Mooney opponent has skill, patience

'09 Mooney Highlights Reel

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State Championship Preview

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The Vindicator Sports Writer Joe Scalzo talks to Mark Porter of ScoutingOhio.com about Cardinal Mooney and Ursuline playing in the OHSAA State Championships.

By Joe Scalzo

DeSales hit its stride in midseason and has won nine of its last 10 games.

The Cardinal Mooney High football team may be the best in Division III, but it’s probably not the most talented.

That honor could belong to its opponent on Friday, Columbus DeSales.

Two Stallions have already verbally committed to Big Ten schools and a third could join them in another year. One running back is the son of the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner and, yet, he might not be the best runner in the backfield.

Add in a rugged schedule and a bevy of complimentary players and it’s not hard to see why DeSales has made it to week 15.

“They’ve really put together an outstanding season,” said Mooney coach P.J. Fecko. “They’re a team that deserves to be here in week 15.”

DeSales (11-3), which lost to Mooney 21-14 in Week 2, started the season 2-2 but has played outstanding in recent weeks. Part of the reason for that success is due to consistency at quarterback.

For the first seven weeks, the Stallions rotated two quarterbacks, Mitch Herbert and Nick Gentile, before settling on Gentile down the stretch. DeSales runs the complicated triple option attack, so continuity at quarterback has been a huge part of their late run.

“Nick has a bit of size and strength,” said DeSales coach Ryan Wiggins. “He can run the ball and also has a good arm and he’s very athletic.

“One thing about the option is if you have that kind of quarterback, he can break one at any time. He’s given us another dimension.”

Gentile leads the team with 611 yards passing and 1,051 rushing. Senior RB/DB Adam Griffin, son of former Ohio State standout Archie Griffin, has rushed for 744 yards on just 115 attempts with 16 TDs. Griffin has offers from the three service academies and Eastern Illinois.

Sophomore RB Warren Ball, who was banged up late in the season, should get a flood of offers over the next year and is already on Ohio State’s radar. Junior TE/DE Chris Rock hasn’t been offered by the Buckeyes yet, but he does have offers from Notre Dame and Michigan.

DeSales has three Division I prospects on the line, led by Michigan State recruit Travis Jackson. Will Boeckman (Duke offer) and Alex Vance (Navy, Air Force) are also prospects, and strong safety Chi-Chi Ariguzo (Northwestern commitment) bolsters the defensive secondary.

Mooney doesn’t lack for Division I talent either, but the Stallions are one of the few teams in the state with the talent and, more importantly, the patience to give the Cardinals fits. In that September meeting, DeSales’ first scoring drive looked like this: 15 plays, 80 yards, six minutes.

“They’re very calculated in what they do,” said Fecko. “They’re very good at grinding it out and eating some clock.”

scalzo@vindy.com