matchup \ Mooney-DeSales

CARDINAL MOONEY (14-0)

Coach: P.J. Fecko, 10th year, 93-32

Assistants: Paul Palumbo, Brendan McCloud, John D’Apolito, Ron Stoops, Mark Lyden, Chris Amill, Tom Velasquez, Greg Giannios, Joe Caruso

Final AP rank: 1st

Playoff history: 48-16 in 23 appearances with six state titles

Regular season scores

23Boardman17 21Cols. DeSales14 49Elyria Catholic20 31Warren Harding6 42Mentor Lake Catholic21 55Buffalo (N.Y.) St. Francis7 42Cle. Benedictine7 34Akron SVSM9 27Ursuline22 28Cols. Watterson12

Playoffs

42Mogadore Field14 55Hubbard0 24Poland7 45Steubenville7

Scouting report: This is Mooney’s fifth state championship game appearance in six years. The Cardinals are led by district offensive player of the year Braylon Heard, who has rushed for nearly 1,800 yards. The West Virginia recruit has gotten better in recent weeks, rushing for more than 300 yards in last week’s rout of Steubenville. First team All-Ohio safety Ray Vinopal will also see carries in the backfield and you can’t discount the running and passing threat of QB Alex Zordich. “He has a very strong arm and whether they complete [a long pass] or not, the threat to stretch the field is there,” DeSales coach Ryan Wiggins said of Zordich. “I like the way he plays and the way he runs the football. Heard gets so much attention and the next thing you know, he’s running with it. It’s a nice 1-2 punch.” First team All-Ohio guard Zach Larson and Division I tackle prospect Eric Franklin anchor a typically strong offensive line. Defensively, Mark Pelini leads a talented defensive line, while first team All-Ohioan Mark Brandenstein anchors the linebackers and Heard and Vinopal lead the secondary. “In the first game, we dug ourselves a hole, going on the road at Mooney at being down 14-0,” said Wiggins. “We can’t do that again.” If the game comes down to special teams, keep an eye on talented junior A.J. Fox, who is a touchback threat on kickoffs, averages more than 40 yards per kick on punts and can hit field goals from 40 yards or more.

COLUMBUS DESALES (11-3)

Coach: Ryan Wiggins, third year, 36-5

Assistants: Hugo Quint, T.J. Appell, Tim Bahen, Jason Wiggins, Mike Delfino, Matt Berndt, Dennis Lyberger, Doug Antle, Guido Ricevuto, Marcello Velasquez, Tom Neubert, Brian Cromwell

Final AP rank: Unranked

Playoff history: 47-16 in 20 appearances with three state titles

Regular season scores

38Gahanna Lincoln0 14Mooney21 13New Albany6 25Cin. Anderson28 56Findlay23 10Cols. St. Charles0 17Cols. Watterson10 24Cin. Elder34 21Cin. LaSalle13 45Cle. Benedictine24

Playoffs

45Bryan21 54Tipp City Tippecanoe14 24Cols. Watterson10 24Cin. Wyoming7

Scouting report: This is the Stallions’ eighth trip to the state final with titles in 1985, 1990 and 1997. DeSales runs a triple-option attack, with QB Nick Gentile (who took over full-time after Week 7 after the Stallions tried a rotation early in the year) a strong running threat and RBs Adam Griffin (the son of former Ohio State great Archie Griffin) and sophomore Warren Ball the main threats. A strong defensive line, led by Div. III defensive player of the year Travis Jackson and second team All-Ohioan Chris Rock, lead a fast and physical group that shut down a talented Wyoming team last week. “They’re a team that’s consistently gotten better,” said Mooney coach P.J. Fecko. “They’re a team whose style of play lends itself to controlling the clock and controlling the tempo game and playing really good defense. That’s a formula for success.”

Joe Scalzo