Mooney rallies to bounce Woodridge

By TOM WILLIAMS

williams@vindy.com

PENINSULA

Trailing by a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a first-round playoff game on a sloppy field, the Cardinal Mooney High School football team was far from its comfort zone.

Four regular-season losses earned the Cardinals and their boosters a road trip to Woodridge High School, far from the warmth of Youngstown State University’s loges.

For three-and-a-half quarters, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs stood toe-to-toe with the defending Division IV state runner-up. But after Ray Anderson scored a 13-yard touchdown to tie the game, linebacker Jordan Jones’ strip of Woodridge running back Brandon Williams had the fifth-seeded Cardinals feeling at home.

Jones’ fumble recovery at the Woodridge 31 set up Jon Saadey’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Jack Reider for the winning score in Friday’s 28-21 victory in the Region 11 opener.

“It felt pretty good,” Jones said. “In the second half, we came out and did our thing. When we needed to win momentum back, we [found it].”

On third-and-9 from the 30, Saadey found Reider alone in the end zone to snap a 21-21 tie.

“We knew we had to step it up,” Saadey said of the seniors. “We did not want this to be our last game.”

Next Friday, Mooney will play top-seeded Cleveland Benedictine at a site to be announced on Sunday.

Saadey and Jones admitted that the Cardinals (6-4) underestimated the Bulldogs (8-3).

“Give them credit — they are a great football team,” Saadey said. “They weren’t here by luck — they played an awesome game.

“I think some of [our] guys thought it would be [easy],” Saadey said. “Being a three-year starter, I knew no game is easy. [The Bulldogs] wanted it tonight.”

Jones said he wasn’t expecting the Bulldogs “to be that good. They came out and played [hard].”

Early on, it appeared the Cardinals would cruise. But the Bulldogs found a way to take the lead twice.

On Mooney’s first play from scrimmage, tailback C.J. Amill escaped for an 84-yard run to the Woodridge 1. Two plays later, Saadey’s touchdown put the Cardinals ahead, 7-0.

The Bulldogs didn’t flinch, forcing a punt and then producing a 52-yard drive capped by Thomas Finegan’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Margroff on a fourth-and-4 play.

On the Cardinals’ next possession, Saadey lost control of the ball trying to escape the rush and Demetrius Tabler recovered at the Mooney 45. Five plays later, Williams broke through the center of the line for a 32-yard touchdown to give Woodridge a 14-7 lead.

The Cardinals responded with an 86-yard scoring drive set up by Amill’s 43-yard gain on the first play. Wide receiver Bill Sweeney scored the 19-yard touchdown, catching a short toss from Saadey then escaping two Bulldogs who bounced into each other.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Bulldogs stunned the Cardinals early in the fourth quarter when Williams bulldozed his way for a 32-yard touchdown run and 21-14 lead.

Mooney head coach P.J. Fecko said Friday’s game was the Cardinals’ first on a grass field since Week 3 of the 2013 season.

“The field was a little slick,” Fecko said. “I was pleased to see after halftime that it started to freeze up. The footing was a little bit stronger.”

Saadey said the muddy conditions between the hash marks between the 20s inspired him “to change my spikes at halftime. It made a big difference.

“It was slippery and caused a turnover,” the quarterback said of the field. “We couldn’t make our cuts as quick, hit the holes as quick.”

Amill led the Cardinals with 141 yards on 12 carries. Saadey rushed for 81 yards and passed for 102.

Early in the game, Jones injured a knee but stayed in the game, eventually administering the knockout blow.

“When I wanted to quit, [my teammates] brought me back up,” Jones said. “They helped me overcome my pain.”