Mooney driven by state final defeat

August 24, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

On Dec. 6, inside a shaken-up snow globe in Massillon, Cardinal Mooney lost the Division IV state championship to Clarksville Clinton-Massie in one of those games that is destined to live on for decades.

Unfortunately.

“I still haven’t watched the game to this day,” Mooney senior quarterback Jon Saadey said. “I probably never will until I’m older.

“It just stinks, but there’s nothing you can do about it now.”

Cardinal Mooney is 4-3 in state championship games under P.J. Fecko and is hoping to do something only one Cardinal team has ever done — win a state title the year after losing one.

“It [the loss] definitely carries over and it’s definitely in the back of our minds,” senior RB C.J. Amill said. “We’re gonna use it to drive us for this year.”

In 2005, Mooney lost to Coldwater in the Division IV state final, then went 14-0 in 2006. The Cardinals also lost the state final in 1985 and 2007, making the playoffs the following season each year.

“Obviously you’re going to gain experience through the extra weeks of the playoffs and playing in those types of situations,” Fecko said. “But as far as what happened last year, whether you win it or lose it, it’s not going to help you at this point because it’s a whole new dynamic.”

Offense

Mooney graduated its best player in running back/cornerback Mark Handel but returns its quarterback (Saadey), second-leading rusher (Amill, who had close to 1,300 yards rushing and ) and starting fullback (Christian Lowery) along with starting linemen Zach Dundies, Vince Vosatek and Julian Thomas. Jordan Jones and Anthony Gill should also get carries in the backfield, while Chris Mitchell and Andrew Armstrong the leaders to start at wide receiver.

Defense

Vosatek and Lowery return on the defensive line and will probably be joined by Dundies and Vosatek while Jones and Roosevelt Cooper are back at linebacker. Amill returns at cornerback and Armstrong should man one of the other defensive back spots.

“I think [other coaches] sometimes get too caught up in platooning,” Fecko said. “You’ve got to find the best 11 and put them on the field. Especially in high school. The quarters aren’t that long. I’ve had quarterbacks that played defense and long snapper for me and never came off the field.”

Special teams

YSU recruit Zak Kennedy is back after making 13 of 15 field goals last season and 44 of 48 extra points. He’ll also take over punting duties for Denver Martin, who graduated.

Outlook

Mooney’s schedule is typically brutal, although the Cardinals open up with four straight home games (and get an open date in early October). They’ve used last year’s loss as motivation throughout the offseason, but Saadey knows they can’t carry it around forever.

“We think about it all the time, we talk about it all the time and I don’t think we’re [going to stop] talking about it until the first game, the first snap,” he said. “Then it’s on to the new season. It’s out of our head.”

Fecko hopes the new season again ends in Week 15, only with a different result than last year.

“I’m assuming every school in Ohio comes in with that aspiration,” he said. “Obviously [last year] was part of their experience, part of who they are and it left a bad taste in their mouths. I think any competitor would love a shot to be back there again.”

ROSTER

2C.J. AmillRB-LB5-10175Sr.

3Deon JacksonWR-DB6-1150Sr.

4Anthony GillRB-LB5-8170Jr.

5Mike WilliamsWR-LB5-10160Jr.

6Breyshon LottWR-LB6-1185Jr.

7Chris MitchellWR-DB6-3185Sr.

8Ray AndersonRB-DB6-0200So.

9Christian LoweryRB-LB6-1215Sr.

10Kam StringerTE-DL5-10220Sr.

11Roosevelt CooperWR-LB6-1200Sr.

12Andrew ArmstrongTE-DB6-2220Jr.