Mooney returns most players

YOUNGSTOWN — After advancing to four straight Division IV state championship games from 2004-07, the Cardinal Mooney High football team was finally faced with a rebuilding project last fall.

In Mooney terms, this means the Cardinals “only” made it to the second round of the playoffs, going 9-3 and falling to Steubenville in a Div. IV regional semifinal.

The Cardinals lost All-Ohio defensive lineman John Simon to graduation — he’s now at Ohio State — but return just about everyone else this fall. Mooney has 23 returning lettermen — 15 of them starters.

Consequently, there are big expectations for a Mooney team that moved up to Div. III this offseason.

“We have a lot of guys back, and I think those guys have done a pretty good job of being quality leaders,” Cardinals coach P.J. Fecko said. “Because of their experience, we’ve been able to move and progress a little faster through camp so far in things like terminology and communicating what we’re trying to achieve.”

The Cardinals were in a similar situation two years ago when a senior-laden class started 14-0 before falling in the state final to Coldwater.

Although this year’s team isn’t quite as talented — few teams in the area’s history can match up to that 2007 team — there are similarities, Fecko said.

“We have different-type people, but it’s the same type of idea in that we have people with prior knowledge of our system, who understand what we’re trying to accomplish in our schemes,” he said. “We’re able to move past the beginning stages of that and build off it.”

Mooney returns its top three running backs in speedy seniors Braylon Heard (who already has verbally committed to West Virginia), Ray Vinopal and Karrington Griffin.

Heard and Vinopal have been part of back-to-back state championship 4x100-meter relay teams while Griffin was a regional qualifier.

Senior Alex Zordich (6-3, 215) returns at quarterback. Zordich, the son of former NFL standout Michael Zordich and brother of the current Penn State linebacker of the same name, already has offers from Toledo, Bowling Green and Air Force.

“I think he’s definitely going to be better based on nothing else but experience,” Fecko said of Zordich. “He’s got a year under his belt and he learned a lot. He knows what to expect.

“He’s had a great offseason. He’s gotten bigger and stronger and faster and his skills are more fine-tuned. He’s done everything he’s needed to do in the offseason to put himself in a position to succeed.”

He’ll be protected by a strong offensive line with several returning starters, including mammoth tackle Eric Franklin. The 6-foot-7, 310-pound Franklin is one of Ohio’s top 50 prospects and he already has offers from a dozen Division I schools.

Zach Larson (6-3, 282) and Eric Vendemia (6-5, 285) also return.

Defensively, the Cardinals are deep, experienced and talented, with linebackers such as Mark Brandenstein, Chuck Gruber and Joe Stoops returning, along with defensive backs Donald D’Alesio (who has an offer from Air Force), George Lyras, John Stoops, Heard and Vinopal.

Some of Mooney’s recent teams have been considered among the state’s best regardless of division, and Fecko isn’t spending much time worrying jumping to Div. III, especially since rivals such as Steubenville and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary are also moving up.

Mooney, along with SVSM and area powers such as Hubbard, West Branch and Poland, will compete in Region 9 while Steubenville will be in Region 11.

“It really doesn’t matter much, so I’ve never put much thought into it,” Fecko said of the divisional assignment. “There’s no strategical move you can make anywhere. You just wait until the season falls out and wherever you play, you play.

“I think it’s something exciting for people to talk about, but we don’t worry much. It all takes care of itself.”

scalzo@vindy.com