The Cardinals overcame
a 17-0 deficit to post their eighth straight win.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

AKRON — One of the biggest comebacks in Cardinal Mooney history didn’t start with a score, but a stop.

The Cardinals were trailing by 17 points with less than a minute left in the first half on Friday when Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman faced fourth-and-goal inside Mooney’s 1 yard line.

Earlier in the game, the Irish went for it and scored. Sensing a chance to put the game away, Boarman gambled again, only to watch quarterback Roger Wilson get stuffed by the interior of the Cardinals’ defense.

“It was a half-yard,” said Boarman following his team’s stunning 21-17 defeat to the Cardinals at Green Street Stadium. “I thought we could get a half-yard.

“We should have scored. That made a whole lot of difference.”

The stop energized the Cardinals, who had played an awful first half of football, yet were still in the game. As the coaches made their second-half adjustments, the senior leaders on Mooney’s team went around the locker room, encouraging everyone.

“They made everyone understand we were gonna win the ballgame,” said Mooney coach P.J. Fecko. “You left the locker room thinking we were up 17-0.”

Mooney’s defense, which had played pretty well to that point, shut down the Irish in the second half and, although the comeback took a team effort, it was Cardinal senior Dan McCarthy who played the biggest role.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, McCarthy hit the left edge and bulled into the end zone from 1 yard out to make it 17-7. The score was set up by his nifty 44-yard run, which was the first big play the Irish defense gave up all night.

Less than two minutes later, following a three-and-out by the Irish, McCarthy found wide receiver Tim Marlowe on a simple wide receiver screen at the Cardinals’ 38. Marlowe, the fastest player on the team, juked SVSM’s Frank Laury, found the right sideline and outraced the Irish defense for a 62-yard touchdown.

Suddenly, it was 17-14 and there were 91⁄2 minutes left.

“They had us schemed really well in the first half,” said McCarthy, who bolstered his Mr. Football prospects with his performance. “Our coaches made some nice halftime adjustments and we took what they were giving us.”

After another three-and-out by SVSM, Mooney got the ball on its own 26 with 7:49 left. McCarthy ran seven of the next nine plays, setting up a first down at the Irish 13. A holding penalty pushed the ball back to the 22, but with SVSM thinking run, senior Mike Gemma was able to get behind the Irish defense and McCarthy floated him a perfect pass into the end zone to make it 21-17 with 2:43 left.

McCarthy, a Notre Dame recruit who also had a sack and a fumble recovery on defense, then sealed the win three plays later by picking off Wilson inside the Irish 20.

“They’re [SVSM] definitely one of the best teams we’ve played all year,” said McCarthy, who finished with 128 yards rushing and 102 passing. “Each and every player on this team fought on every play.

“It was a total team effort.”

Senior Brandon Beachum (Penn State) added 50 yards on 14 carries and Marlowe finished with three catches for 80 yards to lead Mooney (8-0), which has won 22 straight games.

The Irish (7-1), who entered the game second to Mooney in the Division IV, Region 13 computer ratings, were held to just 15 yards in the second half.

When asked if he expects to see them again, Boarman shrugged and said, “More than likely.”

Fecko, however, made no predictions.

“I know we’re playing Ursuline next week,” he said. “From that point on, I have no idea.”

scalzo@vindy.com