Mooney sweeps honors in Div. IV

Cardinals Dan McCarthy
and Michael Zordich
were named the top players.

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

COLUMBUS — Unbeaten Associated Press poll champion Mooney swept the top player awards in Division IV as quarterback Dan McCarthy and linebacker Michael Zordich earned top honors.

Multi-threat quarterbacks and a 2,000-yard rusher, along with three steely eyed defenders headline the 2007 AP Division III and IV All-Ohio high school football teams announced Tuesday.

In Division IV, Mooney set the pace as it did all year in the state rankings.

McCarthy, a Notre Dame signee, was the offensive player of the year after rushing for 8.4 yards a carry and passing for five touchdowns during the regular season.

McCarthy ran the ball 113 times to gain 1,113 yards. On defense, he made 61 tackles including four for a loss and two sacks. He also returned two punts for touchdowns.

Zordich, son of the former Penn State and NFL defender of the same name, grabbed the defensive honors after piling up 132 tackles including 11 for negative yardage with four sacks. He also forced three fumbles and made two interceptions.

Zordich also carries the ball on offense, gaining 796 yards on 86 carries for a 9.3-yard average and nine touchdowns.

Saturday at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Mooney (14-0) meets Coldwater (13-1) for the Division IV playoff crown. The same two teams played for the state crown in 2005.

The coaches of the year in the division were Canton Central Catholic’s veteran Lowell Klinefelter (a 9-1 record, with the only loss coming in the closing seconds against Steubenville) and Darren Waters (cited for turning around Pataskala Licking Heights).

Taking the top offensive honors in Div. III are Columbus Eastmoor Academy running back Isaiah Pead, who rushed for 2,204 yards and 39 touchdowns, and Clyde signal-caller Alex Gillett, who passed for 31 scores with only eight interceptions in 195 attempts.

Sharing the defensive honors are Sunbury Big Walnut linebacker Will Studlien and Canal Fulton Northwest defensive back Tony Stover.

Big Walnut (13-1) faces Newark Licking Valley (13-1) for the Division III championship Friday night at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium.

The Division III coaches of the year are Canal Winchester’s Phil Mauro (who tied a school record for wins in his first year on the job), Vic Whiting of poll champion Canal Fulton Northwest, Eric Mitchell (who went from 1-9 to 7-3 in his two years at Warrensville Heights) and Ron Lewis (guided Rocky River to a 10-0 mark and its first playoff win ever).