By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

At Cardinal Mooney, it’s only a banner year if the Cardinals have a banner at the end of the year.

Last season was so-so by Mooney standards as the Cardinals finished 6-5 and gave up the most points in school history in a 56-16 loss to eventual state champion Cleveland Benedictine in the Division III regional semifinals.

“We didn’t meet our expectations last year,” senior quarterback Jack Lynch said. “A lot of guys are fueled up this year. There’s a lot of new starters and everyone is waiting for the chance to win a state championship this year.”

They should be in the mix, especially since they won’t have to worry about the Bengals in November. Benedictine moved up to Division III in the offseason, while Mooney dropped down to Division IV.

When asked if that makes things easier, senior tight end/safety Andrew Armstrong said, “We’ll play any team. We don’t care what their name is or their record is. We play each game as hard as we can and we don’t really care who is in our way.”

But ...

“Not playing Benedictine, we know they were a really good team so that’s a little relief off our shoulders,” he admitted. “We’re really confident about this year.”

OFFENSE

Lynch is the front-runner to replace three-year starter Jon Saadey at quarterback, but he’ll be pushed by junior Patrick Pelini, the son of Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini.

Senior Anthony Gill (450 yards, seven TDs in 2014) and junior Ray Anderson (100 yards, four TDs) return in the backfield, where they’ll be joined by juniors Devon McNutt (the son of YSU secondary coach Richard McNutt, a three-year letterwinner at Ohio State from 2000-02), Jaylen Hewlett, Alex Sepesy and Patrick Kay.

Armstrong, a Bowling Green recruit, and senior Breyshon Lott return at tight end/receiver, with seniors Nick Bucci, Justin Lanzo and Mike Williams also in the mix.

Up front, seniors David McDowell and Nick Maxin (6-3, 310) and junior Kyle Clegg (6-3, 250) return on what should be a typically strong Mooney line.

DEFENSE

Defensively, McDowell and Hewlett return on the line, where they’ll be joined by Clegg, Bucci and junior Vince Santisi.

Sepesy, who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury, is back at linebacker, where McNutt and sophomore Antonio Page should also see time.

Anderson and Armstrong return at safety, while Williams, Lanzo and Lynch will play corner.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Mooney graduated kicker/punter Zak Kennedy, who is now at YSU. Lynch will handle the punting, while Dustin Hudak and Ahmed Elkhafif will compete at kicker.

OUTLOOK

Fecko has won four state titles, and played for three others, since he was hired in 2000, but he never worries about how last season’s finish will affect this year’s team.

“Last year is last year,” he said. “We’ve been state champions and we’ve gone in with the same approach no matter how last season ends. That team is gone. A portion of it graduated. These guys are a year older, so the situation, the circumstances and the dynamic changed.

“Obviously, you learn from experiences as a player, but it’s a new year, a new start and a new set of seniors. It’s a new team.”

With the same expectations. Banner or bust.