Hail Cardinal Mooney, our state football champs

Talent, teamwork, tradition and tenacity played critical roles in Cardinal Mooney High School's bringing the 2004 Division IV state football crown home to the Mahoning Valley.
The Cardinals won their fifth state football title Friday with superlative play, handily defeating Versailles 28-6 at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
Their championship season brings honor to themselves, to their school and to their community. We hail the Cardinals for proving to the other 120 teams in their division that they are indeed the No. 1 football force in the Buckeye State.
To some, the team's return to glory comes as no surprise. At the start of the season, many observers predicted Coach P.J. Fecko and his Cards would be title-bound based on the squad's well honed mix of championship attributes. Prime among them is talent.
The team's play against Versailles typified the Cardinals' awesome performance during its 12-2 season.
A key in the big plays Friday night was the domination by Mooney along both lines. A key statistic -- the Cardinals were 8-of-11 on third down and Versailles was just 1-of-12.
Quarterback Kyle McCarthy ran 13 yards for the Cardinals' first touchdown, turned around the game with an interception for a score, and passed 47 yards to Dan Buccino for a third touchdown. And on defense, McCarthy shined, making three touchdown-saving tackles.
But this championship is not the product of any one-man wonder.
McCarthy is the first to acknowledge as much: "No one can do it by themselves. I'm blessed to have a great group of teammates."
Camaraderie
And as coach Fecko pointed out immediately after the game, the teamwork and camaraderie among players solidified their strength: "We believed in each other. This was a very unselfish team."
Also powering the team toward greatness throughout the season has been its commitment to Mooney's long-standing tradition of excellence.
Mooney won state football championships in 1973, 1980, 1982 and 1987. Players, coaches, fans and alumni united in their commitment to end the long state title drought. At season's end, even the most staunch Valley rivals of the Cards stood together with former Mooney championship coach Don Bucci and Mooney fans in the stands, cheering the team on to its most celebrated win in 17 years.
A final ingredient to Mooney's success lies in the team's tenacity. Tenacity is the quality of holding together strongly, cohesively, being tough and committed. That gutsy tenacity displayed itself on the field. It also was tested on a much more personal level.
Two Cardinals teammates -- Anthony C. Childs, 18, and Isiah M. Thomas, 16 -- were killed in an auto accident last spring in Mill Creek Park.
"The last thing we talked about before we took the field tonight was how good it was going to feel to put that state championship ring on Isiah's dad's finger," senior lineman Jon Italiano said.
"I promised myself at the beginning of the season we were going to win state for them," said Junior tailback Nate Burney.
The Cardinals came through nobly for Anthony and Isiah. They came through proudly for their high school. And they came through honorably for the entire Mahoning Valley community.
Hail to the Cardinal Mooney Cardinals, 2004 Division IV football champs!