Photo

Photo by: Robert K. Yosay

Senior wide receiver Ryan Farragher, shown here in a first-round playoff game against Canal Fulton Northwest, made two clutch catches on Cardinal Mooney’s final drive, helping to set up the game-winning field goal.

By Matthew Peaslee

mpeaslee@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

By now, everybody knows the result. Everybody heard about it and everybody will remember it.

But to live it, was an achievement in itself.

The Mooney football team downed Steubenville in the Division III regional quarterfinals on Friday thanks to a 30-yard field goal from Conor Durina with just five seconds remaining on the Fawcett Stadium clock.

“I’m thankful to have been a part of it,” said Cardinals wide receiver Ryan Farragher.

Farragher was on the field when Mooney had the ball on its own 29 yard with 1:56 left down by one, but he was on the sidelines when Durina was sent out for the kick.

“A lot of people were just trying to keep him relaxed,” Farragher said, “but he was already cool and relaxed going out there.”

That final drive featured four penalties, a pair on both the Cardinals and Big Red, giving Durina plenty of warm-up time kicking into a net behind the Mooney bench.

“I was just focusing on the sidelines, not really paying attention to the game,” Durina admitted. “I could tell just by the way the drive was going with the penalties and time left on the clock that there would be a good chance I got in.”

While the game came down to the former soccer player’s right foot — it was in the hands of Cameron DiVito.

“I really wasn’t thinking about messing up or anything,” the holder said. “I just knew it would be up to us.”

Durina had just one other opportunity for a field goal during a game this season. He split the uprights on a 31-yard attempt in the second quarter of a 34-17 defeat to Lakewood St. Edward in week 3. Durina was also perfect on extra point attempts until the first-round playoff game against Canal Fulton Northwest when he missed three.

“My head just wasn’t in the game that night,” Durina said.

“Sometimes it is a mental thing,” offered Mooney coach P.J. Fecko. “He went back to work, needed to catch his breath and he was our guy coming into the game. He did a good job and did what was needed.”

As did DiVito and long snapper A.J. Thomas.

“A.J. and I have been working on these snaps for a long time,” DiVito said. “He zips it back here well and I just have to catch and hold. So far, everything has been a success.”

What may not have been, though, was the celebration attempt by DiVito and Durina.

“Everybody was so happy storming us and jumping around,” DiVito said. “I tried to hug him, but somebody said I head-butted him.”

Getting to that point was a bit chilling.

“There’s not much you can do watching on the sidelines,” Farragher said.

“You just hope that the preparations pay off,” Fecko added.

And when they do — “it’s an awesome moment,” Durina says.