By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Cardinal Mooney and Akron Buchtel high school football teams staged a tribute to the 2014 NFL preseason in the Cardinals’ 31-0 blowout win Friday at Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Stadium.

Despite the lopsided score, flags were flying everywhere. Twenty-one penalties were called (one was declined) and 177 yards were marked off.

“Probably the most penalties that I’ve been involved with in a game,” Mooney head coach P.J. Fecko said.

Asked why so many, Fecko said, “I don’t know. It was a bunch of different things.”

Andrew Armstrong, who made the defensive play of the game, said, “There was a lot of chirping by both teams.”

The Cardinals were guilty of two unsportsmanlike penalties in the third quarter.

“We’ve just got to be smarter than that, don’t play [down] to an opponent’s level,” Armstrong said. “[Ten] penalties is a lot — we’ve just got to cut down on the mistakes.”

Midway through the second quarter, Armstrong stole an Eric Rucker pass along the sideline and returned it 16 yards for Mooney’s first touchdown and a 10-point lead.

“Coach is always harping on me about being in the right position,” the senior safety said. “I saw the ball and just made a play on it.

“I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that I would make it to the end zone,” Armstrong said. “That’s the ultimate goal — cash in and score.”

Late in the first half, Mooney quarterback Jon Saadey hit Chris Mitchell for a 21-yard gain. A personal foul penalty on the Griffins (0-3) put the the ball at the Buchtel 11.

Four plays later, fullback Anthony Gill scored from the 2 for a 17-0 lead.

Mooney’s offense clicked with great field position in the third quarter. After the Cardinals forced a three-and-out to begin the third quarter, tailback C.J. Amill scored a 44-yard touchdown on the next play.

In pitching their second straight shutout, the Cardinals forced another three-and-out and Jack Reider’s 18-yard punt return put the ball on the Buchtel 16.

A pass interference call and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 4 where Saadey hit D.J. Anderson in the corner of the end zone.

“Our defense played really well,” Fecko said. “On offense, whether it would be a penalty or a mental mistake, we put ourselves in some bad situations.”

The game began slowly until Devin West’s desperation line-drive punt traveled only to the Buchtel 27. The Cardinals (2-1) were poised for a touchdown after Gill’s second-down 3-yard gain gave them a third-and-goal from the 1. Nothing went as planned after that.

After false start and delay of game penalties, Saadey was sacked by Daron McGinnis for a 13-yard loss. That set up Zak Kennedy’s 40-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.