Then and now, the feelings are the same

A former player who was part of the last championship team said it was like watching himself grow up again.
ON THE EVE OF THE CARDINAL Mooney football team's first appearance in a state title game since 1987, Mike Philibin Jr. was listening to former Mooney greats talking on the radio.
The star offensive lineman heard them talk about what it was like to play in the big game, how it was an experience a player never forgets, and how the 2004 players ought to "enjoy the moment," not only with their teammates but also their families.
Philibin listened, and then he left the house to pay a quick visit to his grandfather.
"He came over and we didn't talk about nothing, really. I just told him to have a good game and he gave me a hug," said Frank Tama, fighting back a few tears. "He's a good kid. I get sentimental, especially at my age because I'm 77."
A good game indeed
There were plenty of folks who felt the same way Friday as Mooney made a triumphant return to the biggest stage in Ohio high school sports. The Cardinals defeated defending champion Versailles 28-6 in the Division IV championship game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, bringing home the school's fifth state title and injecting immeasurable pride into the throng that made its way to Canton.
"It has brought the whole Mahoning Valley together," said Philibin's father, Mike Philibin Sr. "People are here from everywhere. All the rivals Mooney competed against all year long, they've all come together and supported them."
Those were the days
Tradition-rich Mooney was a dominant team in the 1980s -- winning state titles in '80, '82 and '87 -- and the 17-year drought only intensified Cardinals fans' desire for another celebration. A school that prides itself on alumni who stay connected held a reunion of sorts in the stands, where former players ran into teammates and old classmates shrieked their hellos.
Paul Scarsella, a backup center on the '87 team, came to the game in a special circumstance. In the Cardinals' first championship game appearance since he played, his younger brother, Nick, started on the Mooney defensive line.
"I've had a ball this year, watching my little brother go through all the things I went through -- winning, then a few tough losses, working hard to get here," said Scarsella, 34. "It's kind of like watching myself grow up again."
As Nick left the field in jubilation, he was asked what it felt like to win a state championship with his older brother, a champion as well, watching from the stands.
He may as well have been speaking for all Mooney fans.
"It's the most absolutely, most unbelievable, feeling I've ever had in my life," he said. "Words cannot explain it."