Tag Archive for: Ursuline

IRISH GRAB FIRST PLAYOFF WIN SINCE 2015

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- For the first time since 2015, the Ursuline Irish were in a playoff game, but in order to make it to the next round, they’d have to face a tough Villa Angela St. Joseph’s team that was red hot after getting a big upset win against Fairless last week by a score of 28-17.  

The Vikings continued the momentum by picking off Brady Shannon and scoring first as Nicholas Mcclinton took it in for a 10-yard touchdown making it 7-0.  However, the Irish knew what to do next, as Brady Shannon found Jakylan Irving for a 38-yard touchdown tying it at seven all.  Later on, it was our player profile guest DeMarcus McElroy who ran his feet into the endzone three-yards out making it a seven-point game going into halftime with a little upset alert on our hands. 

This game continued to have upset alerts written all over it as both teams went back to back in scoring.  Once again, it was McElroy showing off the J.K. Dobbins speed from 10-yards out making it 21-7.  The Vikings were still rowing the boat, however.  Just before the end of the third, quarterback Kevin Eiseman found Jordan Dean for a 39-yrs touchdown, and the lead was cut back to seven.  

However, Shannon went off, giving us flashbacks like Tom Brady against Tennessee back in 2009.  Shannon found Terrell “TG” Dillworth twice and Matthew Reardon once.  The Irish got their last touchdown of the night when John Edmonds picked off Eiseman taking it in for a pick-six.  The Vikings got one more touchdown but it was not enough as the Irish advance with the final of 47-21. 

This is Ursuline’s first win in the playoffs since their 41-13 quarterfinal win against Crestwood in 2015.  

 

Stats

Brady Shannon: 15-20 for 238 yards and four touchdowns. DeMarcus McElroy: 17 carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns.  Matthew Reardon three receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown.  

 

Sixth-seeded Ursuline (5-2) will now have to make a trip to Beloit to face the third seed West Branch Warriors (7-0)  next Saturday at 7pm.  You can catch that game live on YSN! 

 

*contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien* 

 

MCELROY MAKES EM PAY

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- With Urusline going into their first game of the 2020 playoffs, there is a player who is coming off of momentum with the Irish.  That player would be none other than junior defensive back and running back DeMarcus McElroy who is now the starter later on in the season.

 

DeMarcus may be quiet in person, but when it comes to that football field, he feasts, wanting to plow his way through every defender and when it comes to the other side, he has a tiger instinct for the football.  During the Holy War against rival Cardinal Mooney, McElroy had 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns while he took a pick six back which was the first score of the game.  He has been silent but deadly throughout this 2020 season.  Against Warren Harding, he rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown.  The week before against Youngstown East, McElroy had 57 yards on eight carries and a touchdown too. 

 

On this Playoff Player Profile edition, DeMarcus sits down to talk about the game he had last friday against rival Mooney, the film that they have watched on Villa Angela St. Joseph (team that beat Fairless 28-17), the TikToks that he has done with coach Jesse Curry for a nice laugh during quarantine, What made him want to get into football in the first place, how the team has improved from this season to last, and much more.  As said, the Ursuline Irish (4-2) will take on the Vikings of Villa Angela St. Joseph (1-6) Saturday at 7pm on YSN. 

 

*Contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien*

 

Presented By

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VKDkCvQ_k[/embedyt]

IRISH TRIUMPH IN HOLY WAR

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- This game had no social distancing score wise between these two teams Friday night as the high school football version of Ohio State Michigan happened when the Ursuline Irish and Cardinal Mooney Cardinals, faced off in the 62nd meeting of the “Holy War” at Stambaugh Stadium.

 

The game started with Ursuline having some momentum on their side driving all the way down to the Cardinals 15.  That is until a few players later where they coughed up the ball, recovered by Mooney and hoping for some early momentum.  

 

However, that would not happen as a few possessions later, Pat Guerrieri’s pass was intercepted by DeMarcus McElroy who looked like Champ Bailey out on the field taking it in for a touchdown making it 6-0 after a failed extra point.  Mooney came right back later on when Pat Guerrieri found AJ Pecchia for a nice 29-yards touchdown putting the Cards up 7-6.  

 

But once again, it was McElroy in the first who this time channeled his Ezekiel Elliott going 20-yards for the score.  Then, it was Dante Walker taking it in for the two point conversion bringing it back to a seven point game.  McElroy had another big touchdown in the second that looked to have gone for 30-yards making it 21-7 and now Mooney was in trouble and needed momentum.  

 

That’s when Mooney drove down the field tiring out the Ursuline defense a bit.  That’s when Zy’ere Rogers said “welcome to my neighborhood,”driving his feet in the endzone five yards out, putting the Cardinals back into the game down by eight.  

 

The Irish scored one more time before the half.   Brady Shannon would give the ball to once again, McElroy who was having a career night with four total touchdowns.  The Irish went into the half up 28-13 but it was not over yet.  

 

In the third quarter, the Cardinals defense and offense got stronger.  Firstly, they did not let Ursuline get a single point in the last two quarters while Mooney looked stronger.  The Cardinals got three points in the third thanks to a 21-yard  field goal by Brian Philibin making it 28-16.  Their next score came in the fourth.  The Cardinals got down to the goal line after a nice Guerrieri run.  On their next play, it was Davontae Miller plowing into the endzone and now there was a ballgame.  

 

Shannon would go long for Jakylan Irving, but it was a nice break up by the Mooney defense which led the Irish to bring out Matthew Reardon for a Rugby style punt.  Cardinal Mooney needed a first down with just over three minutes to go.  The Irish defense stopped the Cards on three of those downs and now it was do or die.  

 

Guerrieri went to Pecchia who had the ball right in his hands, but couldn’t hold on as because of this, Ursuline held on for the 28-23 victory over rival Cardinal Mooney.  This is Ursuline’s first back-to-back win against Mooney since the 2011 and 2012 season.  

 

Player of the Game/Stat

 

The player of the game was DeMarcus McElroy who had 112 yards rushing, three touchdowns and an interception.  

 

Ursuline (4-2) gets a nice week off to relax and heal any injuries that happened.  They will play the winner of Fairless (4-2) vs Villa Angela St. Joseph (0-6).  Cardinal Mooney (1-5) will play Conneaut (2-4) at Stambaugh stadium.  Both of those first round playoff games will be played Saturday at 7pm.  

 

*Contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien* 

URSULINE FOOTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP. 3) WITH DAN REARDON

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH – It is no secret to anyone in the Youngstown area, the Ursuline vs Cardinal Mooney football game is always one of the most anticipated games in the Mahoning Valley and nobody knows that better than head coach Dan Reardon. This week, his Ursuline Fighting Irish squad will take the field in Stambaugh Stadium as the home team, looking to repeat what they accomplished last season and knock off Cardinal Mooney again.

YSN’s own “Holy War” expert, Steve Leslie, had the opportunity to chat with Coach Reardon this week to talk about the “Holy War” and what his mindset is going into this week six match up, but also what Ursuline needs to do to get some momentum before the playoffs start, and any insight Coach might have for us involving the playoffs and where he thinks the Irish might line up in the bracket.

All that and more in this week’s episode of Ursuline Fighting Irish Football Coach’s Corner with head coach, Dan Reardon!

Presented By

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEwWvyQmIOM[/embedyt]

THE DEAN’S OFFICE

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- One of Ursuline’s receivers have been under the radar for the last two seasons, but now in 2020, it seemed as if Dean Boyd was making a big name for himself. 

 

 In 2019 against Bishop Watterson, he made a great reach for the endzone in the final seconds, and this year, had a spectacular catch against the Chaney Cowboys in week one.  He also had three receptions for 99 yards against Youngstown East and was going to possibly be a contender for the season ending awards. 

 

However, there was a setback as he sustained a lisfranc fracture during the week four game against the Golden Bears after a corner got on his foot as Boyd was going for the catch.  Due to this, he will have to wait for next year’s Holy War against rival Mooney, but is still supporting the Irish and helping out which could maybe lead to a possible coaching career in the future.  

 

On this edition of the YSN Ursuline football player profile, Dean Boyd talks about the injury he had, how he improved from 2019 to 2020 before the injury, who we idolized his receiving game here at Ursuline, what’s it going to take to beat rival Mooney, will he decide to play basketball and his awaited comeback during the 2021 season and why players should watch out for him.  

 

*contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien* 

Presented By

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPGhMqvYPjI[/embedyt]

RAIDERS PUSH BACK URSULINE

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WARREN OH- Ursuline came into this game with a lot of momentum on their side, looking to go 4 and one.  However, in order to do that they’d have to get past a Warren team that has played a tough schedule in this six-game season in what to some was a shocker at Mollenkopf stadium.  

 

The Irish started out strong as Dante Walker kept their scoring momentum alive with a 33-yard touchdown run.  Reardon tried to go for two but was stopped making it 6-0.  The next drive saw Ursuline get into the endzone again, as Brady Shannon found Matthew Reardon nine-yards our making it 12-0.  

 

However, Warren fought back as quarterback Elijah Taylor found Dom Foster 26-yards out with 2:43 left.  Finally, Warren fans got to hear the PA announcer’s famous words “touchdown Raiders” as it was 12-7 at halftime.  

 

Walker got his second touchdown 19-yards out making it 18-7 while Warren responded back with Taylor’s pass to Konyae Redd.  However, the PAT was a doink and no good, making it 18-13.  Both teams scored before the end of the third as well.  Ursuline’s DeMarcus McElory added a one-yard touchdown and Bryson Powell had a 15-yard run, driving his feet in the endzone.  What made the difference, the Irish failed on their PAT, while the Raiders achieved on theirs with the score being 24-21.  

 

Later on in the very important drive, it looked as if that Ursuline defense who’d some say is the Ravens defense of high school football,  had stopped the Warren offense.  However, they’d measure and it was determined that the Raiders got the first down.  Next possession, the Raiders were rumbling into the endzone with Marco Patierno on a four-yard run with 45 seconds remaining.  

 

The Irish tried to have something going, but the Raiders said not so fast my friend as they stopped the Irish which led to a turnover on down, ending the game with the final of 28-24.  

*Contributed By YSN’s Ian O’Brien

URSULINE SENDS BEARS TO HIBERNATION

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YOUNGSTOWN OH-  Nothing makes a great senior night for players than a home win, and tonight, that’s what the Irish did as they hosted the Youngstown East Golden Bears at Stambaugh Stadium.

 

Just like the last two games, the Irish got off to a quick start.  The first score of the game was in the first quarter when Brady Shannon pitched it out to Trenton Hill, who then found Matthew Reardon 32-yards out making it 7-0 Irish.  Later on, it was Shannon, finding Dean Boyd who ran 38-yards out making the score 13-0 after a missed two-point conversion.  East had a rough start but was sure to have Ursuline muff their upcoming punt.  Unfortunately, the snap went over the punters head which led to it being a safety.  The score was now 15-0 at the end of one.

 

The second quarter had less scoring for the Irish as the East defense did make a few stops there.  However, the Irish would find that momentum again as Demarcus McElroy plowed in six yards out.  Later on, Shannon found Boyd again 14-yards out.  At the half, it was now 28-0 and East needed to change something up for the third quarter.

 

Well, the change did not work as planned.  Ursuline still kept playing fast and would not look back.  The third quarter momentum started when Terrell “TG” Dillworth channeled his inner Joshua Cribbs and Devin Hester, taking it 80-yards to the house.  Ursuline’s final touchdown came later when Hill put it in a yard out.

 

East got their only point late in the game when Andrew Blackmon found Rueben Talley for an 18-yard touchdown.  In the end however, the Irish took revenge for their 28-27 2OT loss to East last year and this time won with the final being 42-7.

 

Brady Shannon finished 10 of 15 for 144 yards and two touchdowns.  Trenton Hill finished with 10 carries for 45 yards with a rushing and passing touchdown.  Matthew Reardon has three receptions for 44-yards and a touchdown.  Dean Boyd finished with three receptions for 99-yards and two touchdowns.

 

Defensive Standouts for the Irish were Ryan Peguese who had two sacks, Boyd, and Dante Walker who were the leading tacklers.

 

Ursuline (3-1) will head to Mollenkopf Stadium for a big game against the Warren G. Harding Raiders (1-3).  Youngstown East (0-4) will look to get their first win next week as they face the Howland Tigers (1-3).

 

*contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien*

 

DANTE’S INFERNO

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YOUNGSTOWN-OH; When people talk about Ursuline, their first thought has to be the dynamic duo on the offensive side with Brady Shannon and Matthew Reardon.  However, there’s a senior that most have to look for in having a big season on both sides of the ball.  That senior is named Dante Walker, who plays both linebacker and running back.  

 

In the past few seasons, Walker has played mostly defense while playing a bit of running back, rotating a little bit with Davion Jones and junior Trenton Hill.  This year, Walker has improved his running back skills on the offensive side while continuing to be a threat on the defensive side of the ball.  In 2019, Walker had 87 tackles with 11 of them being for losses and had four and a half sacks on quarterbacks.  He had his biggest run of his career last week against Boardman, taking it 84-yards to the house and waiting to also play his other sport again in baseball. 

 

On this episode of the YSN Ursuline player profile edition, Dante talks to us about what changed from week two to three, the leadership, what he did during quarantine back in March and April, the leadership change, what he wants to do for college, and the his recent jobs on cars, plus what has changed with the Youngstown East team from last year to this year.  The Irish will take on the Golden Bears this Friday at 7pm at Stambaugh Stadium or you can stream it on YSN for $9.99. 

Contributed By YSN’s Ian O’Brien

Presented By

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XWk66MHq60[/embedyt]

 

IRISH BUMP BOARDMAN ON THE ROAD

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BOARDMAN, OH- Last week, the Irish started strong, but couldn’t finish.  This week, Ursuline started strong once again and did not look back as they took on the Boardman Spartans for their first away game of 2020, and the Irish looked like road warriors.

Boardman started out with the ball, but it wasn’t for long as Ursuline scores thanks to a Jakylan Irving interception which he returned for a touchdown putting the Irish up seven.  

The Irish scored two more times in the first quarter as Trenton Hill had a one-yard touchdown and Dante Walker broke through with an 84-yard touchdown run with the score now being 21-0 Irish at the end of one.  

The Ursuline offense scored two more times in the second thanks to another Hill touchdown and Brady Shannon’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Dillworth.  Meanwhile, the Irish defense would continue to stop Boardman’s offense from going anywhere.  It was now 33-0 at the half.

It wasn’t until the third quarter that the Spartans got their first points on the board.  It was thanks to Terrence Thomas 56-yard touchdown run, speeding through the Irish defense, getting some momentum going.  

In the end, however, it was not enough as the Spartans would score one more time as Ursuline found luck this week in a 40-13 victory.  This is Ursuline’s first start being over .500 since 2016 and the first time beating Boardman since 2015.

Ursuline (2-1) will take on the East Golden Bears (0-3) at Stambaugh Stadium next Friday while Boardman (1-2) will host the Howland Tigers (1-2). 

 

Stats 

Ursuline: Dante Walker had four carries for 82 yards.  Trenton Hill had five carries for 50 yards. Brady Shannon 12-16 with 155 yards passing. 

Boardman: Terrance Thomas was 5-10 for 75 yards and rushed for 102 yards on 14 carries.  Nate Fleming three receptions for 37 yards. 

 

*Contributed by YSN’s Ian O’Brien

 

GAME PHOTOS: CLICK HERE

 

MATT’S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT

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YOUNGSTOWN OH- Key players can make the difference in a team, and that is exactly what senior Matthew Reardon is doing after him and his family left Canton McKinley to move back to help Ursuline win again.  With him at Ursuline, there seems to be much greater leadership, something that the Irish were struggling with for a few years.  In 2019, Reardon caught 28 passes for 448 yards and seven touchdowns.  He also threw for 642 yards passing and five touchdowns on the season.  That same year, he broke Paul Kempe’s record against Bishop Watterson in week seven throwing for 351 yards and three touchdowns.  At season’s end, Matthew would be named third team All-Ohio and All NEO-Inland District. 

 

In March after taking time to decide on where he wanted to play college football.  He announced that he would commit to the Miami (OH) RedHawks, because of how it fits him as a receiver.  He chose Miami over schools like Toledo, Princeton, Bowling Green, Army, Air Force and the hometown Youngstown State Penguins.  

 

On this episode of the player profile, Matthew talks about what the team has to do better in week three against Boardman that they struggled with against Austintown Fitch, what his major wants to be when he gets to Miami along with why he wanted to play for them, the meaning behind his jersey number being eight, and how much it means to him to play under his dad and three-time state champion coach Dan Reardon, plus more. 

 

Ursuline (1-1) heads to Boardman stadium on Friday to face off against the Boardman Spartans (1-1) this Friday at 7pm.  It can be streamed on YSN Live.  

*Contributed By YSN’s Ian O’Brien.

Presented By,

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2e-voSTGrk[/embedyt]