HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Mooney, Chaney set for playoffs

The Cardinals are ending a three-year drought while the Cowboys are back in.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two years before the 2001 season, P.J. Fecko was a promising defensive coordinator for Cardinal Mooney coach Don Bucci, helping the Cardinals to the Division IV state semifinals.
Two years after the 2001 season, Fecko is a promising head coach in charge of Mooney's best team since 1999.
As for 2001, well ... sometimes even a program like Mooney's goes through growing pains.
"It's been a fun journey to this point," Fecko said. "But obviously it's a lot more fun when you win."
Two years after 2001's forgettable 0-10 season, the Cardinals (8-2) are in the playoffs for the 17th time. Mooney will play host to Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (6-4) Saturday at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
"We're excited to be in this position, but it's very hard to explain because we're not just happy to be in the playoffs," said Fecko, who was hired as head coach before the 2000 season. "Once you get there, it's do or die, either you win or pack it in. If you don't win five games, you end your season on a negative note.
"There's a sense of urgency."
High expectations
And not just from Fecko.
Mooney's three-year playoff drought -- which matches the longest in school history -- along with a successful regular season have brought some high expectations from Cardinal fans, who have grown used to playoff success.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Fecko said. "We expect to do well. The kids have that feeling, the staff has that feeling, the students and the school have that feeling.
"That's what makes it fun."
Mooney's difficult schedule, which included just two games against Div. IV teams, should help offset the team's lack of playoff experience.
"That does help," Fecko said. "There's not much that we haven't seen, whether it's style of play or different offenses or defenses.
"I think the thing that's most beneficial is how physical the teams we played were. When you play teams like Boardman, Ursuline and Fitch, you're playing big games every week. There's no real pressure now. No shock factor. We're used it."
Another playoff berth
So is Chaney.
After an opening loss to Fitch, the Cowboys won their final nine games to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year and seventh overall -- grabbing the fifth spot in Div. II, Region 7.
"We're obviously real excited," said Chaney coach Ron Berdis. "After the Fitch loss, our goal was to win out and to make the playoffs and the kids went ahead and did that."
Problem was, they didn't get a home game.
Because of the unusual shape of Region 7, Chaney (9-1) must now travel to the Columbus area to play Whitehall Yearling (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
"We're scratching our heads," Berdis said. "But it's fine because we're used to not having a home stadium anyway. Even though we had more games at [Stambaugh] this year than some past years, we're used to taking it on the road."
Adversity
The Cowboys have also learned to deal with adversity in other ways. They graduated two district players of the year in running back Ed McElroy and defensive end Keilen Dykes (West Virginia). And in addition to the normal struggles with injuries, one of their best players, Chris Eskew, was lost earlier in the season after being shot.
"But the kids just stepped up," Berdis said. "We don't have a lot of depth, but we were in the same situation when we made a run [to the state semifinals] in 1997. I think everyone understands the situation."
A win on Friday could set up a rematch with Uniontown Lake (4-6), which lost to the Cowboys in Week 2. Lake is the only team in the state to make the playoffs this season with a losing record.
"It gets a little tougher each week, so we just want to win this first game and see what happens," said Berdis. "That's been our approach the entire season."
scalzo@vindy.com