR-MISS Mooney club learned lesson the hard way

The coach, Don Bucci, always warned his teams there were no guarantees.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Twenty-two years later, former Mooney football coach Don Bucci still gets sick when he thinks about the 1981 season.
"Oh geez, you gotta remind me of that," he said with a laugh.
If ever a team from this area was expected to win a state title, it was the 1981 Cardinals.
"I'd probably have to say it was the most talented team that I had, there's no doubt about that," Bucci said. "And they were probably the most experienced.
"But I always preach to the guys going into every season that there are no guarantees in this game. You just have to keep slugging it out."
You want talent? The Cardinals had 11 first team All-Steel Valley Conference players, including center Bob Maggs (a Parade All-American and Ohio State recruit), running back Steve Johnson (Michigan) and tackle John Thomas (Georgia Tech).
You want experience? The Cardinals had most of their players back from the 1980 team that went undefeated and won Mooney's second state title.
You want challenges? Mooney went undefeated in the regular season in 1981 despite playing a rugged schedule with games against Boardman (Bernie Kosar's senior year), Detroit Brother Rice (the defending Michigan state champions) and Cleveland St. Ignatius.
High expectations
Mooney entered its 11th game of the season -- exactly 22 years ago on Saturday -- fresh off a 49-0 drubbing of Steubenville with a 25-game winning streak on the line.
"Everyone expected us to win a state title," Bucci said.
Then, in the Division II state semifinal, the unthinkable happened.
Mooney lost.
Cleveland Benedictine -- the defending Division III state champions -- was also undefeated and was probably the only team in Division II with a chance to beat Mooney.
But the Bengals would have to win in the snow.
"It was miserable cold," Bucci said. "It was unbearable. The wind was blowing and the temperatures were in the teens. It was probably the worst night we've ever played football.
"I'm not using that as an excuse, though. The weather was really in our favor, considering the type of offense we ran."
Mooney, led by Johnson and Mark Kachmer, ran a stacked-I formation with two tight ends. Benedictine liked to spread the ball out, especially through the air.
On a night like that, it seemed impossible to throw.
"That just shows you how ironic the game of football is," Bucci said. "It was a pass play that beat us."
The Play
Ah yes, The Play.
As a rule, any disappointing game must have one crucial, heart-stopping, back-breaking play, and Benedictine's came when it was trailing 17-7 midway through the fourth quarter.
Benedictine quarterback Paul Hrisko hit wideout Rick King on a 50-yard touchdown pass that was tipped and nearly intercepted by a Mooney player at the 25-yard line.
"We were still leading, but that interception would have sealed it," Bucci said. "That was the biggest play of the game."
After a Mooney punt, Benedictine took over at its own 43 and drove 57 yards, capped by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Hrisko to Chris Federico with three minutes left.
Just like that, Mooney's season was over.
"I'm still trying to figure out what happened," said Johnson, who had a game-high 108 yards on 25 carries. "I just remember looking around at everybody in the locker room and thinking, 'Didn't we just win this game?' "
Benedictine went on to beat Trotwood Madison, 28-7, for its second straight state title. Mooney went on to win its third state title a year later, beating Toledo St. Francis in the championship game.
And the 1981 Cardinals went on to claim a bittersweet label.
They were the area's best team never to win a state title.
scalzo@vindy.com