Sunday, November 25, 2007
Mooney rolled past Marion Pleasant, 28-0.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON — It took the Cardinal Mooney High football team a little while to get going Saturday. But once the Cardinals started, there was no stopping them.
Mooney broke open a close contest against Marion Pleasant by scoring 21 second-half points to roll to a 28-0 victory and move into the Division IV state championship game for the fourth straight year.
The Cardinals (14-0), who won the state title in 2004 and 2006 and finished runner-up in 2005, have won 28 straight games.
They will be going for their seventh state championship on Saturday when they take on Coldwater in a 3 p.m. contest at Massillon High’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Coldwater is the last team to defeat the Cardinals, 33-9, in the 2005 championship game.
Saturday, the Cardinals struggled on offense in the first half and led only 7-0 thanks to some outstanding defensive play.
But led by seniors quarterback Tim Marlowe, tailback Brandon Beachum and fullback Michael Zordich, the offense swung into high gear in the second half and quickly ran away from the Spartans (12-2).
Mooney rushed for 302 yards on 41 carries, led by Beachum with 157 yards on 21 tries and a touchdown.
Marlowe followed with 109 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Zordich had only 30 yards, but 20 of them came on a third-quarter touchdown run.
“This was such a great win for our seniors,” Mooney coach P.J. Fecko said. “These kids have worked so hard for such a long time and now they get to go back to the championship game for a fourth straight year.
“We didn’t start out very well offensively, but we came back in the second half and played like we were capable,” Fecko said. “The good thing is that our defense played outstanding the entire contest.”
Mooney held Pleasant to just 109 yards of total offense — 75 rushing and 34 passing.
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals finally struck early in the second quarter. They drove 66 yards on 10 plays, all on the ground of course, with Beachum’s 23 yard scamper setting up Marlowe’s 8-yard touchdown run.
Marlowe, who was starting only his second game at quarterback after starter Dan McCarthy was injured two weeks ago, threw three passes. He completed his first on the game’s opening play and then was intercepted on his second toss.
Pleasant had only one scoring opportunity, reaching the Cardinals 27-yard line following the interception. Nick Van Meter missed a 43-yard field goal attempt and the Spartans never threatened again.
Mooney took the second half kickoff and the offense was in high gear from the start.
The Cardinals drove 75 yards in 10 plays with Zordich capping the drive with a 20-yard run.
Then after forcing a punt the Cardinals scored again in just three plays as Marlowe broke loose on a keeper and raced 48 yards.
“We really didn’t do anything different in the second half except play a little harder,” Marlowe said. “Coach told us at halftime that it comes from within and we just went out and played like we know how.”
Mooney put the game on ice in the final quarter when it scored on another three-play drive, this one 48 yards as Beachum broke off tackle and got loose for a 44 yard touchdown jaunt.
Pleasant coach Chris Kubbs praised the Cardinals.
“They are just an outstanding football team,” Kubb said. “Our defense gave us a couple of opportunities in the first half, but we just never were able to do anything with them. Mooney is just bigger and faster than we were and very talented.”
mollica@vindy.com