MOONEY NOT ABLE TO HANDLE BIG RED

YOUNGSTOWN OH- Cardinal Mooney looked to kick off the Carl Pelini era in the good direction as Mooney hosted the Steubenville Big Red at Stambaugh Stadium. Little fun fact, this was the first time that the Big Red did not have a home opener week one since 1980 according to WFMJ’s Dana Balash.

Mooney stalled on their first possession after getting stuffed by the Steubenville defense.  That opened up the Big Red offense led by Rodney James who scored two touchdowns in the first quarter making it 14-0.  The cardinals opened up a bit on offense in the second as senior quarterback Pat Guerrieri gave the ball to running back Zy’ere Rodgers stretched across the goal line for a five-yard touchdown, the extra point was no good making it within eight.

 The Big Red kept getting hot and the rain couldn’t cool them off as in the second, Spencer Ostovich took it 61-yards to the house with nobody stopping him.  Mooney went into halftime down 28-6, needing an answer for the second half, seeing how they can turn it around. Things took a turn in the second half where Mooney scored, adding a Brian Philibin extra point making it 28-13.  However, Steubenville decided after thatto turn on the jets, scoring two more times late in the fourth and ending it off with a kneel down with the final score 40-13.

Cardinal Mooney (0-1) will head to the legendary Mollenkoph Stadium to take on the Warren G. Harding Raiders.  Steubenville (1-0) will head back home at Harding Stadium to face the Dover Crimson Tornadoes (1-0).

*Contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien