Mooney defeats Austintown Fitch

By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- There were no hidden meanings in Cardinal Mooney's 28-7 victory over Austintown Fitch.
"The winner put themselves in position to make the playoffs," Fitch coach Neal Kopp said Friday at Falcon Stadium. "And the loser has to bounce back and battle on."
Kopp had just watched as his team -- like many other Mooney opponents -- was hunted and harassed all game by the Cardinals' defense.
"Our defense has played well all year," Mooney coach P.J. Fecko said. "Fitch is a great offensive team; they've put up tremendous numbers against good opponents."
Setting the tone
But the Cardinals (5-1) proved early they weren't going to give much to Fitch quarterback John Mang and his teammates.
"We knew we had to play physical," Fecko said. "There wasn't too much scheme things in this game. It was buckle your chin strap and play physical, and our guys did."
Mang was intercepted twice in the first half -- by Mooney's Ron Stoops and Anthony Childs -- to set the game's tone.
Midway through the second quarter, the Cardinals had built a 21-0 lead, stifling Fitch (4-2) with a balanced defense.
"That says Coach [Ron] Stoops has a sound defense, and he's got everybody where they need to be," Fecko said. "Our guys are attentive in meetings, and they take pride in being where they need to be."
Slowing Miles
Mooney's defense also contained Fitch standout Miles Williams, the Ohio State recruit who was held to 37 yards on 12 carries while recovering from an injured hamstring.
Kopp said Williams, who scored the Falcons' only touchdown on a 12-yard run in the second quarter, was playing at full strength.
"We figured he was going to play, so we knew where he was on the field at all times," Fecko said. "We were fortunate enough to contain him running the ball and we were fortunate enough to bring enough pressure so they couldn't throw the ball to him."
Although Mooney's defense created many opportunities, Kopp was concerned about Fitch's mistakes that put it further behind.
In addition to the interceptions, the Falcons botched a punt that gave Mooney first-and-goal, on which quarterback Stoops, who missed last week's game with injured ribs, scored from the 4. That put the Cardinals in command 21-0 with 7:39 remaining in the first half.
"When two good teams are playing with a lot on the line, turnovers will kill you," said Kopp, who served as a Mooney assistant from 1993-98. "When you give them a short field to drive on, you dig yourself a ditch."
Rich cashes in
One week after bruising his knee against Painesville Riverside, Mooney fullback Michael Rich returned in grand fashion. He rushed for 73 yards on eight carries and scored two touchdowns.
Rich's second touchdown run, of 45 yards, came with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter to put Mooney ahead 28-7 and end Fitch's comeback hopes.
"He wasn't able to practice most of this week; it was hard to tell that on those runs," Fecko said of Rich. "Those guys up front opened up some nice holes, which was important."
In addition to Rich, Mooney used tailback Frank Cassese abundantly. Cassese carried 15 times for 67 yards to help the Cardinals control the ball once they gained the lead.
That philosophy didn't bode well for the Falcons.
"It's not our bread and butter when you've got to drop back and start launching them," Kopp said.
Mooney, ranked fifth in this week's Division IV state poll, scored its first touchdown on a 34-yard run by Kyle McCarthy with 1:20 remaining in the first quarter.
richesson@vindy.com