Recordpub.com - Playoff football preview: Field at Youngstown Cardinal Mooney

By Colin Harris

Record-Courier staff writer

BRIMFIELD — Youngstown Cardinal Mooney certainly has the edge in hype.

The top team in Division III, Region 9, the Cardinals (10-0) enter tonight’s regional quarterfinal match with Field (8-2) the odds-on favorite to take home their seventh state championship.

In order to do that, however, they’re going to have to start by getting by a Field team looking to build some postseason tradition of its own.

Tonight’s game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start at Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Stadium.

“At least on film, Mooney might be best high school football team I’ve seen, regardless of division,” said Field head coach Patrick Youel. “Pretty much any adjective you could use to describe a high school team could be used for Mooney.”

Since taking over as Mooney’s head coach in 2000, P.J. Fecko has brought the Cardinals back to the top in the state. From 2004 to 2007, Mooney earned a bid in the Division IV state championship game with wins in 2004 and 2006.

Of course, all of those accomplishments mean nothing at kickoff and that message is key to Youel’s preparations.

“When we go into the game, we can’t be afraid of the big stage,” he said. “Mooney’s a team used to being on TV and used to playing in the big game, and we’ve got to play without any of that pressure.”

While many teams have transitioned to spread offenses, the Cardinals have established one of the best running attacks in the state.

Through 10 games, Mooney backs has averaged a total of 286.9 yards per game. A big part of its attack is senior Braylon Heard.

A West Virginia recruit, the speedy Heard has posted 1,161 yards and 15 touchdowns.

“It’s a lot easier to say it than do it, but we have to stop their run,” said Youel. “They’re similar to the 2007 Walsh Jesuit team we played — they have a big, strong offensive line that they use to establish the run.”

If the Cardinals have a weakness, it might be senior quarterback Alex Zordich. While his stats aren’t bad — 450 yards, four TDs to just one interception — Zordich has never been put in a position where he’s had to win games with his arm.

“It’s not to say that their quarterback can’t win games, it’s just that he hasn’t had to show he can,” said Youel. “We need to execute and get the job done with stopping the run and force them to have to throw it around.”

Win or lose, Youel said he’s ecstatic that his seniors, who will graduate with a 25-7 record since their sophomore year, will get to spend at least one more week together.

“There’s no pressure on us tonight because there’s not a soul who thinks we can win this game,” he said. “We’re so proud of this team, especially our seniors, and I’m just blessed to be able to spend more time with them.”

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Colin Harris can be contacted at charris@recordpub.com or 330-298-1123