SVC FOOTBALL Burney's 6 TDs key Mooney past Ursuline

The Cardinals gained a three-way share of the SVC title and stayed alive for a playoff berth.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Eight seconds -- those are all it essentially took to settle one of the tightest Steel Valley Conference football races.
Eight ticks after Cardinal Mooney High kicker Will Kandray opened the rivalry game with Ursuline, the Cardinals seized control of the game as Nate Burney picked up a fumble and scored his first of six touchdowns.
Mooney's early 7-0 lead was about as close as the game would be the rest of the way as Mooney defeated the Irish, 55-27, Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Cardinals' win created a three-way tie among the three SVC teams for the title. Mooney, Ursuline and Harding finished league play at 1-1.
More importantly, the Cardinals' Division IV playoff hopes remain alive. Mooney was the No. 8 team in Region 13 of this week's computer playoff ratings.
The Cardinals close the season Friday against Bishop Watterson (8-1), the top team in Div. III, Region 10.
Burney's finest night
After the Irish (5-4) ran their first four plays and punted, Burney was off to his finest night as a varsity player.
Burney took the next four handoffs, racking up 37, 11 and 4 yards to set up a 2-yard score for a 14-0 lead a little more than four minutes into the game.
The Irish responded with an 80-yard drive enhanced by Howard Hargate's 44-yard pass to tight end Jerome Jones and a pass interference call against the Cardinals in the red zone.
Alex Allen, who scored three touchdowns, scored from the 9 then missed the conversion kick for a 14-6 Mooney lead.
The Cardinals responded with another touchdown 90 seconds later. After Burney's 33-yard to the 11, Mike Rich scored on an 8-yard run for a 21-6 lead.
Long scoring drive
A 98-yard march to open the second quarter seemingly put the game out of reach before halftime. After Allen was stopped inches short of a first down on a fake field goal, the Cardinals ran the next 11 plays.
The big one was quarterback Kyle McCarthy's 40-yard completion to wideout Desmond Marrow at the Ursuline 15.
Fullback Eric Mariotti scored from the 14 to extend the lead to 28-6.
Mooney's next scoring drive covered 76 yards, with Mariotti's 58-yard run the play that set up Burney's 3-yard score.
A blocked punt by Matt Yarab sparked the Irish in the third quarter. After Hargate scrambled for a 20-yard gain, Allen scored from the 20. Stewart's conversion run reduced Mooney's lead to 34-14.
The lift was temporary after Rich posted a 32-yard kick return and the Irish were penalized for a personal foul. Six plays later, Burney scored his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Irish battle back
The Irish made things interesting late in the third quarter. Hargate's 54-yard pass to Stewart set up Allen's third touchdown.
Moments later, Burney fumbled at midfield and Allen's 50-yard run to the 1 to set up Yarab's score on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 40-27 score.
But the Cardinals dominated the fourth quarter.
The Irish seemingly had the Cardinals stopped three plays later, but two costly penalties and McCarthy's 38-yard scramble didn't produce a score but gobbled up valuable seconds.
Allen's final long burst -- 62 yards -- gave the Irish one last chance to get to within a touchdown. But Hargate's third- and fourth-down passes were incomplete.
Moments later, Burney's runs of 33 and 48 yards generated his fifth touchdown.
williams@vindy.com